Rwanda-Rundi | |
---|---|
Region | Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, DR Congo, Tanzania, Kenya |
Ethnicity | Hutu, Tutsi, Twa, Ganwa, Ha, Shubi, Hangaza, Vinza |
Native speakers | 20 million (2001–2007)[1] |
Dialects |
|
Official status | |
Official language in | Rwanda (as Kinyarwanda) Burundi (as Kirundi) |
Language codes | |
ISO 639-3 | Variously:kin – Rwandarun – Rundihaq – Hasuj – Shubihan – Hangazavin – Vinza |
Glottolog | rwan1241 |
Rwanda-Rundi is a group of Bantu languages, specifically a dialect continuum, spoken in Central Africa. Two dialects, Kirundi and Kinyarwanda, have been standardized as the national languages of Burundi and Rwanda respectively. These neighbouring dialects are mutually intelligible, but other dialects which are more distant ones may not be. The other dialects are spoken in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kinyabwisha in North Kivu, Kinyamulenge in South Kivu), Uganda (Rufumbira, spoken by the Bafumbira in Kisoro District), and Tanzania; Ha, with one million speakers, is the most widely spoken.