Koongo

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A language of Democratic Republic of the Congo

ISO 639-3
kng
Alternate Names
Congo, Kikongo, Kikoongo, Kongo
Population

3,000,000 in Democratic Republic of the Congo (1982 UBS). Total population does not include upwards of 5,000,000 additional L2 speakers. Population total all countries: 5,016,500.

Location

Bas-Congo Province cataract, Mbanza Manteke area; Fioti north of Boma, and scattered along the Congo River from Brazzaville to its mouth. Also in Angola (Kikongo), Congo.

Language Maps
Language Status

2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial language in Bas-Congo, Bandundu regions (2006, Constitution, Article 1(8)).

Classification
Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, H, Kongo (H.16)
Dialects

Bwende (Buende), Cataract, Central Kongo, East Kongo, Nzamba (Dzamba), South Congo, Southeast Kongo, West Kongo (Fiote, Fioti). Part of Kongo subgroup. Other languages of the Kongo group are sometimes regarded as dialects of Koongo (see entries for Beembe [beq], Doondo [dde], Kunyi [njx], Vili [vif], Munukutuba [mkw], and Kituba [ktu]). In Angola, Ndingi and Mboka dialects may be separate languages.

Typology

SVO (for Nzamba)

Language Development
Radio programs. TV. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible: 1905–1962.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Koongo
Writing
Latin script.
Other Comments

Fioti also spoken by Buende and Vili peoples. Christian.

Also spoken in:

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