Kituba

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A language of Democratic Republic of the Congo

ISO 639-3
ktu
Alternate Names
Kibulamatadi, Kikongo, Kikongo Commercial, Kikongo Simplifié, Kikongo-Kituba, Kikongo-Kutuba, Kileta
Autonym
Kikongo ya leta, Kituba
User Population

5,000,000, all users. L1 users: 4,200,000 (1990 UBS). L2 users: 800,000.

Location

Kwango and Kwilu provinces.

Language Maps
Language Status

2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial language in Bas-Congo, Bandundu regions (2006, Constitution, Article 1(8)).

Classification
Creole, Kongo based
Dialects

Ikeleve, Western Kituba, Eastern Kituba. A creole based on the Kikongo dialect spoken in Manianga area (Bas-Congo), but unintelligible to Kikongo speakers of any of the other Kikongo dialects. Influenced by Lingala [lin], French [fra], restructured Swahili [swh], Portuguese [por], and other local dialects. Similar to Kituba [mkw] (Munukutuba) of Congo.

Language Use

Means of communication among various language groups. Used as L2 by Ding [diz], Ibali Teke [tek], Iyansi [yns], Mbala [mdp], Ngongo [noq], Phende [pem], Suku [sub], Yaka [yaf].

Language Development

Taught in most primary and secondary schools through grade 2 and as subject thereafter, often in combination with Koongo [kng] in the southeast. Radio. Videos. Bible: 1990.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Kituba
Writing

Latin script [Latn].