Lega language

Lega
Lega
Native to	DR Congo
Ethnicity	Lega
Native speakers	(450,000 cited 1982–2000)
Language family	Niger–Congo? Atlantic–Congo Benue–Congo Bantoid Bantu (Zone D.20) Lega–Binja Lega–Bemba Lega; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Language codes
ISO 639-3	Variously:; lea – Shabunda Lega; lgm – Mwenga Lega; khx – Kanu; ktf – Kwami
Glottolog	lega1253
Guthrie code	D.25,251
ELP	Kanu

Lega is a Bantu language, or dialect cluster, of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. There are two major varieties, Shabunda Lega and Mwenga Lega; Mwenga Lega, with about 10% of speakers, finds Shabunda difficult to understand. Kanu has been assigned a separate ISO code but is a dialect of Shabunda, and no more divergent than other dialects.

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.

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