The Jeliya catalogue uses chiShona / Shona. Glottolog indexes the corresponding language as Shona (shon1251). Its ISO 639-3 code is sna. [1]
Draft — awaiting native-speaker review
Shona includes several related varieties represented unevenly in reference sources.
Opening retained from the existing catalogue; awaiting editorial and speaker review.The Jeliya catalogue uses chiShona / Shona. Glottolog indexes the corresponding language as Shona (shon1251). Its ISO 639-3 code is sna. [1]
Glottolog associates this record with the following country codes: BW, ZA, ZM, ZW. Catalogue locations do not enumerate diaspora or second-language use. [1]
No dated, scope-checked speaker estimate has been approved for this page.
The catalogue classification follows this sequence: Atlantic-Congo → Volta-Congo → Benue-Congo → Bantoid → Southern Bantoid → Narrow Bantu → East Bantu → Southern Bantu → Shona (S.10) → Core Shona → Plateau Shona → Central Shona. [1]
The Glottolog bibliography includes a linguistic description attributed to Algaçova, Diogo d' 1506/1898 and a more recent one attributed to Stevick, Earl W. and Mataranyika, M. and Mataranyika, L. 1965. These are publication dates, not language origins. [1]
Latin standard normally omits tone. Preserve regional words separately from standardised spelling.
Existing linguistic-map notes are planning material, not newly verified facts. A named reviewer and reference are still needed.Five vowel qualities and high/low tone. Whistled sibilants in some varieties and consonants written zv/sv need recordings; surface tone depends on context.
Existing linguistic-map notes are planning material, not newly verified facts. A named reviewer and reference are still needed.A PHOIBLE record links published sound-inventory descriptions for this language. Inventory analysis can differ by variety and study; example words, letter values and a learner-facing pronunciation table still require a checked reference and speaker recordings. [6]
A reviewed alphabet, sound-by-sound IPA guide and reference recordings are still needed.
Awaiting a cited, language-specific contribution and speaker review.
SVO, noun-class concord, verb extensions and complex tense/aspect contrasts.
Existing linguistic-map notes are planning material, not newly verified facts. A named reviewer and reference are still needed.A language-specific Grambank record is linked for comparison of grammatical features and their underlying references. Feature coding is an analytical resource; it is not a beginner explanation, a complete grammar or a substitute for a teacher’s review. [4]
Standard Shona with Karanga, Zezuru or other variety labelled
Existing linguistic-map notes are planning material, not newly verified facts. A named reviewer and reference are still needed.Named child varieties in this record include Hwesa, Duma (Karanga), Govera, Jena, Mhari, Ngova, Nyubi, Karanga (Atlantic-Congo), Budya, Doma, Gova, Nyongwe. These labels do not select Jeliya’s teaching variety. [1]
An entry separates the headword, part of speech, senses and cited examples. A variant is another documented form; a synonym is a different word with a related meaning. Derived expressions can have their own entry. Follow source links and variety tags before using a form.
Search the everyday spelling and check tone-marked forms. ɛ, ɔ, ɲ and ŋ are letters, not removable accents. Search tolerance does not mean two spellings are the same word. Save an entry to keep its stable identity in your wordbook.
Open the dictionaryAwaiting a cited, language-specific contribution and speaker review.
Editorial adaptation: Jeliya
Language reviewer: awaiting appointment
Last revision: 10/12/2026
Harald Hammarström, Robert Forkel, Martin Haspelmath and Sebastian Bank
CC BY 4.0
Source checked: 10/12/2026Stevick, Earl W. and Mataranyika, M. and Mataranyika, L. 1965
Source checked: 10/12/2026