North Nyanza languages

The North Nyanza languages are a group of closely related Bantu languages spoken in Central and eastern Uganda.

North Nyanza
Ganda-Soga
Geographic distribution	Buganda, Busoga, Pallisa District, Kibuku District, Budaka District
Linguistic classification	Niger–Congo? Atlantic–Congo Volta-Congo Benue–Congo Bantoid Southern Bantoid Bantu Northeast Bantu Great Lakes Bantu West Nyanza North Nyanza
Proto-language	Proto-North Nyanza[1][2]
Subdivisions	Luganda Singa South Kyoga
Language codes
Glottolog	nort3220

History

The Proto-North Nyanza homeland was in the northwestern shores of Lake Victoria (Modern Buganda) in the year 500AD.^[3][4] By 1100AD, the descendants of these people were speaking two different languages that had developed out of proto-North Nyanza: early (or pre-) Luganda and proto-South Kyoga. Early Luganda was spoken by those who remained in the original North-Nyanza homeland (the coasts of Buganda) and to the south, west, and north of it. Proto-South Kyoga was developed by those who migrated east across the Nile. By 1500AD, Proto-South Kyoga split into early Lusoga and proto-East Kyoga. Early Lusoga spread across the region between the Nile and Mpologoma Rivers and Lake Victoria and Lake Kyoga. Proto-East Kyoga broke up into Gwere and Syan (Rushana) in the early 19th century^[5]

Classification

North Nyanza is divided into two branches, Luganda and South Kyoga, according to Rhiannon Stephens (Singa remains unclassified):^[6]

• North Nyanza
  • Ganda
  • Singa
  • South Kyoga
    • Soga
    • East Kyoga
      • Gwere
      • Syan/Rushana (extinct?)