Kumam

KDI

vigorous

Alternate Names: Akokolemu, Akum, Ikokolemu, Ikumama, Kuman, Kumum

Dialects: None known. Mutually intelligible of Acholi , and Lango ,. Lexical similarity: 82% with Acholi ,, 81% with Lango ,.

Genealogy:

Nilo-Saharan
Eastern Sudanic
Nilotic
Western
Luo
Southern
Kuman

Demographics: 174,000 (2002 census), increasing.

Language Use: Home, market. All ages. Positive attitudes. Also use Lango [laj], Teso [teo].

Language Development: Literacy rate in L2: 20% in English. Literacy campaign in progress. Used in primary schools, but no primers available. Poetry. Radio programs. NT.

Writing System: Latin

Nation of Origin: Uganda

Other Comments: Ladefoged, Glick and Criper (1972) and Bender (1988 M. Bender) classify Kumam as Southern Luo; some linguists classify it in the Dinka group. Kumam oral tradition gives a Teso descent. Christian.