Mangbetu language

Mangbetu
Mangbetu
Nemangbetu
Region	Congo (DRC)
Ethnicity	Mangbetu people
Native speakers	(650,000 Mangbetu proper cited 1985); Lombi: 12,000 (1993)
Language family	Nilo-Saharan? Central Sudanic Eastern Mangbetu–Asoa Mangbetu; ; ; ;
Language codes
ISO 639-3	Either:; mdj – Mangbetu; lmi – Lombi
Glottolog	mang1394 Mangbetu; lomb1254 Lombi

Mangbetu, or Nemangbetu, is one of the most populous of the Central Sudanic languages. It is spoken by the Mangbetu people of northeastern Congo. It, or its speakers, are also known as Amangbetu, Kingbetu, Mambetto. The most populous dialect, and the one most widely understood, is called Medje. Others are Aberu (Nabulu), Makere, Malele, Popoi (Mapopoi). The most divergent is Lombi; Ethnologue treats it as a distinct language. About half of the population speaks Bangala, a trade language similar to Lingala, and in southern areas some speak Swahili.

The Mangbetu live in association with the Asua Pygmies, and their languages are closely related.

^ Mangbetu at Ethnologue (13th ed., 1996).
Lombi at Ethnologue (13th ed., 1996).
^ Lombi at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)

[e13-1] Mangbetu at Ethnologue (13th ed., 1996).
Lombi at Ethnologue (13th ed., 1996).

[e25-2] Lombi at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)

[1]

[2]

Mangbetu
Nemangbetu
Region	Congo (DRC)
Ethnicity	Mangbetu people
Native speakers	(650,000 Mangbetu proper cited 1985)^[1] Lombi: 12,000 (1993)^[2]
Language family	Nilo-Saharan? Central Sudanic Eastern Mangbetu–Asoa Mangbetu
Language codes
ISO 639-3	Either: `mdj` – Mangbetu `lmi` – Lombi
Glottolog	`mang1394` Mangbetu `lomb1254` Lombi