Page Type: languageKpelle, Liberia | Ethnologue

XPE ISO 639-3

Kpelle, Liberia

Kpɛlɛwoo Autonym

A language of Liberia

xpe
Gbese, Kpele, Kpese, Kpwessi, Pessa, Pessy
Kpɛlɛwoo
867,000 (2020).
Widespread.
4 (Educational).
Niger-Congo, Mande, Western, Central-Southwestern, Southwestern, Kpelle
Nyawokole, Fuama, Boopolu. Dialect differences slight. Different from Kpelle [gkp] of Guinea. A member of macrolanguage Kpelle [kpe].
Also use Liberian English [lir]. Used as L2 by Kuwaa [blh].
Taught in primary schools. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. Bible: 2014.
OLAC resources in and about Kpelle, Liberia
Kpelle script [Kpel], limited usage except for correspondence. Latin script [Latn].
Largest group in Liberia. Traditional religion, Christian, Muslim.
Location: Widespread.