The lhukonzo (Konzo) language, variously rendered ''Lukonzo'', ''Olukonzo'', and ''konzo'', is a

Bantu language The Bantu languages (English: , Proto-Bantu language, Proto-Bantu: *bantʊ̀), or Ntu languages are a language family of about 600 languages of Central Africa, Central, Southern Africa, Southern, East Africa, Eastern and Southeast Africa, South ...

spoken by the Konzo people of

Uganda Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the ...

and the

Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), also known as the DR Congo, Congo-Kinshasa, or simply the Congo (the last ambiguously also referring to the neighbouring Republic of the Congo), is a country in Central Africa. By land area, it is t ...

. It has a 77% lexical similarity with Nande. There are many dialects, including Sanza (Ekisanza).

Writing system

Phonetics

Consonants

Vowels

Konzo is characterized by distinguishing

advanced and retracted tongue root In phonetics, advanced tongue root (ATR or +ATR), or expanded pharynx, and retracted tongue root (RTR or −ATR) are contrasting states of the pharynx during the pronunciation of vowels in some languages, especially in Western and Eastern Af ...

Konzo's IPA vowel chart

Basic vocabulary

List of basic phrases and words. *Good morning – ''wabukire'' *Good afternoon – ''wasibire'' *Good night - ''ukeyesaye buholho'' *Thank you (very much) – ''wasingya'' (''kutsibu'') *How are you? – ''ghune wuthi?'' *How are you? – ''muneyo?'' *Fine – ''ngane ndeke'' *Sir/man – ''mulhume'' *Madam/woman – ''mukalhi'' *Boy – ''omuthabana'' *Girl – ''omumbesa'' *Dear – ''mwanithu'' *Friend – ''omukaghu'' *King – ''mukama''/''mwami omusinga'' *2-10 – ''ibiri'', ''isatu'', ''ini'', ''ithanu'', ''mukagha'', ''musanju'', ''munani'', ''mwenda'', ''ikumi'' *Car – ''engumbaghalhi'' *Water – ''amaghetse'' *Gift – ''kihembo'' *House - ''enumba'' *Goat - ''embene'' *Dog - ''embwa''

Grammar

Verbs

The

infinitive Infinitive ( abbreviated ) is a linguistics term for certain verb forms existing in many languages, most often used as non-finite verbs that do not show a tense. As with many linguistic concepts, there is not a single definition applicable to all ...

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

References

Works cited

* Languages of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Languages of Uganda Great Lakes Bantu languages {{Bantu-lang-stub