Yans (Yanzi) is a

Bantu language The Bantu languages (English: , Proto-Bantu: *bantʊ̀) are a large family of languages spoken by the Bantu people of Central, Southern, Eastern africa and Southeast Africa. They form the largest branch of the Southern Bantoid languages. The t ...

spoken in the

Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (french: République démocratique du Congo (RDC), colloquially "La RDC" ), informally Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo, the DRC, the DROC, or the Congo, and formerly and also colloquially Zaire, is a country in ...

by the

Bayanzi The Bayanzi (or Yan, Yanzi, Yansi people) are an ethnic group in the Democratic Republic of the Congo who live in the southwest of the country and number about seven million. They speak Kiyansi Bantu language. The largest political unit is the chie ...

. There are six language varieties Guthrie classified as Bantu B.85 (Yans): *B.85A Mbiem, West Yansi *B.85B East Yans *B.85C Yeei *B.85D Tsong (Itsong, Nsong, Ntsuo, "Songo") *B.85E Mpur (Mput) *B.85F Tsambaan According to Nurse (2003), most belong to the

Yaka languages The Yaka languages are a clade of Bantu languages coded Zone H.30 in Guthrie's classification. According to Nurse & Philippson (2003), with a couple additions the languages form a valid node. They are: : Yaka, Suku–Sonde, Mbangala, Shinji ( ...

, but one or two are among the

Boma–Dzing languages The Boma–Dzing languages are a clade of Bantu languages coded Zone B.80 in Guthrie's classification. According to Nurse & Philippson (2003), some of Guthrie's B.80 ( Tiene, Mfinu, Mpuono) are related to the Teke languages (B.70), and some Yan ...

. Maho (2009) notes that the Tsong variety is the then-unclassified "Songo" language (ISO oo of ''Ethnologue'' and is the one that does not belong with the rest. ''Glottolog'' likewise classifies "Nsong-Mpiin" ooapart from Yansi.

References

Maho (2009)
Boma-Dzing languages Languages of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Yaka languages {{Bantu-lang-stub