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Shona

Bantu Languages

Shona is a Bantu language spoken by the Shona people of Zimbabwe and Mozambique, used to describe either all the Central Shonic varieties or specifically Standard Shona, a variety codified in the mid-20th century.

Facts
ISO 639-3 Code
sna 1
Speaker Count
9,600,000 1
2010-2023 estimate, first-language speakers (4.5 million second-language speakers, 2023; 14 million total).
Region
Southern Africa 1
Connections

In Family

Source Wikipedia: Shona Language

Written In

Latin Script, Scripts
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Shona Language
Wikimedia Foundation
  • Lead section
    Shona is a Bantu language spoken by the Shona people of Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The term is variously used to collectively describe all the Central Shonic varieties (comprising Zezuru, Manyika, Korekore and Karanga or Ndau) or specifically Standard Shona, a variety codified in the mid-20th century.
  • Infobox, ISO 639-3
    sna
  • Infobox, Speakers (Total)
    L1: 9.6 million (2010-2023)
  • Infobox, Region
    Southern Africa
  • In Family: Bantu, Infobox, Language family
    Top family: Niger-Congo; immediate branch: Bantu (Southern Bantu, Shona languages S.10 grouping).
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