kmw ISO 639
Kikomo Autonyms
Komo
Visualizations
A language of Democratic Republic of the Congo
- ISO 639
- kmw
- Alternate Names
- Kikumo, Kikumu, Kikuumu, Kumo, Kumu, Kuumu
- Autonym
- Kikomo
- Population
- 400,000 (1998 SIL).
- Location
- Maniema province: Lubutu and Punia territories; Nord-Kivu province: Walikale; Tshopo province: Bafwasende territory, Opienge. Lubutu is center.
- Language Maps
- Northern Democratic Republic of Congo
- Language Status
- 6b (Threatened).
- Classification
- Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, D, Lega-Holoholo (D.23)
- Dialects
- No identified dialects, but speech varieties have the following differences: up to 10% lexical differences, in comparison with the reference lexicon as found in Lubutu. Most noticeable phonological variation: lambdacism. Most noticeable relational word variation: shape of the alienable possession marker. Lexical similarity: 80% with Bhele [bhy], 70% with Bila [bip], 58% with Bira [brf], 48% with Bwa [bww], 46% with Bali [bcp], Lika [lik], and Pagibete [pae], 30% with Lingala [lin], Lega-Shabunda [lea], and Budu [buu].
- Typology
- SVO; prepositions; noun head followed by genitive and relative clause; question word initial; 7 prefixes; 4 suffixes; word order distinguishes subject, object, indirect object; human-animate-inanimate contrast in plural and adjective agreement (no Bantu concord); verb affixes obligatorily mark person and number of subject and object; some ergativity in gerund phrase; middle, stative, unaccusative marked by suffix; causatives marked by suffix; comparisons; CV, V, Nasal CV, CV Nasal, Nasal; tonal.
- Language Use
- Some young people, all adults. All ages except in population centers where L1 is Congo Swahili [swc], then it is 7 and older for boys. A few also use Lingala [lin], especially those around Kisangani. Also use Congo Swahili [swc]. Used as L2 by Lengola [lej].
- Language Development
- Literacy rate in L1: 1%. Literacy rate in L2: 50% older men (born before 1970), 30% younger men, less than 10% women. Literature. Dictionary. NT: 2021.
- Writing
- Latin script [Latn].
- Other Comments
- Christian, Muslim, traditional religion.
- Language Resources
- OLAC resources in and about Komo
