Lega language

Last updated
Lega
Native to DR Congo
Ethnicity Lega
Native speakers
(450,000 cited 1982–2000) [1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3 Variously:
lea  – Shabunda Lega
lgm  – Mwenga Lega
khx  – Kanu
ktf  – Kwami
Glottolog lega1253
D.25,251 [2]
ELP Kanu
A speaker of the Lega language, also called Kilega

'Lega is a Bantu language, or dialect cluster, of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. There are two major varieties, Shabunda Lega, Mwenga Lega; Mwenga Lega, with about 10% of speakers, finds Shabunda difficult to understand.[ citation needed ]

Contents

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.

Phonology

Vowels

Front Central Back
Close i u
Near-close ɪ ʊ
Mid e o
Open a

Consonants

Labial Alveolar Palatal Velar
Nasal m n ɲ ŋ
Plosive voiceless p t k
voiced b d ( ɟ ) g
Fricative voiceless( f ) s ʃ
voiced v z
Trill r
Lateral l
Approximant j w

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. ↑ Shabunda Lega at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
    Mwenga Lega at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
    Kanu at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
    Kwami at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. ↑ Jouni Filip Maho, 2009. New Updated Guthrie List Online
  3. ↑ Botne, Robert (2003). Lega (Beya Dialect) (D25). In Nurse, Derek and Philippson, Gérard (eds.), The Bantu Languages: London & New York: Routledge. pp. 422–449.
  4. ↑ Masumbuko Wa-Busungu, Léopold (2019). Grammaire du kilega-lega: D25 : esquisse d'une langue bantoue de la RD Congo. Édilivre, 2019.


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