Great Lakes Bantu languages

Great Lakes Bantu
Bantu zone J
Geographic distribution:	Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Lake Victoria
Linguistic classification:	Niger–Congo Atlantic–Congo Benue–Congo Southern Bantoid Bantu Northeast Bantu Great Lakes Bantu
Glottolog:	grea1289[1]

The Great Lakes Bantu languages, also known as Lacustrine Bantu and Bantu zone J, are a group of Bantu languages of East Africa. They were recognized as a group by the Tervuren team, who posited them as an additional zone (zone J) to Guthrie's largely geographic classification of Bantu.^[2]

Languages

The languages are, according to Bastin, Coupez, & Mann (1999), with Sumbwa added per Nurse (2003):

• Gungu (E10)
• Bwari (Kabwari) (D50)
• Konzo (D40): Konjo, Nande
• Shi–Havu (D50): Hunde, Havu, Shi, Tembo, Nyindu, Fuliiro
• Rwanda-Rundi (D60): Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, Shubi, Hangaza, Ha, Vinza
• Nyoro–Ganda (E10): Ganda, Nyankore, Nyoro, Tooro, Hema, Chiga, Soga, Gwere, West Nyala, Ruli

(See also Runyakitara language, Nkore-Kiga)

• Haya–Jita (E20): Haya–Rashi, Talinga-Bwisi, Zinza, Kerebe (Kerewe), Jita–Kara–Kwaya–Ruri, Nyambo
• Masaba–Luhya (E30): Masaba (incl. Bukusu), Luhya proper, Nyore, Nyole, Samia–Songa, Marachi, Khayo
• Logooli–Kuria (E40): Ngurimi, Ikizu–Sizaki/Shashi, Suba, Suba-Simbiti, Kabwa, Singa, Logoli (Luhya), Idaxo-Isuxa-Tiriki (Luhya), Gusii (Kisii), Kuria (Simbiti, Hacha, Surwa, Sweta), Zanaki, Ikoma, ?Ware
• Sumbwa (F20)

The codes in parentheses are Guthrie's original geographic classification. Maho (2009) adds Yaka.

Notes

1. Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin; Bank, Sebastian, eds. (2016). "Great Lakes Bantu". Glottolog 2.7. Jena: Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.
2. Derek Nurse, 2003, The Bantu Languages