Editing Herero language (section)

==Varieties==
The [[Hakaona language|Hakaona]] variety is now considered a separate Bantu language, as sometimes is [[Zemba language|Zemba]] (''Otjizemba'').<ref>[http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/history/ehret/kinship/BantuClassification%204-09.pdf ''Bantu Classification''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120624221430/http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/history/ehret/kinship/BantuClassification%204-09.pdf |date=2012-06-24 }}, Ehret, 2009.</ref> Maho (200) also removes [[Kuvale language|Kuvale]] to Bantu Zone R.10, while differentiating North-West Herero (Kaokoland Herero, including Zemba and presumably Himba and Hakaona), R.311, and Botswana Herero (including Mahalapye Herero), R.312, as distinct from but closely related to Herero proper. Within Herero proper, he recognizes two dialects: Central Herero and Mbandero (East Herero).

Northwest/Zemba is found on either side of the Namibian–Angolan border. Central Herero covers a large area in central Namibia, with East Herero and a few islands to the east but still in Namibia. Botswana Herero consists of a few scattered islands in Botswana, with about 15% of the population of Herero proper.<ref name="Guthrie"/>

''[[Ethnologue]]'' separates Zimba as a distinct language but retains Himba, East Herero, and Botswana Herero within the Herero language. However, it no longer recognizes [[Kuvale language|Kuvale]] as a dialect but as a separate language.<ref>{{e25|olu|Kuvale}}</ref>