Editing Tumbuka language (section)

==Nouns==
===Noun classes===
As is usual with Bantu languages, Tumbuka nouns are grouped into different noun classes according to their singular and plural prefixes. Each class of noun has its own adjective, pronoun, and verb agreements, known as 'concords'. Where the agreements disagree with the prefix, the agreements take precedence in deciding the class of noun. For example, the noun {{lang|tum|katundu}} 'possessions', despite having the prefix ''ka-'', is placed in class 1, since one says {{lang|tum|katundu uyu}} 'these possessions' using the class 1 demonstrative {{lang|tum|uyu}}. Malawians themselves (e.g. in the University of Malawi's Citumbuka dictionary) refer to the noun classes by traditional names such as "Mu-Ŵa-"; Bantu specialists, however, refer to the classes by numbers (1/2 etc.) corresponding to the noun-classes of other Bantu languages. Occasionally nouns do not correspond to the classes below, e.g. {{lang|tum|fumu}} 'chief' (class 9) irregularly has a plural ''mafumu'' in class 6.

'''Class 1/2 (Mu-Ŵa-)'''

Some nouns in this class lack the prefix Mu-:
*{{lang|tum|Munthu}} pl. {{lang|tum|ŵanthu (banthu)}} = person
*{{lang|tum|Muzungu}} pl. {{lang|tum|ŵazungu (bazungu)}} = foreigner, white man
*{{lang|tum|Mwana}} pl. {{lang|tum|ŵana (bana)}} = child
*{{lang|tum|Bulu}} pl. {{lang|tum|ŵabulu}} = donkey
*{{lang|tum|Sibweni}} pl. {{lang|tum|ŵasibweni}} = maternal uncle
*{{lang|tum|Katundu}} (no pl.) = goods, possessions

'''Class 3/4 (Mu-Mi-)'''
*{{lang|tum|Mutu}} pl. {{lang|tum|mitu}} = head
*{{lang|tum|Mkuyu}} pl. {{lang|tum|mikuyu}} = fig-tree
*{{lang|tum|Moyo}} pl. {{lang|tum|miyoyo}} = life
*{{lang|tum|Mtima}} pl. {{lang|tum|mitima}} = heart

'''Class 5/6 (Li-Ma-)'''
*{{lang|tum|Bele (bhele}} pl. {{lang|tum|mabele (mabhele)}} = breast
*{{lang|tum|Boma (bhoma)}} pl. {{lang|tum|maboma (mabhoma)}} = government, district
*{{lang|tum|Botolo (bhotolo)}} pl. {{lang|tum|mabotolo (mabhotolo)}} = bottle
*{{lang|tum|Fuko}} pl. {{lang|tum|mafuko}} = tribe, nation
*{{lang|tum|Jiso}} pl. {{lang|tum|maso}} = eye
*{{lang|tum|Maji}} (no singular) = water
*{{lang|tum|Phiri}} pl. {{lang|tum|mapiri}} = hill
*{{lang|tum|Suzgo}} pl. {{lang|tum|masuzgo}} = problem, trouble
*{{lang|tum|Woko}} pl. {{lang|tum|mawoko}} = hand

'''Class 7/8 (Ci-Vi-)'''
*{{lang|tum|Caka (chaka)}} pl. {{lang|tum|vyaka}} = year
*{{lang|tum|Caro (charo)}} pl. {{lang|tum|vyaro}} = country, land
*{{lang|tum|Ciŵeto (chibeto)}} pl. {{lang|tum|viŵeto (vibeto)}} = farm animal
*{{lang|tum|Cidakwa (chidakwa)}} pl. {{lang|tum|vidakwa}} = drunkard
*{{lang|tum|Cikoti (chikoti)}} pl. {{lang|tum|vikoti}} = whip

'''Class 9/10 (Yi-Zi-)'''
*{{lang|tum|Mbale}} pl. {{lang|tum|mbale (mambale)}} = plate
*{{lang|tum|Ndalama}} pl. {{lang|tum|ndalama}} = money
*{{lang|tum|Njelwa}} pl. {{lang|tum|njelwa}} = brick
*{{lang|tum|Nkhuku}} pl. {{lang|tum|nkhuku}} = chicken
*{{lang|tum|Somba}} pl. {{lang|tum|somba}} = fish

'''Class 11 (Lu-)'''

Some speakers treat words in this class as if they were in class 5/6.<ref>Shiozaki (2004).</ref>
*{{lang|tum|Lwande}} = side
*{{lang|tum|Lumbiri}} = fame
*{{lang|tum|Lulimi}} = tongue

'''Class 12/13 (Ka-Tu-)'''
*{{lang|tum|Kanthu (kantu)}} pl. {{lang|tum|tunthu (tuntu)}} = small thing
*{{lang|tum|Kamwana}} pl. {{lang|tum|tuŵana (tubana)}} = baby
*{{lang|tum|Kayuni}} pl. {{lang|tum|tuyuni}} = bird
*{{lang|tum|Tulo}} (no singular) = sleep

'''Class 14/6 (U-Ma-)'''

These nouns are frequently abstract and have no plural.
*{{lang|tum|Usiku}} = night
*{{lang|tum|Ulimi}} = farming
*{{lang|tum|Ulalo}} pl. {{lang|tum|maulalo}} = bridge
*{{lang|tum|Uta}} pl. {{lang|tum|mauta}} = bow

'''Class 15 (Ku-) Infinitive'''
*{{lang|tum|Kugula}} = to buy, buying
*{{lang|tum|Kwiba (kwibha)}} = to steal, stealing

'''Classes 16, 17, 18 (Pa-, Ku-, Mu-) Locative'''
*{{lang|tum|Pasi}} = underneath
*{{lang|tum|Kunthazi (kuntazi)}} = in front, before
*{{lang|tum|Mukati}} = inside

===Concords===
Verbs, adjectives, numbers, possessives, and pronouns in Tumbuka have to agree with the noun referred to. This is done by means of prefixes, infixes, or suffixes called 'concords' which differ according to the class of noun. Class 1 has the greatest variety of concords, differing for pronouns, subject prefix, object infix, numbers, adjectives, and possessives:<ref>Chase (2004).</ref><ref>Shiozaki (2004)</ref><ref>Vail (1971).</ref>
*{{lang|tum|Mwana u'''yu'''}} = this child
*{{lang|tum|Mwana '''yu'''moza}} = one child
*{{lang|tum|Mwana u'''yo'''}} = that child
*{{lang|tum|Mwana '''yo'''se}} = the whole child
*{{lang|tum|Mwana '''wa'''li'''yo'''se}} = every child
*{{lang|tum|Mwana '''wa'''ka'''mu'''wona}} = the child saw him
*{{lang|tum|Mwana '''mu'''choko (coko)}} = the small child
*{{lang|tum|Mwana '''wa''' Khumbo}} = Khumbo's child
*{{lang|tum|Mwana '''wa'''ne}} = my child
*{{lang|tum|Mwana '''wa'''wona}} = the child has seen

Other noun classes have a smaller variety of concords, as can be seen from the table below:
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; width: 200px; height: 200px;"
|+ Table of Tumbuka concords
|-
! 
! noun
! English
! this
! num
! that
! all
! subj
! object
! adj
! of
! perf
|-
! 1
| {{lang|tum|mwana}}||child||{{lang|tum|uyu}}||''yu-''||{{lang|tum|uyo}}||{{lang|tum|yose}}||''wa-''||''-mu-''||''mu-''||{{lang|tum|wa}}||''wa-''
|-
! 2
| {{lang|tum|ŵana}}||children||{{lang|tum|aŵa}} ||''ŵa-''||{{lang|tum|awo}}||{{lang|tum|wose}}||''ŵa-''||''-ŵa-''||''ŵa-''||{{lang|tum|ŵa}}||''ŵa-''
|-
! 3
| {{lang|tum|mutu}}||head||{{lang|tum|uwu}}||''wu-''||{{lang|tum|uwo}}||{{lang|tum|wose}}||''wu-''||-''wu-''||''wu-''||{{lang|tum|wa}}||''wa-''
|-
! 4
| {{lang|tum|mitu}}||heads||{{lang|tum|iyi}}||''yi-''||{{lang|tum|iyo}}||{{lang|tum|yose}}||''yi-''||''-yi-''||''yi-''||{{lang|tum|ya}}||''ya-''
|-
! 5
| {{lang|tum|jiso}}||eye||{{lang|tum|ili}}||''li-''||{{lang|tum|ilo}}||{{lang|tum|lose}}||''li-''||''-li-''||''li-''||{{lang|tum|la}}||''la-''
|-
! 6
| {{lang|tum|maso}}||eyes||{{lang|tum|agha}}||''gha-''||{{lang|tum|agho}}||{{lang|tum|ghose}}||''gha-''||''-gha-''||''gha-''||{{lang|tum|gha}}||''gha-''
|-
! 7
| {{lang|tum|caka}}||year||{{lang|tum|ici}}||''ci-''||{{lang|tum|ico}}||{{lang|tum|cose}}||''ci-''||''-ci-''||''ci-''||{{lang|tum|ca}}||''ca-''
|-
! 8
| {{lang|tum|vyaka}}||years||{{lang|tum|ivi}}||''vi-''||{{lang|tum|ivyo}}||{{lang|tum|vyose}}||''vi-''||''-vi-''||''vi-''||{{lang|tum|vya}}||''vya-''
|-
! 9
| {{lang|tum|nyumba}}||house||{{lang|tum|iyi}}||''yi-''||{{lang|tum|iyo}}||{{lang|tum|yose}}||''yi-''||''-yi-''||''yi-''||{{lang|tum|ya}}||''ya-''
|-
! 10
| {{lang|tum|nyumba}}||houses||{{lang|tum|izi}}||''zi-''||{{lang|tum|izo}}||{{lang|tum|zose}}||''zi-''||''-zi-''||''zi-''||{{lang|tum|za}}||''za-''
|-
! 11
| {{lang|tum|lwande}}||side||{{lang|tum|ulu}}||''lu-''||{{lang|tum|ulo}}||{{lang|tum|lose}}||''lu-''||''-lu-''||''lu-''||{{lang|tum|lwa}}||''lwa-''
|-
! 
| ||(or: ||{{lang|tum|ili}}||''li-''||{{lang|tum|ilo}}||{{lang|tum|lose}}||''li-''||''-li-''||''li-''||{{lang|tum|la}}||''la-'')
|-
! 12
| {{lang|tum|kayuni}}||bird||{{lang|tum|aka}}||''ka-''||{{lang|tum|ako}}||{{lang|tum|kose}}||''ka-''||''-ka-''||''ka-''||{{lang|tum|ka}}||''ka-''
|-
! 13
| {{lang|tum|tuyuni}}||birds||{{lang|tum|utu}}||''tu-''||{{lang|tum|uto}}||{{lang|tum|tose}}||''tu-''||''-tu-''||''tu-''||{{lang|tum|twa}}||''twa-''
|-
! 14
| {{lang|tum|uta}}||bow||{{lang|tum|uwu}}||''wu''-||{{lang|tum|uwo}}||{{lang|tum|wose}}||''wu-''||''-wu-''||''wu-''||{{lang|tum|wa}}||''wa-''
|-
! 15
| {{lang|tum|kugula}}||buying||{{lang|tum|uku}}||''ku-''||{{lang|tum|uko}}||{{lang|tum|kose}}||''ku-''||''-ku-''||''ku-''||{{lang|tum|kwa}}||''kwa-''
|-
! 16
| {{lang|tum|pasi}}||underneath||{{lang|tum|apa}}||''pa-''||{{lang|tum|apo}}||{{lang|tum|pose}}||''pa-''||''-pa-''||''pa-''||{{lang|tum|pa}}||''pa-''
|-
! 17
| {{lang|tum|kunthazi}}||in front||{{lang|tum|uku}}||''ku-''||{{lang|tum|uko}}||{{lang|tum|kose}}||''ku-''||''-ku-''||''ku-''||{{lang|tum|kwa}}||''kwa-''
|-
! 18
| {{lang|tum|mukati}}||inside||{{lang|tum|umu}}||''mu-''||{{lang|tum|umo}}||{{lang|tum|mose}}||''mu-''||''-mu-''||''mu-''||{{lang|tum|mwa}}||''mwa-''
|-
|}