Alternate Names: Congo, Kikongo, Kikoongo, Kongo
Dialects: Bwende (Buende, Sonde), Cataract, Central Kongo (Manyanga, Mazinga), East Kongo (Ntandu, Santu), Nzamba (Dzamba), South East Kongo (Nkanu, Pende, Zoombo), South Kongo, West Kongo (Fiote, Fioti). Part of Kongo subgroup. Other languages of the Kongo group are sometimes regarded as dialects of Koongo (see entries for Beembe ,, Doondo ,, Kunyi ,, Vili ,, Munukutuba ,, and Kituba ,). In Angola, Ndingi and Mboka dialects may be separate languages. A member of macrolanguage Kongo ,.
Genealogy:
Demographics: 3,000,000 in Democratic Republic of the Congo (1982 UBS). Population total all countries: 5,016,500. L2 users: 5,000,000 in Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Language Development: Radio programs. TV. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible: 1905–1962.
Typology: SVO (for Nzamba).
Spoken In: Angola
Writing System: Latin
Nation of Origin: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Other Comments: Fioti also spoken by Buende and Vili peoples. Christian.