Luwo (Luo, ''Dheluwo''), is a

language Language is a structured system of communication that consists of grammar and vocabulary. It is the primary means by which humans convey meaning, both in spoken and signed language, signed forms, and may also be conveyed through writing syste ...

spoken by the

Luo people The Luo are a Nilotic peoples, Nilotic-speaking ethnic group native to Nyanza Province, western Kenya and the Mara Region of northern Tanzania. The Luo are the fourth-largest ethnic group (10.65%) in Kenya, after the Kikuyu people, Kikuyu (1 ...

of Bahr el Ghazal region in

South Sudan South Sudan (), officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered on the north by Sudan; on the east by Ethiopia; on the south by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and Kenya; and on the ...

. The language is predominantly spoken in the western and northern parts of Bahr el Ghazal. The Luwo form a majority in the Jur River County. The language is part of the

Luo languages The dozen Luo, Lwo or Lwoian languages are spoken by the Luo peoples in an area ranging from southern Sudan to western Ethiopia to southern Kenya, with Dholuo extending into northern Tanzania and Alur into the Democratic Republic of the Congo. ...

East Africa East Africa, also known as Eastern Africa or the East of Africa, is a region at the eastern edge of the Africa, African continent, distinguished by its unique geographical, historical, and cultural landscape. Defined in varying scopes, the regi ...

and is especially related to the languages of South Sudan such as

Anyuak The Anyuak, also known as Anyuaa and Anywaa, are a Luo Nilotic ethnic group inhabiting parts of East Africa. The Anuak belong to the larger Luo family group. Their language is referred to as Dha-Anywaa. They primarily reside in the Gambela Region ...

and Päri with whom it forms a

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 ...

Etymology

The Luwo language is spoken by the Luwo (or Jur Col), an ethnic group in

. Jur is exonym adopted from the local

Dinka language Dinka (natively , or simply ) is a Nilotic dialect cluster spoken by the Dinka people, a major ethnic group of South Sudan. There are several main varieties, such as Padang, Rek, Agaar, Ciec, Malual, Apaak, Aliab, Bor, Hol, Nyarweng, Twic Eas ...

whose speakers are the Luwo's northern and eastern neighbours. Its original Dinka usage, non-cattle-holding non-Dinka, was not particular to the Jur. Jur Col ("black Jur") is today used to disambiguate Luwo from other Jur groups.

Status

Dhe Luwo is currently a developing language. Meaning that the language is developing its written language, standard dialect and undergoing modernization.

Phonology

Consonants

* /k/ can sometimes be heard as �in intervocalic position. * /ŋ/ can sometimes be heard as in intervocalic position among speakers of the eastern dialects. * /r/ can be heard as a tap �in word-final position. * All consonant sounds except the voiced stops /b, d̪, d, ɟ, ɡ/ and the two glides /w, j/ can occur as geminated ː * Labialization ʷmay occur among all consonants except /d̪, ɟ, n̪, n, r, w, j/. * Palatalization ʲmay occur among consonants /t, c, d̪, ɡ, m, l/.

Vowels

Sample phrases

References

{{Authority control Luo languages Languages of South Sudan