Dholuo

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A language of Kenya

ISO 639-3
luo
Alternate Names
Luo, “Kavirondo Luo” (pej.), “Nilotic Kavirondo” (pej.)
Autonym
Dholuo
User Population

5,070,000 in Kenya (2019 census), increasing, based on ethnicity. Total users in all countries: 5,255,000.

Location

Homa Bay, Kisumu, Migori, and Siaya counties; north Kisii and Nyamira counties; Busia and Kakamega counties: border areas. Kavirondo Gulf area.

Language Maps
Language Status

5 (Developing).

Classification
Nilo-Saharan, Satellite-Core, Core, Eastern Sudanic, Southern (n languages), Nilotic, Western, Luo, Southern, Luo-Acholi, Luo
Typology

SVO; verb affixes mark person, number, object; tense; 26 consonant and 5 vowel phonemes; tonal (4 tones: high, low, falling, rising); vowel harmony (ATR).

Language Use

Vigorous. Home, community. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Also use English [eng]. Also use Swahili [swh]. Used as L2 by Suba [sxb].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: 10%–30%. Literacy rate in L2: 50%–75%. Taught as subject in some primary schools. Literature. Radio. Videos. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible: 1953–1977.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Dholuo
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Different from Luwo [lwo] (Luo, Jur Lwo) of South Sudan. The people are Luo; the language is Dholuo. Christian, traditional religion.

Also spoken in:

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