Alternate Names: Lusoga, Olusoga
Dialects: Diope (Ludiope), Gabula (Lugabula), Gweri (Lugweri), Kigulu (Lukigulu), Lamogi (Lamoogi, Lulamogi, Lulamoogi), Lukono, Luuka, Nholo (Lunholo), Siki (Lusiginyi, Lusiki, Siginyi), Tembé (Lutembe), Tenga (Lutenga). Lamogi (Lamoogi)and Siki (Siginyi) dialects are mutually intelligible of Gwere , and Kenye ,. Lexical similarity: Lutenga dialect; 82%–86% with Ganda ,, 77%– 81% with Kenye ,, 69%–78% with Lulamoogi ,, 64% with Gwere ,, 58% with Saamia ,. Lulamoogi dialect; 89%–92% with Lusiginyi; 83%–88% with Kenye ,, and 81%–82% with Gwere ,. Lusiginyi dialect; 83%–84% with Kenye ,, and 79%–82% with Gwere.
Status Notes: De facto language of provincial identity in Iganga, 4 other districts.
Genealogy:
Demographics: 2,060,000 (2002 census), increasing. 185,000 Lulamogi, 169,000 Lusiki (Busoga Cultural Research Centre).
Language Use: Vigorous. All domains. All ages. Positive attitudes. Also use English [eng], Ganda [lug]. Used as L2 by Kenye [lke].
Language Development: Taught in primary schools. Radio programs. Dictionary. Grammar. NT: 1999.
Typology: For Tenga dialect: SVO; 5 vowels, 23 consonants; highly agglutinating; lexical and grammatical tone.
Writing System: Latin
Nation of Origin: Uganda
Other Comments: Welmers (1973) and Ladefoged (1971) list Soga ,, Gwere ,, and Kenyi (Kenye) , separately. Kenye and Gwere may be dialects of Soga, Gwere being the most geographically distant. Only Tenga, the major and widely held standard dialect, has development in progress. Lamoogi and Siginyi dialects are largely undescribed and still unwritten. Speakers of Lamoogi and Siginyi consider themselves different ethnic groups, though loosely part of the wider Soga Kingdom. These varieties are all very similar and largely intelligible.