Southern Bantu languages

Southern Bantu
Geographic distribution:	South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique
Linguistic classification:	Niger–Congo Atlantic–Congo Benue–Congo Bantoid Bantu Southern Bantu
Subdivisions:	—

The Southern Bantu languages are large group of Bantu languages, largely validated in Janson (1991/92). They are nearly synonymous with Guthrie's Bantu zone S, apart from the exclusion of Shona and the inclusion of Makua. They include all of the important Bantu languages of South Africa, Botswana, and Mozambique.

Languages

Language groups are followed by their code in the Guthrie classification.

Makua (P30) [see]
Chopi ? (S60): Chopi, Tonga
Nguni languages (S40)
- Zunda: *Xhosa, *Zulu, *Northern Ndebele
- Tekela: *Swati, Phuthi, *Southern Ndebele, Lala.
Sotho–Tswana (S30 + K20): *Tswana, Tswapong, Kgalagadi.
- Sotho: Birwa, *Northern Sotho (Pedi), *Southern Sotho (Sotho), Lozi.
Tswa–Ronga ? (S50): Ronga, Tswa, Gwamba, *Tsonga
*Venda (S20)

* Official languages

The validity of Chopi and Tswa–Ronga as branches is in doubt.

Some classifications prior to Janson added retained Shona as a coordinate branch, along with Nyasa, or excluded Makua.