Bembe | Ethnologue

A language of Democratic Republic of the Congo

ISO 639: bmb
Alternate Names: Beembe, Ebeembe, Ibembe
Autonym: Ebembe
Population: 252,000 in Democratic Republic of the Congo (1991 UBS). Total users in all countries: 274,000.
Location:: Maniema province; Sud-Kivu province: Fizi territory, west of Lake Tanganyika.
Language Status: 5* (Developing).
Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, D, Bembe-Buyi (D.54)
Dialects: Lexical similarity: 76%–84% with Lega-Mwenga [lgm] dialects, 68% with Buyu [byi], 60% with Lega-Shabunda [lea], 55% with Zimba [zmb], 50% with Enya [gey], 45% with Nyanga [nyj], 40% with Tembo [tbt], 30% with Lengola [lej].
Language Development: Bible: 1991.
Language Resources: OLAC resources in and about Bembe
Writing: Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments: Classified with the Lega group (Bryan 1959). Distinct from Beembe [beq] (Bembe) of Congo Brazzaville and Bemba [bem] (Chibemba) in southeast Katanga Province, Zambia, and Tanzania. Traditional religion, Christian.

Tanzania

Location: Kigoma region: Kigoma Vijinini district, Lake Tanganyika shore, Kigoma town north to Gombe National Park.
Language Status: 7 (Shifting)
Other Comments: Some are Tanzanian citizens, others are recent immigrants and citizens of Democratic Republic of the Congo. Different from Beembe (Bembe) [beq] of Congo. Traditional religion, Christian.

Location: Maniema province; Sud-Kivu province: Fizi territory, west of Lake Tanganyika.