Northeast Bantu languages

The Northeast Bantu languages are a group of Bantu languages of East African which share a phonological innovation called Dahl's Law that is unlikely to be borrowed. 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).^[1]

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)
  • Chaga (E60)
• Northeast Coast Bantu: Swahili, etc.
• Takama: Sukuma–Nyamwezi, Kimbu (F20), Iramba–Isanzu, Nyaturu (Rimi) (F30), ?Holoholo (D20)
• Great Lakes Bantu (zone J): Rwanda-Rundi, Ganda, etc.
• Bena–Kinga (G60): Sangu, Hehe, Bena, Pangwa, Kinga, Wanji, Kisi, ?Manda (N10)

Notes