LINGALA: a language of Democratic Republic of Congo

The following is the entry for this language as it appeared in the 14th edition (2000).
It was superseded by the corresponding entry in the 15th edition (2005). See also the corresponding entry in the current edition of Ethnologue.

SIL code: LIN

ISO 639-1: ln

ISO 639-2: lin

Population	Second language speakers together with Bangala: 7,000,000 (1999 WA). Population total all countries 309,100 or more.
Region	Widely used in Bandundu, Equateur, and Orientale provinces, except the southeast of Orientale. Also spoken in CAR, Congo.
Alternate names	NGALA
Classification	Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Northwest, C, Bangi-Ntomba (C.40), Lusengo.
Comments	Close to Lusengo and Bangala. 33% lexical similarity with Bobangi. Degree of effective understanding and use varies with location, age, rural versus urban and commercial centers, ethnically mixed areas, formal education. Variation in communities. National language. Dictionary. SVO. Bible 1970.

Also spoken in:

Congo

Language name	LINGALA
Population	300,000 in Congo (1993 SIL).
Alternate names	NGALA
Comments	National language. Literacy rate in first language: 10% to 30%. Literacy rate in second language: 25% to 75%. Bible 1970. See main entry under DRC.