Lëblaŋo
Lango
Nilo-Saharan (Western Nilotic, Lwoo)
Lango is a Western Nilotic (Lwoo) language of Northern Uganda, spoken around the city of Lira by the Langi people. Sister to Acholi (also present in Uganda) and more distantly to Luo of western Kenya, with which it shares the typical Western Nilotic five-vowel + ATR system. Lango played a prominent role in 20th-century Ugandan politics — President Milton Obote was a Langi speaker. About 1.5 million speakers; written in Latin script with limited but growing literary tradition.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Lango
Sources
- Driberg (1923) — The Lango: A Nilotic Tribe of Uganda
- Ethnologue 27: Lango
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Nilo-Saharan (Western Nilotic, Lwoo)
| Meaning | Lango | Acholi | Luo | Anuak | Nuer | Dinka | Ateso |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | pii /piː/ | pii /piː/ | pi /pi/ | pii /piː/ | pi /pi/ | piu /piu/ | akipi /akipi/ |
| Fire | mac /matʃ/ | mac /matʃ/ | mach /matʃ/ | mac /matʃ/ | mäc /mɛtʃ/ | mac /matʃ/ | akim /akim/ |
| Sun | ceŋ /tʃɛŋ/ | ceng /tʃɛŋ/ | chiengʼ /tʃiɛŋ/ | ceeŋ /tʃeːŋ/ | caŋ /tʃaŋ/ | akɔ̈l /akɔl/ | akolong /akoloŋ/ |
| Moon | dwe /dwe/ | dwe /dwe/ | dwe /dwe/ | dwee /dweː/ | pay /paj/ | pɛɛi /pɛːi/ | elap /elap/ |
| Star | lakalatwe /lakalatwɛ/ | lakalatwe /lakalatwɛ/ | sulwe /sulwɛ/ | cero /tʃero/ | räl /ral/ | kuel /kwɛl/ | akanyeret /akaɲeret/ |
| Night | owuor /owuor/ | dyewor /dʲɛwor/ | otieno /otiɛno/ | wɛr /wɛr/ | wɛr /wɛr/ | wakɔu /wakɔu/ | akware /akʷare/ |
| Rain | kot /kot/ | kot /kot/ | koth /kɔθ/ | — | nhiaal /n̪iaːl/ | deng /deŋ/ | akiru /akiru/ |
| Wind | yamo /jamo/ | yamo /jamo/ | yamo /jamo/ | yamo /jamo/ | jiom /dʒiom/ | yom /jom/ | ekwam /ekʷam/ |
| Earth | ngom /ŋom/ | ngom /ŋɔm/ | lowo /loːwo/ | — | piny /piɲ/ | piny /pinʲ/ | alup /alup/ |
| Stone | gweŋ /ɡweŋ/ | kidi /kidi/ | kidi /ˈkidi/ | kidi /kidi/ | päm /pam/ | kuur /kuːr/ | amoru /amoru/ |
| Mountain | kidi /kidi/ | got /ɡot/ | got /ɡɔt/ | — | — | gɔ̈ɔ̈t /ɡɔːt/ | emoru /emoru/ |
| Sea | nam /nam/ | nam /nam/ | nam /nam/ | — | bar /bar/ | — | angolol /aŋolol/ |
| Mother | mego /meɡo/ | mego /meɡo/ | mama /mama/ | min /min/ | maar /maːr/ | man /man/ | toto /toto/ |
| Father | papo /papo/ | baba /baba/ | baba /baba/ | waad /waːd/ | gwaar /ɡwaːr/ | wun /wun/ | papa /papa/ |
| Daughter | nya /ɲa/ | nya /ɲa/ | nyar /ɲar/ | — | nya /ɲa/ | nyan /ɲan/ | akoku /akoku/ |
| I | an /an/ | an /an/ | an /an/ | än /an/ | ɣän /ɣan/ | ɣɛn /ɣɛn/ | eong /eoŋ/ |
| You | yin /jin/ | in /in/ | in /in/ | in /in/ | jin /jin/ | yïn /jin/ | ijo /iɟo/ |
| We | wan /wan/ | wan /wan/ | wan /wan/ | wän /wan/ | kɔn /kɔn/ | ɣok /ɣɔk/ | siong /sioŋ/ |
| Name | nying /ɲiŋ/ | nying /ɲiŋ/ | nying /ɲiŋ/ | nyiŋ /ɲiŋ/ | ciot /tɕɔːt/ | rin /rin/ | ekiror /ekiror/ |
| Person | dano /dano/ | dano /dano/ | dhano /ðano/ | — | raan /raːn/ | raan /raːn/ | etunganan /etuŋanan/ |
| Head | wic /witʃ/ | wic /witʃ/ | wich /witʃ/ | wic /witʃ/ | wic /witʃ/ | nhom /n̪om/ | akou /akou/ |
| Eye | waŋ /waŋ/ | wang /waŋ/ | wangʼ /waŋ/ | waang /waːŋ/ | waŋ /waŋ/ | nyin /ɲin/ | akongu /akoŋu/ |
| Ear | it /it/ | it /it/ | it /it/ | yith /jiθ/ | jith /dʒiθ/ | yith /jic/ | akit /akit/ |
| Nose | um /um/ | um /um/ | um /um/ | wum /wum/ | wum /wum/ | wum /wum/ | ekume /ekume/ |
| Mouth | dog /doɡ/ | dog /doɡ/ | dhok /ðok/ | — | thok /t̪ɔk/ | thok /t̪ɔk/ | akituk /akituk/ |
| Tooth | lak /lak/ | lak /lak/ | lak /lak/ | leo /leo/ | lei /lei/ | lec /letʃ/ | ekialai /ekialai/ |
| Tongue | leb /lɛb/ | leb /lɛb/ | lep /lɛp/ | lɛph /lɛpʰ/ | lɛp /lɛpʰ/ | liep /liep/ | angajep /aŋaɟep/ |
| Hand | cing /tʃiŋ/ | cing /tʃiŋ/ | lwedo /lwɛdo/ | cing /tʃiŋ/ | tet /tet/ | cin /tʃin/ | akan /akan/ |
| Foot | tyen /tjɛn/ | tyen /tʲɛn/ | tielo /tiɛlo/ | tielo /tielo/ | cio̱o̱k /tɕɔːk/ | cök /tʃɔk/ | akeju /akeɟu/ |
| Heart | cwiny /tʃwiɲ/ | cwiny /tʃwiɲ/ | chuny /tʃuɲ/ | cuny /tʃuɲ/ | lëŋ /lɛŋ/ | piöu /piɔu/ | etau /etau/ |
| Bone | cogo /tʃoɡo/ | cogo /tʃoɡo/ | chogo /tʃoɡo/ | cou /tʃou/ | cɔɣ /tʃɔɣ/ | yuɔɔm /juɔːm/ | akoyit /akojit/ |
| Blood | rem /rɛm/ | remo /rɛmo/ | remo /rɛmo/ | remoʼ /rɛmoʔ/ | riɛm /riɛm/ | riɛm /riɛm/ | awokot /awokot/ |
| Poop | cet /tʃɛt/ | cet /tʃɛt/ | chieth /tʃiɛθ/ | — | — | ciɛ̈th /tʃiɛt̪/ | acin /atʃin/ |
| Love | amara /amara/ | mar /mar/ | hera /hera/ | mar /mar/ | nhok /nok/ | nhiär /n̪iar/ | akimina /akimina/ |
| Tree | yat /jat/ | yat /jat/ | yath /jaθ/ | yat /jat/ | jïath /dʒiat̪/ | tim /tim/ | ekitoi /ekitoi/ |
| Dog | gwok /ɡwok/ | gwok /ɡʷok/ | guok /ɡuok/ | guok /ɡuok/ | jiek /dʒiek/ | jɔ̈ŋ /dʒɔŋ/ | ekingok /ekiŋok/ |
| Cat | mbweko /mbweko/ | ngabu /ŋabu/ | paka /paka/ | nyamur /ɲamur/ | gec /ɡetʃ/ | gec /ɡetʃ/ | ekapa /ekapa/ |
| Fish | rec /rɛtʃ/ | rec /rɛtʃ/ | rech /rɛtʃ/ | reo /reoʔ/ | rec /rɛtʃ/ | rec /rɛtʃ/ | ekoleit /ekoleit/ |
| Bird | winyo /wiɲo/ | winyo /wiɲo/ | winyo /wiɲo/ | — | dit /dit/ | diɛt /diɛt/ | akweny /akʷeɲ/ |
| Butterfly | kapwopwo /kapwopwo/ | lapwopwo /lapwopwo/ | oguyo /oɡujo/ | — | del kwoth /dɛl kwɔt̪/ | dap /dap/ | apelipelet /apelipelet/ |
| Egg | toŋ /toŋ/ | tong /toŋ/ | tongʼ /toŋ/ | tøŋ gwienø /tøŋ ɡwienø/ | tuoŋ /tuɔŋ/ | tuɔŋ /tuɔŋ/ | abeet /abeet/ |
| Bear | dubu /dubu/ | — | dubu /dubu/ | — | — | — | edubu /edubu/ |
| Horse | aguragura /aɡuraɡura/ | aguragura /aɡuraɡura/ | faras /faras/ | okweeny /okweːɲ/ | jio̱k tuɔ̱ruɔ̱k /dʒiɔk tuɔruɔk/ | mathiaŋ /mat̪iaŋ/ | ebalasit /ebalasit/ |
| House | ot /ot/ | ot /ot/ | ot /ot/ | ot /ot/ | dööl /dɔːl/ | ɣöt /ɣɔt/ | etogo /etoɡo/ |
| Milk | cak /tʃak/ | cak /tʃak/ | chak /tʃak/ | caak /tʃaːk/ | cak /tʃak/ | ca /tʃa/ | akile /akile/ |
| Honey | moo kic /moː kitʃ/ | kic /kitʃ/ | mor kich /mor kitʃ/ | maar kïc /maːr kitʃ/ | tuaar /tuaːr/ | kiɛ̈c /kiɛtʃ/ | asik /asik/ |
| Salt | kado /kado/ | kado /kado/ | chumbi /tʃumbi/ | — | milɛ /milɛ/ | awai /awai/ | abalang /abalaŋ/ |
| Wine | koŋo /koŋo/ | bwino /bwino/ | divai /divai/ | køøŋ nyïïomøki /køːŋ ɲiːomøki/ | kɔaŋ /kɔaŋ/ | mɔ̈u /mɔu/ | ebino /ebino/ |
| Iron | nyonyo /ɲoɲo/ | nyonyo /ɲoɲo/ | nyinyo /ˈɲiɲo/ | — | yiëëth /jiɛːt̪/ | weeth /weːt̪/ | asowat /asowat/ |
| Wheel | okot /okot/ | lawala /lawala/ | nyange /ɲaŋe/ | — | wil /wil/ | köl /kɔl/ | ekokoro /ekokoro/ |
| Book | buk /buk/ | buk /buk/ | buk /buk/ | — | bok /bɔk/ | athör /at̪ɔr/ | ekitabo /ekitabo/ |
| Eat | camo /tʃamo/ | cam /tʃam/ | chiemo /tʃiemo/ | cam /tʃam/ | cam /tʃam/ | cam /tʃam/ | akinyam /akiɲam/ |
| Drink | matho /matʰo/ | mat /mat/ | madho /maðo/ | maath /maːt̪/ | math /mat̪/ | dek /dek/ | akimat /akimat/ |
| Sleep | nino /nino/ | nino /nino/ | nindo /nindo/ | nin /nin/ | nin /nin/ | nin /niːn/ | ajo /aɟo/ |
| One | acel /atʃɛl/ | acel /atʃɛl/ | achiel /atʃiɛl/ | acel /atʃel/ | kɛl /kɛl/ | tök /tɔk/ | ediopet /ediopet/ |
| Two | aryo /arjo/ | aryo /arjo/ | ariyo /arijo/ | aryew /arjɛw/ | rew /rɛw/ | rou /rou/ | iarei /iarei/ |
| Three | adek /adek/ | adek /adek/ | adek /adek/ | adak /adʌk/ | diɔ̱k /dijɔk/ | diak /diak/ | iuni /iuni/ |
| Four | angwen /aŋwɛn/ | angwen /aŋwɛn/ | angʼwen /aŋwɛn/ | angween /aŋweːn/ | ŋuan /ŋwan/ | ŋuan /ŋuan/ | iwongon /iwoŋon/ |
| Five | abic /aˈbitʃ/ | abic /abitʃ/ | abich /abitʃ/ | abic /abitʃ/ | dhieec /ɟiec/ | dhiëc /ɟiɛc/ | ikany /ikaɲ/ |
| Hundred | mia /miə/ | miya /mija/ | mia /mia/ | dipa /dipa/ | kuɔ̱r /kuɔr/ | buɔt /buɔt/ | akwatat /akʷatat/ |
| Hello | itye nining /itje niniŋ/ | itye nining /itʲɛ niniŋ/ | misawa /misawa/ | mali /mali/ | malɛ /malɛ/ | ke yïn /ke jin/ | yoga /joɡa/ |
| Thank you | apwoyo /apwojo/ | apwoyo /apwojo/ | erokamano /erokamano/ | apwoyo /apwojo/ | lɛrnyä /lɛrɲa/ | alanyiek /alaɲiek/ | eyalama /ejalama/ |
| Good | ber /ber/ | ber /ber/ | maber /maber/ | ber /ber/ | gɔaa /ɡɔaː/ | piath /piat̪/ | ejok /eɟok/ |
| New | anyen /aɲen/ | manyen /maɲɛn/ | manyien /maɲien/ | nyään /ɲaːn/ | — | yam /jam/ | lokitetet /lokitetet/ |
| Red | makwar /makwar/ | makwar /makwar/ | makwar /makwar/ | kwaar /kwaːr/ | lual /lual/ | thith /tʰitʰ/ | lokarengan /lokareŋan/ |
| White | tar /tar/ | tar /tar/ | rachar /ratʃar/ | tar /tar/ | bor /bor/ | ɣer /ɣer/ | akwang /akʷaŋ/ |
| Black | acol /atʃol/ | macol /matʃol/ | ratengʼ /ratɛŋ/ | cøl /tʃøl/ | car /tʃar/ | col /tʃol/ | lokirionon /lokirionon/ |
| Blue | bululu /bululu/ | mabulu /mabulu/ | rambulu /rambulu/ | — | yiel /jiel/ | — | lobululu /lobululu/ |
| Computer | kompiuta /kompiuta/ | kompiuta /kompiuta/ | kompyuta /kompjuta/ | — | — | makuɛ̈n /makuɛn/ | akompiuta /akompiuta/ |
| Coffee | kawa /kawa/ | kawa /kawa/ | kahawa /kahawa/ | — | — | — | ekawa /ekawa/ |
| Ninety-nine | pyeraboŋwen wie aboŋwen /pjeraboŋwɛn wie aboŋwɛn/ | pyere abongwen wiye abongwen /pjere aboŋwɛn wije aboŋwɛn/ | piero ochiko gochiko /piero otʃiko ɡotʃiko/ | — | jiɛn bäŋuan wi̱cdɛ bäŋuan /ɟiɛn bʌŋwan wicdɛ bʌŋwan/ | thiärdhoŋuan ku dhoŋuan /t̪iard̪oŋuan ku d̪oŋuan/ | akaisakany kaungon ka ikanykawongon /akaisakaɲ kauŋon ka ikaɲkawoŋon/ |
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