Lega language
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| Lega | |
|---|---|
| Native to | DR Congo |
| Ethnicity | Lega |
Native speakers | unknown (450,000 cited 1982–2000)[1] |
|
Niger–Congo
| |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 |
Variously: lea – Shabunda Lega lgm – Mwenga Lega khx – Kanu ktf – Kwami |
| D.25,251[2] | |
Lega is a Bantu language, or dialect cluster, of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. There are two major varieties, Shabunda Lega and Mwenga Lega; Mwenga Lega, with about 10% of speakers, finds Shabunda difficult to understand. Kanu has been assigned a separate ISO code but is a dialect of Shabunda, and no more divergent than other dialects.
Variant spellings of 'Lega' are Rega, Leka, Ileka, Kilega, Kirega. Shabunda is also known as Igonzabale, and Mwenga as Shile or Ishile. Gengele is reported to be a Shabunda-based creole.
According to Ethnologue, Bembe is part of the same dialect continuum. Nyindu is a dialect of Shi that has been heavily influenced by Lega.
References
- ↑ Shabunda Lega reference at Ethnologue (17th ed., 2013)
Mwenga Lega reference at Ethnologue (17th ed., 2013)
Kanu reference at Ethnologue (17th ed., 2013)
Kwami reference at Ethnologue (17th ed., 2013) - ↑ Jouni Filip Maho, 2009. New Updated Guthrie List Online
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