The
Nguni languages are a group of
Bantu languages spoken in
southern Africa by the
Nguni people. Nguni languages include
Xhosa,
Zulu,
Swati,
Hlubi,
Phuthi,
Bhaca,
Lala,
Nhlangwini and the three languages called Ndebele:
Southern Transvaal Ndebele,
Northern Ndebele and
Sumayela Ndebele (the latter sometimes also being referred to as "Northern Ndebele"). The appellation "Nguni" derives from the
Nguni cattle type.
Ngoni (see below) is an older, or a shifted, variant.