Kituba
PrintA language of Democratic Republic of the Congo
ISO 639-3
Alternate Names
Kibulamatadi, Kikongo Commercial, Kikongo Simplifié, Kikongo Ya Leta, Kikongo-Kutuba, Kileta
Population
4,200,000 (1990 UBS).
Location
Bas-Congo and south Bandundu provinces.
Language Maps
Language Status
5 (Developing).
Classification
Dialects
Eastern Kituba, Ikeleve, Western Kituba. A creole based on the Kikongo dialect spoken in Manianga area (Bas-Congo), but unintelligible to Kikongo speakers of any of the other Kikongo dialects. Influenced by Lingala [lin], French [fra], restructured Swahili [swh], Portuguese [por], and other local dialects. Similar to Kituba [mkw] (Munukutuba) of Congo.
Language Use
Means of communication among various language groups. 800,000 L2 speakers.
Language Development
Poetry. New media. Radio programs. Films. Bible: 1990.
Language Resources
Writing
Latin script.
