Gikuyu

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A language of Kenya

ISO 639-3
kik
Alternate Names
Gĩkũyũ, Gekoyo, Kikuyu
Autonym
Gĩgĩkũyũ
User Population

8,150,000 (2019 census), increasing, based on ethnicity.

Location

Kiambu, Kirinyaga, Meru, Murang’a, and Nyeri counties; Nakuru county: Lake Naivasha area; Nairobi.

Language Maps
Language Status

5 (Developing).

Classification
Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, E, Kikuyu-Kamba (E.51)
Dialects

Southern Gikuyu (Kiambu, Southern Murang’a), Ndia (Southern Kirinyaga), Gichugu (Northern Kirinyaga), Mathira (Karatina), Northern Gikuyu (Northern Murang’a, Nyeri). Lexical similarity: 73% with Kiembu [ebu], 70% with Gichuka [cuh], 67% with Kikamba [kam], 63% with Kimîîru [mer].

Typology

SVO; 10 noun classes; no articles; verb affixes mark person, number; tense and aspect; 18 consonant and 14 vowel phonemes; tonal (2 tones: high, low).

Language Use

Vigorous. Home, social gatherings, business. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Also use English [eng]. Also use Swahili [swh]. Used as L2 by Gichuka [cuh], Kiembu [ebu], Kitharaka [thk].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: 30%–60%. Literacy rate in L2: 75%–100%. 95% of the children are in school. Taught as subject in some primary schools. Literature. Newspapers. Periodicals. Radio. TV. Videos. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. Bible: 1951–1965.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Gikuyu
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Christian, traditional religion.