Reconstruction:Proto-Bantu/cí

This Proto-Bantu entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Bantu

Etymology

Cognate with Proto-Grassfields *sé (“ground”)

Noun

*cí class 15 (plural *màcí class 6)

1. ground, country, underneath

Descendants

• Central-Western Bantu
  • West Coastal Bantu
    • • Kongo (H16): nsi (“country, earth”)
• East Bantu
  • Northeast Savanna Bantu
    • Northeast Coastal Bantu
      • Swahili (G42): nchi (“country”)
    • Thagiicu
      • Kikuyu (E51): thĩ (“earth, world”)
    • Great Lakes Bantu
      • Luganda (J15): ensi (“country”)
      • Rwanda-Rundi (J61/62): isi (“earth, world”)
      • Luhya (J32): eshialo (“earth”)
  • Southern Bantu
    • Nguni
      • Zulu (S42): isizwe (“nation”)
      • Xhosa (S41): isizwe (“nation”)