While Swahili has borrowed words from other languages, particularly Arabic, its core vocabulary and grammar are rooted in the Bantu language family. It's considered a stand-alone language within the family.
Here's a breakdown:
* Bantu language family: This is a large family of languages spoken across sub-Saharan Africa.
* Eastern Bantu: Swahili belongs to this branch, which includes languages spoken in East Africa.
* Borrowed words: Swahili has absorbed words from Arabic (due to historical trade and cultural exchange), English, Portuguese, and other languages. However, these borrowed words make up a small portion of the language's vocabulary.
Therefore, Swahili is not a mixture of Bantu languages; it is a language within the Bantu language family.