Zimba language

Bantu language spoken in DR Congo

Zimba
South Binja
Native to	DR Congo
Native speakers	(120,000 cited 1994 census)^[1]
Language family	Niger–Congo? Atlantic–Congo Benue–Congo Bantoid Bantu (Zone D.20) Lega–Binja Zimba
Dialects	Kwange Mamba
Language codes
ISO 639-3	`zmb`
Glottolog	`zimb1251`
Guthrie code	`D.26`^[2]

Zimba is a Bantu language of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, spoken in a band of country south of the Elila River.^[3] It is not closely related to other languages, unless the divergent dialects Kwange and Mamba (Kyenyemamba) are considered separate languages.

References

^ Zimba at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
^ Jouni Filip Maho, 2009. New Updated Guthrie List Online
^ Bryan, Margaret Arminel (Compiler), The Bantu Languages of Africa, Oxford University Press 1959.

Languages of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Official language

French

National languages

Kongo
- Kituba
Lingala
Swahili
Tshiluba

Indigenous
languages
(by province)

Bandundu	Boma Chokwe Ding Hungana Kwese Lia-Ntomba Mbala Mpuono Nzadi Pende Sakata Sengele Shinji Sonde Suku Tiene Yaka Yansi
Équateur	Bala Bangi Bango Budza Central Banda Furu Losengo Mbaka Mbandja Mongo Mono Ndolo Ndunga Ngbaka Minagende Ngbandi Ngbinda Ngbundu Ngombe Pagibete Sango South Banda Yangere
Kasai-Occidental	Binji Bushong Chokwe Lele Lwalu Wongo
Kasai-Oriental	Budya Dengese Luna Nkutu Salampasu Songe Tetela
Katanga	Bangubangu Bemba Bwile Chokwe Hemba Kaonde Kebwe Luba-Katanga Lunda Ruund Sanga Tabwa Zela Yazi
Kinshasa	Mfinu
Maniema	Hendo Zimba
Nord-Kivu	Amba Havu Hunde Kinyarwanda Kirundi Nande Nyanga Talinga Tembo Vanuma Yaka
Orientale	Alur Asoa Avokaya Bangala Bangba Barambu Beeke Bila Budu Bwa Bwela Dongo Guru Hema Kaliko Kango (Bas-Uélé District) Kango (Tshopo District) Kari Kele Lendu Lese Lika Likile Linga Loki Logo Lombo Lugbara Ma Mangbetu Mangbutu Mayogo Mba Mbo Ndaka Ngbee Ngelima Nyali Nyanga-li Nzakara Omi Pambia Poke Soko Tagbo Zande
Sud-Kivu	Buyu Fuliiru Havu Kabwari Kinyarwanda Kirundi Shi Tembo

Sign languages

French African Sign

Narrow Bantu languages (Zones C–D) (by Guthrie classification)

Zone C

C10	C11 Ngondi C12a Pande C12b Bogongo C13 Mbati C14 Mbomotaba C15 Bongili C16 Lobala [C101 Dibole C102 Ngando C103 Kota C104 Yaka C105 Mbenga C141 Enyele C142 Bondongo C143 Mbonzo C161 Bomboli C162 Bozaba
C20	C21 Mboko C22 Akwa C23[21] Ngare C24 Koyo C25 Mbosi C26 Kwala C27 Kuba [C201 Bwenyi
C30	C31a Loi C31b Ngiri C31c Nunu C32 Bobangi C33 Sengele C34 Sakata C35a Ntomba C35b Bolia C36a Poto C36b Mpesa C36c Mbudza C36d Mangala C36e Boloki C36f Kangana C36g Ndolo C37 Buja [C301 Doko C302 Bolondo C311 Mabaale C312 Ndoobo C313 Litoka C314 Balobo C315 Enga C321 Binza C322 Dzamba C323 Mpama C371 Tembo C372 Kunda C373 Gbuta C374 Babale
C40	C41 Ngombe C42 Bwela C43 Bati C44 Boa C45 Angba [C401 Pagibete C403 Kango C411 Bomboma C412 Bamwe C413 Dzando C414 Ligendza C415 Likula C441 Bango
C50	C51 Mbesa C52 So C53 Poke C54 Lombo C55 Kele C56 Foma [C501 Likile C502 Linga
C60	C61a Northeast Mongo C61b Northwest Mongo C62 Lalia [C63 Ngando C611 Bafoto
C70	C71 Tetela C72 Kusu C73 Nkutu C74 Yela C75 Kela C76 Ombo [C701 Langa
C80	C81 Dengese C82 Songomeno C83 Busoong C84 Lele C85 Wongo

Zone D

D10	D11 Mbole D12 Lengola D13 Metoko D14 Enya [D141 Zura
D20	D21 Bali D22 Amba D23 Komo D24 Songola D25 Lega D26 Zimba D27 Bangubangu D28a West Holoholo D28b East Holoholo [D201 Liko D211 Kango D251 Lega-Malinga D281 Tumbwe D282 Lumbwe
D30	D31 Peri D32 Bira D33 Nyali [D301 Kari D302 Guru D303 Ngbinda D304 Homa D305 Nyanga-li D306 Gbati-ri D307 Mayeka D308 Bodo D311 Bila D312 Kaiku D313 Ibutu D331 Bvanuma D332 Budu D333 Ndaaka D334 Mbo D335 Beeke D336 Ngbee
[J]D40	[J]D41 Konzo [J]D42 Ndandi [J]D43 Nyanga
[J]D50	[J]D51 Hunde [J]D52 Haavu [J]D53 Nyabungu [J]D54 Bembe [J]D55 Buyi [J]D56 Kabwari [JD501 Nyindu [J]JD502 Yaka [J]JD531 Tembo
[J]D60	[J]D61 Ruanda [J]D62 Rundi [J]D63 Fuliiro [J]D64 Shubi [J]D65 Hangaza [J]D66 Ha [J]D67 Vinza [JD631 Vira

Italics indicate extinct languages.
Languages between parentheses are varieties of the language on their left.

The Guthrie classification is geographic and its groupings do not imply a relationship between the languages within them.

Narrow Bantu languages by Guthrie classification zone templates: Template:Narrow Bantu languages (Zones A–B); Template:Narrow Bantu languages (Zones C–D); Template:Narrow Bantu languages (Zones E–H); Template:Narrow Bantu languages (Zones J–M); Template:Narrow Bantu languages (Zones N–S)