MWn

mwn is the ISO 639-3 alpha-3 code that identifies a natural language in international standardization and language technology. The language associated with this code is commonly referred to in linguistic literature as Mwan (or Mwani), though local communities may have different names. ISO 639-3 codes are used to tag content, label language resources, and support localization in software and digital archives.

Classification and status: The precise linguistic classification of Mwan varies across sources. It is generally placed within the Niger-Congo language family, commonly associated with the Bantu branch in many reference works, but exact subgrouping is not universally agreed. The language is described as living, with speakers continuing transmission through daily use and intergenerational speech. Due to limited census and fieldwork data, exact population figures are not well established.

Geographic distribution and dialects: Mwan communities are reported in specific regions where ancestral and cultural ties sustain language use. Dialects or regional varieties exist, reflecting geographic and social diversity within speaker communities.

Writing system and resources: A Latin-based writing system is used in most published materials, with orthographies developed by communities and researchers. Documentation is relatively scarce but includes descriptive grammars, glossaries, and basic dictionaries. Digital resources tagged with mwn appear in linguistic corpora, language-learning materials, and localization projects.

See also: ISO 639-3, language families, language documentation. References: ISO 639-3 registration authority notes.