Mongo language

Not to be confused with Mongo language (Cameroon), Mongol language, or Daju Mongo language.
Mongo
Nkundu
Lomongo
RegionDemocratic Republic of Congo
EthnicityMongo people
Native speakers
(400,000 cited 1995)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-2lol
ISO 639-3lol – inclusive code
Individual code:
ymg – Yamongeri
Glottologmong1338  Mongo
bafo1235  Bafoto
C.61,611; C.36H[2]

Mongo, also called Nkundo or Mongo-Nkundu (Lomongo, Lonkundu), is a Bantu language spoken by several of the Mongo peoples in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Mongo speakers reside in the north-west of the country over a large area inside the curve of the Congo River. Mongo is a tonal language.

There are several dialects. Maho (2009) lists one of these, Bafoto (Batswa de l'Equateur), C.611, as a separate language. The others are:[2]

  • Kutu (Bakutu), including Longombe
  • Bokote, including Ngata
  • Booli
  • Bosaka
  • Konda (Ekonda), including Bosanga-Ekonda
  • Ekota
  • Emoma
  • Ikongo, including Lokalo-Lomela
  • Iyembe
  • Lionje, Nsongo, Ntomba
  • Yamongo
  • Mbole, including Nkengo, Yenge, Yongo, Bosanga-Mbole, Mangilongo, Lwankamba
  • Nkole
  • South Mongo, including Bolongo, Belo, Panga, Acitu
  • Yailima
  • Ngombe-Lomela, Longombe, Ngome à Múná
  1. ^ Mongo at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
    Yamongeri at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. ^ a b Jouni Filip Maho, 2009. New Updated Guthrie List Online