Lega 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 ...

, or

dialect cluster A dialect is a variety of language spoken by a particular group of people. This may include dominant and standardized varieties as well as vernacular, unwritten, or non-standardized varieties, such as those used in developing countries or iso ...

, of 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 ...

. There are two major varieties, Shabunda Lega, Mwenga Lega. Mwenga Lega, with about 10% of speakers, finds Shabunda difficult to understand. Variant spellings of 'Lega' are ''Rega, Leka, Ileka, Kilega, Kirega.'' Shabunda is also known as ''Igonzabale'', and Mwenga as ''Shile'' or ''Ishile''. Gengele is reported to be a Shabunda-based creole. According to ''Ethnologue'', Bembe is part of the same dialect continuum. Nyindu is a dialect of Shi that has been heavily influenced by Lega.

Phonology

Vowels

Consonants

* �can also be heard in the consonant sequence /ɡj/. * /f/ can be heard from loanwords.

References

Lega-Binja languages {{Bantu-lang-stub