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Shona

chiShona

Shona is an Atlantic-Congo language spoken in Zimbabwe, South Africa, Zambia, and Botswana, by about 8.3 million people.

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Shona · 17.2°S 29.8°E

Shona ( SHOH-nə; endonym: chiShona [tʃiʃona]) 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. By the broader definition, the language is spoken by over 14 million people.

The larger group of historically related languages—called Shona or Shonic languages by linguists—also includes Ndau (Eastern Shona) and Kalanga (Western Shona). In Guthrie's classification of Bantu languages, zone S.10 designates the Shonic group.

From Wikipedia · Shona language · CC BY-SA 4.0

Written down

Vanhu vese vanoberekwa vakasununguka uyewo vakaenzana pahunhu nekodzero dzavo. Vanhu vese vanechipo chokufunga nekuziva chakaipa nechakanaka saka vanofanira kubatana nomweya wohusahwira.

Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR in Unicode).

Words in Shona

MeaningWordRomanization
motheramai
fatherbaba
womanmukadzi
eyeziso
earnzeve
heartmoyo
bloodropa
liverchitaka
watermvura
firemoto
rainmvura
snowchando
windmhepo
mountaingomo
treemuti
leafshizha
nighthusiku
dogimbwá
horsebhiza
cowmhóu
oneposhi
teatii
coffeekofi
sugarshuga
milkmukaka
eggzai
hellomhoro
I love youNdinokuda
bookbhuku
redtsvuku

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Vocabulary

Grammar

Vocabulary compares 40 basic words (ASJP); grammar compares 195 features (Grambank). Similar is not always related.

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Glottolog · shon1251 · Wikipedia (English) · Ethnologue · sna