Rutara languages

The Rutara or Runyakitara languages (endonym: Orutara, Orunyakitara) are a group of closely related Bantu languages spoken in the African Great Lakes region. They include languages such as Runyoro, Runyankore, Rukiga and Ruhaya. The language group takes its name from the Empire of Kitara.

Rutara
Runyakitara Nyoroan
Geographic distribution	Uganda, Tanzania, the DRC and Rwanda
Ethnicity	Rutara people
Linguistic classification	Niger–Congo? Atlantic–Congo Volta-Congo Benue–Congo Bantoid Southern Bantoid Bantu Northeast Bantu Great Lakes Bantu West Nyanza Rutara
Proto-language	Proto-Rutara[1]
Subdivisions	North Rutara South Rutara Kerewe Zinza
Language codes
Glottolog	ruta1242

Classification

David L. Schoenbrun classifies the Rutara languages as follows:^[2][3]

• Rutara
  • North Rutara
    • Nkore-Kiga-Nyoro-Tooro
      • Nkore-Kiga (Runyankore-Rukiga)
        • Nkore (Runyankore)
        • Kiga (Rukiga)
      • Nyoro-Tooro (Runyoro-Rutooro)
        • Nyoro (Runyoro)
        • Tooro (Rutooro)
    • Ruuli (Ruruuli)
    • Talinga (Kitalinga)
    • Hema (Ruhema)
  • South Rutara
    • Haya (Luhaya)
    • Nyambo (Runyambo)
  • Kerewe
  • Zinza

Standardized language

• Runyakitara

History

According to glottochronological calculations, Proto-Rutara emerged in the year 500AD in the Kagera region of Tanzania near Bukoba. In 1200AD It split into multiple groups which were north Rutara (which spread northwards into Uganda and the DRC), South Rutara, Zinza and Kerewe.^{[4] [5][6][7]}