Shona language

Shona
chiShona
Native to
RegionSouthern Africa
EthnicityShona
SpeakersL1: 9.6 million (2010–2023)
L2: 4.5 million (2023)
Total: 14 million (2010–2023)
Niger–Congo?
Dialects
  • Korekore
  • Zezuru
  • Manyika
  • Karanga
  • Ndau
Latin script (Shona alphabet)
Shona Braille
Ditema tsa Dinoko
Official status
Official language in
Zimbabwe
Recognised minority
language in
Language codes
ISO 639-1sn
ISO 639-2sna
ISO 639-3Variously:
sna – Shona
twl – Tavara
mxc – Manyika
twx – Tewe (Manyika)
Glottologcore1255  Core Shona
tawa1270  Tawara
Guthrie code
S.7–10[1]
Linguasphere99-AUT-a =
List
  • 99-AUT-aa (standardised Shona)+ 99-AUT-ab (chiKorekore incl. varieties -aba to
    -abk)+ 99-AUT-ac (chiZezuru -aca..-ack)+ 99-AUT-ad (north chiManyika -ada..-adk)+ 99-AUT-ae (central chiManyika -aea..-aeg)+ 99-AUT-af (chiKaranga
    -afa..-aff)+ 99-AUT-ag (chiNdau -aga..-age)+ 99-AUT-ah (chiShanga)+ 99-AUT-ai (chiKalanga)+ 99-AUT-aj (chiNambya
    -aja..-ajc)+ 99-AUT-ak (chiLilima -aka..-akf)

Shona (chiShona) is a Bantu language spoken by the Shona people of Zimbabwe and Mozambique. By the wider definition, the language is spoken by over 14 million people.

Shona is closely related to Ndau, Kalanga and is also related to Tonga, Chewa, Tumbuka, Tsonga and Venda.

References

  1. ↑ Jouni Filip Maho, 2009. New Updated Guthrie List Online


Shona edition of Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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