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Bembe may refer to:
Nyanga-li (Linyanga-le) is a Bantu language in Orientale Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Gbati-ri (Gbote) is a dialect. Maho (2009) lists them separately as unclassified Zone D.30 languages, but Ethnologue states that they are "members of the same dialect subgroup", and Glottolog places them nearest the Ngendan languages.
The 250 or so "Narrow Bantu languages" are conventionally divided up into geographic zones first proposed by Malcolm Guthrie (1967–1971). These were assigned letters A–S and divided into decades ; individual languages were assigned unit numbers, and dialects further subdivided. This coding system has become the standard for identifying Bantu languages; it was a practical way to distinguish many ambiguously named languages before the introduction of ISO 639-3 coding, and it continues to be widely used. Only Guthrie's Zone S is (sometimes) considered to be a genealogical group. Since Guthrie's time a Zone J has been set up as another possible genealogical group bordering the Great Lakes.
Lamba is a language found in Zambia and is commonly spoken in the Copperbelt. There are about 210,000 native speakers in the northern parts of Zambia and southern fringes of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Lamba is also spoken in Lusaka, mainly because many speakers have migrated there for jobs. Lamba is a Bantu language. Depending on who does the counting, Zambia has between 42 and 78 local languages besides English – see Languages of Zambia for further details.
Mongo, also called Nkundo or Mongo-Nkundu, is a Bantu language spoken by several of the Mongo peoples in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Mongo speakers reside in the north-west of the country over a large area inside the curve of the Congo River. Mongo is a tonal language.
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.
Bembe is a Bantu language of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Western Tanzania. According to Ethnologue, it forms a dialect continuum with the Lega language through Mwenga Lega.
Ding is a Bantu language that is spoken in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Yans (Yanzi) is a Bantu language spoken in the Democratic Republic of the Congo by the Bayanzi.
Sonde is either of two Bantu languages of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Maho (2009) classifies Sonde–Kisoonde as closest to Suku, but lists an adjacent language also called Sonde as closer to Pende. These are not distinguished in Ethnologue or by ISO code.
Bala (Lobala) is a Bantu language of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. According to Maho (2009), it includes Boko (Iboko).
Holoholo is a Bantu language of DR Congo and formerly in Tanzania spoken by the Holoholo people on either side of Lake Tanganyika. Classification is uncertain, but it may belong with the Takama group.
Lwalu, also known as Lwalwa, is a Bantu language of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its classification is uncertain: Nurse (2003), following Ahmed (1995), assigns all of Guthrie's L.20 languages to Luban, including Lwalu.
Boma is a Bantu language of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Salampasu (Luntu) is a Bantu language of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Binji is a Bantu language of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Maho (2009) states that it is close to Songe, which is otherwise isolated within the Luban languages established by Ahmed (1995).
Losengo (Lusengo) is a Bantu language spoken in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It has had a significant effect on Lingala, the most important Bantu language in the two Congos.
Bomitaba (Mbomitaba) is a Bantu language of the Republic of Congo, with a couple hundred speakers in the Central African Republic.
Shinji (Sinji), or Yungo, is a Bantu language of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, between Mbangala and Yaka.
Doko is a Bantu language of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Ethnologue 16 classifies it as a dialect of Ngombe language, while Maho (2009) lists it as a separate, though perhaps unclassified, language.
References
- ↑ Bembe at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
- ↑ Jouni Filip Maho, 2009. New Updated Guthrie List Online
