Songe, also known as Songye, Kisonge, Lusonge, Yembe, and Northeast
Luba, is a
Bantu language
The Bantu languages (English: , Proto-Bantu language, Proto-Bantu: *bantÊŠÌ€), 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
Songye people in 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 ...
.
''
Ethnologue
''Ethnologue: Languages of the World'' is an annual reference publication in print and online that provides statistics and other information on the living languages of the world. It is the world's most comprehensive catalogue of languages. It w ...
'' notes that Songe is "related" to
Mbagani, which they do not include in their database. Maho (2009) labels as "Mbagani (Binji)" one of the two geographic areas ''Ethnologue'' assigns to Songe, but says that it is closer to
Lwalu; he says that it is a different language,
Binji, that is close to Songe.
Phonology
Vowels
A five vowel system with vowel length is present:
Consonants
* Palatalization
�and labialization
�is also present among consonant sounds.
References
{{Authority control
Luban languages
Languages of the Democratic Republic of the Congo