Kwanyama
/kwɑːnˈjɑːmə/noun
Kwanyama is the name of a Bantu language and the Ovambo people and kingdom traditionally associated with southern Angola and northern Namibia.
Did you know?Kwanyama is also known as Oshikwanyama, where the prefix oshi- identifies a language in the broader Oshiwambo language group.
Etymological Timeline
Precolonial period
Bantu
Oukwanyama
“The indigenous name of the Kwanyama kingdom or polity; its internal etymology is not securely established.”
19th Century
Kwanyama
Kwanyama
“Name used for the people and kingdom in the Ovambo region of southern Angola and northern Namibia.”
19th Century
Portuguese
Cuamato
“A Portuguese colonial spelling used for Kwanyama-related people and territory.”
20th Century
Oshiwambo
Oshikwanyama
“The Kwanyama language; oshi- functions as a language-class prefix in many Bantu languages of the region.”
Modern English
English
Kwanyama
“A recognized name for the language, people, and historical kingdom.”
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