Shona

Shona is a Bantu language, part of the larger Niger-Congo family. It is most widely spoken in Zimbabwe, where it is the language of the majority population. It is also spoken in parts of Mozambique, Zambia, and Botswana.

The term 'Shona' refers to a group of closely related dialects, which include Zezuru, Karanga, Manyika, Korekore, and Ndau. Standard written Shona is based on the interaction of these dialects, particularly Zezuru and Karanga. It is written in the Latin alphabet.

Sound and writing

Shona is a tonal language — the pitch of a syllable can change the meaning of a word — but tone is not marked in standard writing. The vowel system has five vowels: a, e, i, o, u. Most words end in a vowel. There are consonant clusters distinct from those in European languages, such as 'sv' and 'zv', which have an affricate sound.

Grammar

Like other Bantu languages, Shona has a noun class system marked by prefixes. The class determines the prefixes that follow the verb, adjective, and demonstrative in the sentence — known as concord. The verb takes prefixes and suffixes indicating the person, tense, and aspect.

Social status and official use

Zimbabwe's 2013 constitution recognized multiple official languages, including Shona, alongside English and Ndebele. Shona is used in primary education, radio and television broadcasting, literature, and music. There are grammars, dictionaries, and translations produced since the nineteenth century.