Lobala

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A language of Democratic Republic of the Congo

ISO 639-3
loq
Autonym
Loɓala
User Population

60,000 (2000 D. Morgan). Very few monolinguals.

Location

Equateur province: Bomongo territory, Dongo northeast road to Mokusi village; Dongo road south following Ubangi river, and forest south and west; Sud-Ubangi province: Kungu territory.

Language Maps
Language Status

6a* (Vigorous).

Classification
Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Northwest, C, Ngondi (C.16)
Dialects

Poko (Iboko), South Lobala, Tanda, Likoka. Reportedly most similar to Bomboma [bws]. Lexical similarity: 65% with Lingala [lin].

Language Use

Parents in the forest and some along the Ubangi River pass on Lobala to children. Literacy classes, religious services, oral use in commerce. Positive attitudes. Also use Lingala [lin], especially along the Ubangi River. Used as L2 by Bomboli [bml].

Language Development

NT: 2018.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Lobala
Writing

Latin script [Latn].