Page Type: languageLingala | Ethnologue

LIN ISO 639-3

Lingala

Lingala Autonym

A language of Democratic Republic of the Congo

ISO 639
lin
Alternate Names
Ngala
Autonym
Lingala
Population
40,000,000 in Democratic Republic of the Congo, all users. L1 users: 20,000,000 in Democratic Republic of the Congo (2021 M. Meeuwis). L2 users: 20,000,000 (2021 M. Meeuwis). Total users in all countries: 40,252,520 (as L1: 20,252,520; as L2: 20,000,000).
Location:
Widespread in Bas-Uele, Equateur, Haut-Uele, Kinshasa, Mai-Ndombe, Mongala, Nord-Ubangi, Orientale, Sud-Ubangi, and Tshopo provinces.
Language Status
2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial language in northwestern regions (2006, Constitution, Article 1(8)). Developed as a trade language around 1900 about halfway between Kinshasa and Kisangani. It then spread along the river, ultimately becoming entrenched in Kinshasa, where it has become the L1 of most people.
Classification
Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Northwest, C, Bangi-Ntomba (C.30)
Dialects
None known. Reportedly similar to Lusengo [lse] and Bangala [bxg]. Lexical similarity: 33% with Bobangi [bni].
Typology
SVO; prepositions; noun head initial; 12 noun classes; no articles; verb affixes mark person, number; passives; tense; causatives; 16 consonant and 5 vowel phonemes; tonal (2 tones: high, low); tendancy to vowel harmony.
Language Use
Used as L2 by Asoa [asv], Babango [bbm], Bali [bcp], Baloi [biz], Bamwe [bmg], Bangi [bni], Barambu [brm], Boko [bkp], Bolia [bli], Boloki [bkt], Bolondo [bzm], Bomboli [bml], Bomboma [bws], Bozaba [bzo], Budu [buu], Budza [bja], Bwa [bww], Dzando [dzn], Eboo Teke [ebo], Efe [efe], Foma [fom], Furu [fuu], Gbanziri [gbg], Gilima [gix], Gobu [gox], Ibali Teke [tek], Kango [kty], Kango [kzy], Kele [khy], Komo [kmw], Kpala [kpl], Lalia [lal], Libinza [liz], Ligenza [lgz], Likila [lie], Lobala [loq], Lombo [loo], Lusengo [lse], Ma [msj], Mayeka [myc], Mayogo [mdm], Mba [mfc], Mbandja [zmz], Mbesa [zms], Mid-Southern Banda [bjo], Moingi [mwz], Mongo-Nkundu [lol], Mono [mnh], Monzombo [moj], Ndaka [ndk], Ndobo [ndw], Ndolo [ndl], Ndunga [ndt], Ngando [nxd], Ngbaka [nga], Ngbaka Ma’bo [nbm], Ngbundu [nuu], Ngelima [agh], Ngombe [ngc], Northern Ngbandi [ngb], Ntomba [nto], Nzakara [nzk], Pagibete [pae], Poke [pof], Sakata [skt], Sengele [szg], So [soc], South Central Banda [lnl], Southern Ngbandi [nbw], Tembo [tmv], Tiene [tii], Togbo-Vara Banda [tor], Yango [yng].
Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 70%. Used in church-based adult literacy programs (2021 SIL). Dictionary. Grammar. Bible: 1970–2000.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Lingala
Writing
Latin script [Latn].

Also Spoken in

Language Name
Lingala
User Population
20,100 in Belgium (2013 census).
Language Status
Unestablished
Other Comments
Non-indigenous.
View other languages of Belgium
Language Name
Lingala
User Population
3,810 in Canada (2016 census).
Language Status
Unestablished
Other Comments
Non-indigenous.
View other languages of Canada
Language Name
Lingala
User Population
10,700 in Central African Republic (2000).
Language Status
Unestablished
Other Comments
Non-indigenous.
View other languages of Central African Republic
Language Name
Lingala
User Population
213,000 in Congo (2018).
Location
Mainly Brazzaville and surrounding areas in Pool department.
Language Status
3 (Wider communication)
Other Comments
Traditional religion, Christian.
View other languages of Congo
Language Name
Lingala
User Population
4,910 in United Kingdom (2011 census).
Language Status
Unestablished
Other Comments
Non-indigenous.
View other languages of United Kingdom

Map

Location: Widespread in Bas-Uele, Equateur, Haut-Uele, Kinshasa, Mai-Ndombe, Mongala, Nord-Ubangi, Orientale, Sud-Ubangi, and Tshopo provinces.