Kiembu

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A language of Kenya

ISO 639-3
ebu
Alternate Names
Embo, Embu
Autonym
Kiembu
User Population

600,000 (2019 census), increasing, based on ethnicity. Embu 405,000; Mbeere 195,000 (2019 census).

Location

Embu county: southeast of Mount Kenya.

Language Maps
Language Status

5 (Developing).

Classification
Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, E, Kikuyu-Kamba (E.52)
Dialects

Mbeere (Kimbeere, Mbere), Embu. Mbeere dialect reportedly has intelligibility with Embu. Population estimate may include Gichuka [cuh] and Mwimbi-Muthambi [mws]. Lexical similarity: 85% with the Mbeere dialect, 73% with Gikuyu [kik] and Gichuka [cuh], 66% with Kamba [kam], 63%–65% with Kimîîru [mer].

Language Use

Vigorous. Home, community. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Some also use Gikuyu [kik], due to previous teaching in schools, but limited in rural areas. Also use Kimîîru [mer], but with limited comprehension. Also use Swahili [swh], and up to 70% have low proficiency in it.

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 25%–50%. There are government literacy materials in Kiembu. Texts. Bible: 2012.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Kiembu
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Christian, traditional religion.