Ngombe

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A language of Democratic Republic of the Congo

ISO 639-3
ngc
Alternate Names
Lingombe
User Population

150,000 (Welmers 1971a).

Location

Mongala province and adjacent parts of Sud-Ubangi and Equateur provinces. Widespread along both sides of the Congo River, possibly some in Tshopo province.

Language Maps
Language Status

6a (Vigorous).

Classification
Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Northwest, C, Ngombe (C.41)
Dialects

Libale (Bale, Bodjenga, Indjale, Miwera, Wiindza-Baali), Doko. Reportedly similar to Bwela [bwl] (Lingi). Lexical similarity: 78% with the Benza (Binja) dialect of Ligenza [lgz]; 40% with Lingala [lin], Pagibete [pae], and Ngelima [agh]; 37% with Bwa [bww].

Language Use

Used by all. Some also use Pagibete [pae], for trading. Also use Lingala [lin]. Used as L2 by Pagibete [pae].

Language Development

Radio. Videos. Grammar. Texts. NT: 1915–1956.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Ngombe
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Different from Ngombe [nmj] in Central African Republic.