Konjo language (Bantu)

Konjo
Olhukonzo
Native toUganda and Democratic Republic of the Congo
EthnicityBakonjo
Native speakers
610,000 in Uganda (2002 census)
Language codes
ISO 639-3koo
Glottologkonz1239
JD.41

The lhukonzo (Konzo) language, variously rendered Lukonzo, Olukonzo, and konzo, is a Bantu language spoken by the Konzo people of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It has a 77% lexical similarity with Nande. There are many dialects, including Sanza (Ekisanza).

Writing system

Konzo alphabet
abdef ghikl mnopq rstuv wyz

Phonetics

Consonants

Konzo consonant phonemes
Labial Dental Alveolar Retroflex Postalveolar/ Palatal Velar Glottal
Nasal m n ɲ ⟨ny⟩
Stop prenasalized ᵐb ⟨mb⟩ ⁿd ⟨nd⟩ ᶮɟ ⟨ngy⟩ ᵑɡ ⟨ng⟩
implosive/ voiced ɓ ⟨bb⟩ d ɟ ⟨gy⟩ g
voiceless p t ʈ ⟨th⟩ c ⟨ky⟩ k
voiceless prenasalized ⁿt ⟨nt⟩
Affricate t͡s ⟨ts⟩
Fricative prenasalized ⁿz ⟨nz⟩
voiced v β ⟨b⟩ z ɣ ⟨gh⟩
voiceless f s h ⟨h⟩
Approximant l ɭ ⟨lh⟩ j ⟨y⟩ w
Rhotic r

Vowels

Konzo is characterized by distinguishing advanced and retracted tongue root.

Konzo's IPA vowel chart

Front Back
Close i u
Near-close ɪ ʊ
Mid ɛ ɤ o
Open a

Basic vocabulary

List of basic phrases and words.

Grammar

Verbs

The infinitive is indicated by the prefix eri- (before a consonant) or ery- (before a vowel). For example: ery'asa ("to come").

References

  1. 1 2 Konjo at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. ↑ Jouni Filip Maho, 2009. New Updated Guthrie List Online
  3. ↑ Kambale 2007.
  4. 1 2 "Konjo language and pronunciation". omniglot.com. Retrieved 2022-10-29.
  5. ↑ Derek Nurse; Gérard Philippson, eds. (2003). The Bantu languages. London: Routledge. ISBN 0-7007-1134-1. OCLC 50323065.
  6. 1 2 Kambale, Balinandi (2009). Lhukonzo - English -- English - Lhukonzo Dictionary. Kampala: Fountain Publishers. ISBN 978-9970-02-574-9.

Works cited