Comorian language

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{{language |name=Comorian |nativename=Shikomor |familycolor=Niger-Congo |states=Comoros and Mayotte |region=Throughout Comoros and in Madagascar, Mayotte and Réunion |speakers=350,702 (2004) |fam2=Atlantic-Congo |fam3=Volta-Congo |fam4=Benue-Congo |fam5=Bantoid |fam6=Southern |fam7=Narrow Bantu |fam8=Central |fam9=G |nation=Comoros |iso2=bnt |lc1=swb|ld1=Comorian |lc2=wlc|ld2=Mwali|ll2=Mohéli |lc3=wni|ld3=Ndzwani|ll3=Anjouan |lc4=zdj|ld4=Ngazidja}}

Comorian (Shikomor) is the most widely used language on the Comoros (independent islands in the Indian Ocean, off Mozambique and Madagascar). It is a close relative of Swahili with a very strong Arabic influence, and is one of the three official languages of the Comoros, next to French and Arabic. Each island has a slightly different dialect; that of Anjouan is called Shindzuani, that of Mohel Shimwali, that of Maore Shimaore, and that of Grand Comoro Shingadzija. No official alphabet existed in 1992, but Arabic and Latin scripts were both used.

It is also the language of Udzima wa ya Masiwa, the national anthem of the "moon islands" ("al-qamar" is Arabic for "moon").

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Bibliography

Ahmed-Chamanga, Mohamed. (1992) Lexique Comorien (shindzuani) - Français. Paris: L'Harmattan.
Ahmed-Chamanga, Mohamed. (1997) Dictionnaire français-comorien (dialecte Shindzuani). Paris: L'Harmattan.
Johansen, Aimee. A History of Comorian Linguistics. in John M. Mugane (ed.), Linguistic Typology and Representation of African Languages. Africa World Press. Trenton, New Jersey.

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