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Northeast Bantu languages

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Geographic distribution:
  
Tanzania, Kenya

Linguistic classification:
  
Niger–Congo Atlantic–Congo Benue–Congo Southern Bantoid Bantu Northeast Bantu

Glottolog:
  
nort3203 nyat1247  (Nyaturu–Nilamba)

The Northeast Bantu languages are a group of Bantu languages spoken in East Africa. In Guthrie's geographic classification, they fall within Bantu zones E50 plus E46 (Sonjo), E60 plus E74a (Taita), F21–22, J, G60, plus Northeast Coast Bantu (of zones E & G). Some of these languages (F21, most of E50, and some of J) share a phonological innovation called Dahl's Law that is unlikely to be borrowed as a productive process, though individual words reflecting Dahl's Law have been borrowed into neighboring languages.

The languages, or clusters, are:

  • Kikuyu–Kamba AKA Thagiicu (primarily E50):
  • Sonjo (E40)
  • Cuka
  • Meru (incl. Tharaka, Mwimbi-Muthambi)
  • South
  • Kamba, Daisu
  • Gikuyu, Embu
  • Chaga–Taita
  • Taita (Dawida; E70) – Sagalla
  • Chaga languages (E60)
  • Northeast Coast Bantu: Swahili, etc.
  • Takama: Sukuma–Nyamwezi, Kimbu (F20), Iramba–Isanzu, Nyaturu (Rimi) (F30), ?Holoholo–Tumbwe–Lumbwe (D20)
  • Great Lakes Bantu (zone J): Rwanda-Rundi, Ganda, etc.
  • Bena–Kinga (G60): Sangu, Hehe, Bena, Pangwa, Kinga, Wanji, Kisi, ?Manda (N10)

    • References

    Northeast Bantu languages Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA