The paper explores the similarities and variations in the applicability of nasalisation principles in Lungu, Mambwe and Namwanga (LuMaNa) languages. LuMaNa languages are spoken in Northern and Muchinga provinces of Zambia. Lungu is classified as M14, Mambwe as M15 and Namwanga as M22. The study used CV phonology and comparative Bantu morphophonological theories and qualitative methods. Results reveal that nasal homorganic assimilation depends on the consonant which follows the nasal, such as, a voiceless cluster /nk/ when a voiceless velar /k/ follows /n/ and a voiced cluster /ng/ when a voiced velar /g/ follows /n/. Nasal deletion before fricatives from singular to plural forms of nouns are not attested, instead the languages undergo nasal maintenance where /n/→/n/. Nasal deletion before fricatives is only possible during the reverse formation from plural to singular nouns where /m/→/l/ and /n/→/l/. The post-nasal stop voicing happens when converting singular to plural nouns where /l/→/n/. Post-nasal consonant hardening occurs when converting nouns from singular to plural using /l/→/d/, /n/→/m/ and /w/→/b/. Post-nasal stop aspiration only occurs in Namwanga when the voiceless consonant follows a nasal as in; /p/→/ph/. There are more similarities than variations during nasalisation which shows that LuMaNa languages are at dialectal continuum.

Guthrie (1948) classifies Mambwe as M15. The language is spoken in Mbala and Senga districts in Northern Province of Zambia. Nurse and Philipson (1999) have characterized Mambwe as originating from Fipa language in Southern Tanzania. The paper outlines the rules governing tense categorization and evaluates the verbal structure of tense in Mambwe language. The study employed the qualitative approach and elicitation methodology to collect data. Using descriptive and Lexical Morphology (LM) theoretical underpinnings, the article identifies the forms or categories of tense and their respective structures in Mambwe language. The study shows that tense in Mambwe language is as attested by other Bantu languages in terms of the present, past and the future tenses with their corresponding progressive counterparts.

The study examines the impact of Covid-19 on authors and libraries in Zambia. Data were collected for three weeks through in-depth interviews via WhatsApp platform and phone calls with the participants. Being a qualitative study, 15 participants were randomly selected from a sampling framework of 157 respondents. Ten participants were authors while five were librarians. The phenomenological approach was found apposite for this study because it involved collecting, describing, and examining participants' individual lived experiences about a particular phenomenon, in this case, the Covid-19 pandemic impact. The data were analysed thematically according to the general steps for analysing phenomenological data as presented by LoBiondo and Hubee (1988). The study shows that the impact of Covid-19 on authors and libraries is something of a double-edged sword. While on the downside, it has reduced book sales, increased the cost of publishing, and threatened job security and access to resources, on the upside it has challenged authors and libraries to think outside the box. Authors are challenged to maximise digital resources while libraries should invest in digital resources and virtual libraries. The study concludes that the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted negatively as well as positively on the book industry in Zambia.

This paper presents the potholes in the teaching of Bemba language which is spoken in Zambia. Potholes in this context are hindrances. Bemba is classified as M42. As a regional official language, Bemba is taught in five provinces, namely, Central, Copperbelt, Luapula, Muchinga and Northern. The study used qualitative approach, interviews and document analysis methods. Cummins’ threshold hypothesis theory guided the research. The study shows that potholes exist in the teaching and learning of Bemba in secondary schools. At the center of common critical potholes is negative attitude by administrators, teachers, pupils as well as parents. There are inadequate teaching and learning materials for effective teaching of the subject. The second pothole is that there is limited time allocated to Bemba. The other pothole is language barrier. The study also shows that there is lack of motivation to teachers of Zambian languages in secondary schools. It is further envisaged that lack of qualified and experienced teachers to teach senior classes is yet another pothole in the teaching of Zambian languages. The above common potholes have contributed to poor academic performance among the Grade Nine and Twelve learners in Bemba in secondary schools in Zambia.

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