Yansi language

Yans
Eyansi
Spoken in	DR Congo
Native speakers	100,000  (1997) plus 13,000 Ntsuo (2002)
Language family	Niger–Congo Atlantic–Congo Benue–Congo Bantoid Bantu (Zone B) some Yaka (H.30) some Boma–Dzing (B.80) Yans
Dialects	Yans proper Mbiem Yeei Tsong Mpur
Language codes
ISO 639-3	either: yns – Yansi soo – Songo (Tsong)

Yans (Yanzi) is a Bantu language spoken in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

There are six language varieties Guthrie classified as Bantu B.85 (Yans). According to Nurse (2003), most belong with the Yaka language, though one or two are assigned to Boma–Dzing languages (ex-Yanzi), though he does not say which. Maho (2009) notes that the Tsong variety of Yansi is Ethnologue's unclassified "Songo" language, and so may be the one that does not belong with the rest. Ehret (2009), however, retains most varieties in B.80, and only classifies "Yanz Kimatu" as Yaka. The six Guthrie varieties are:

• 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

References

• Maho (2009)
• Ehret (2009)