Ganda

A language of Uganda

Baganda, LùGáànda, luGanda

Luganda

10,950,000 in Uganda, all users. L1 users: 5,560,000 in Uganda (2014 census), increasing. Census based on tribal affiliation. L2 users: 5,390,000 (2014 R. Nzogi). Total users in all countries: 11,004,750 (as L1: 5,614,750; as L2: 5,390,000).

Location

Buganda province: Lake Victoria northwest shore to Lake Kyoga and Tanzania border.

Language Maps

Uganda

Language Status

3 (Wider communication). De facto language of national identity.

Classification

Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, J, Nyoro-Ganda (E.15)

Dialects

Kooki (Olukooki), Sese (Olusese), Vuma (Luvuma), Diopa (Ludiopa). Lexical similarity: 71%–86% with Soga [xog], 68% with Gwere [gwr].

Typology

SVO.

Language Use

Used in primary schools and churches especially in the south. Kooki dialect may be extinct. Home, work, church. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Most also use English [eng]. Used as L2 by Chiga [cgg], Gwere [gwr], Kenye [lke], Kuku [ukv], Masaaba [myx], Nubi [kcn], Nyankore [nyn], Nyole [nuj], Nyoro [nyo], Ruruuli-Runyala [ruc], Saamya-Gwe [lsm], Soga [xog].

Language Development

Widely used for literacy. Many adults outside the language area learned to read Ganda in school (2021 SIL). Taught in primary and secondary schools through grade 3 and as subject thereafter. Taught as subject at 1 university. Literature. Newspapers. Periodicals. Radio. TV. Videos. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. Bible: 1896–2017.

Language Resources

OLAC resources in and about Ganda

Writing

Latin script [Latn], used since 1947.

Other Comments

Vuma dialect is moribund. Christian, Muslim.