This paper presents the findings of a sociolinguistic survey among the Nyiha and Nyika language
communities in south-western Tanzania, Malawi and Zambia. The main purpose of the research
was to clarify the extent of any dialect differences between the varieties that could impact the
ongoing language development process in the Nyiha of Mbozi variety (Tanzania). The research
was conducted in August, September and November 2004. The survey identified five different
ethnic groups called Nyiha or Nyika in Tanzania, Zambia and Malawi. Research findings suggest
that the Nyiha of Malawi/Zambia could possibly use written materials in the Nyiha of Mbozi
variety. The Nyika of Malawi and the Nyiha of Sumbawanga (Tanzania) were found to speak
varieties different enough to warrant their own language development efforts. The language
variety spoken by the Nyika of Rungwe (Tanzania) was found to be not a variety of Nyiha or
Nyika at all and was not further investigated.