Ha language

For the language of Hainan Island, China, see Hlai languages.
For the ISO 639-1 code "ha", see Hausa language.
Ha
Igiha
Native toTanzania
EthnicityAbaha
Native speakers
990,000 (2001)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3haq
Glottologhaaa1252
JD.66[2]

Ha, also known with the Bantu language prefix as Giha, Igiha, or Kiha, is a Bantu language spoken by the Ha people of the Kigoma Region of Tanzania, spoken on the eastern side of Lake Tanganyika up to the headwaters of the Mikonga. It is closely related to the languages of Rwanda and Burundi; neighboring dialects are reported to be mutually intelligible with Kirundi.[3]

  1. ^ Ha at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. ^ Jouni Filip Maho, 2009. New Updated Guthrie List Online
  3. ^ Article by Spiridion Shyirambere in: Le Français hors de France sous la direction de A. Valdman, Editions Honoré Champion, 7 quai Mallasquai, Paris, 1979. The "zone of intercomprehension" is also reported to include KinyaRwanda, Hima and Luganda, and several other local languages.