The Southern Bantu languages are a large group of Bantu languages, largely validated in Janson (1991/92).[1] They are nearly synonymous with Guthrie's Bantu zone S, apart from the exclusion of Shona and the inclusion of Makhuwa. They include all of the major Bantu languages of South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, and Mozambique, with outliers such as Lozi in Zambia and Namibia, and Ngoni in Zambia, Tanzania and Malawi.
| Southern Bantu | |
|---|---|
| Geographic distribution | South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique, Lesotho, Eswatini |
| Linguistic classification | Niger–Congo? |
| Proto-language | Proto-Southern Bantu |
| Glottolog | sout3387 |
Languages
Language groups are followed by their code in the Guthrie classification.
- Southern Bantu languages
- Makua (P30)
- Chopi (S60)
- Nguni languages (S40)
- Sotho–Tswana (S30 + K20):
- Tswana ("West Sotho")
- Birwa
- Tswapong
- Kgalagadi
- Sotho
- Northern Sotho (Sepedi)
- Southern Sotho (Sesotho)
- East Sotho (Pulana, Khutswe and Pai)
- Lozi
- Tswa–Ronga (S50):
- Venda (S20)
- Shona
- Eastern Shona group
- Central Shona group
- Korekore (S.11) and Tawara
- Zezuru (S.12)
- Manyika (S.13) and Tewe
- Karanga (S.14)
- Western Shona group