Alternate Names: Digo, Kidigo
Dialects: Chichifundi, Chichinondo, Chigwirani. Partially intelligible with Kigiryama , but most remote from Kigiryama of the Mijikenda subgroup. Lexical similarity: 74% with Chiduruma ,, 72% with Chichonyi , and Kiswahili ,, 71% with Kiswahili dialects Mrima and Mvita, 67% with Amu ,, 62% with Bajun ,, 58% with Upper Pokomo ,.
Genealogy:
Demographics: 217,000 in Kenya (1994 I. Larsen), increasing. Population total all countries: 305,000.
Language Use: Vigorous. Home, social gatherings. All ages. Positive attitudes. Also use Swahili [swh]. Used as L2 by Chiduruma [dug].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L1: Below 1%. Literacy rate in L2: 30%. Poetry. Radio programs. Films. Videos. Dictionary. NT: 2007.
Writing System: Latin
Nation of Origin: Kenya
Other Comments: 9 ethnic groups form the Mijikenda community. Moderate degree of Kiswahili , and Islamic cultural influence. Digo is the tribal name. Muslim.