Lingala
/lɪŋˈɡɑːlə/noun
A Bantu language widely used as a lingua franca in parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo.
Did you know?Lingala developed in the Congo River region as a trade and military lingua franca, and its spread was boosted by river transport, colonial administration, and later popular music.
Etymological Timeline
19th Century
Bantu
Bangala
“A regional name associated with people and speech along the Congo River”
Late 19th Century
Bantu
Lingala
“A name formed with the Bantu prefix li- for the language associated with the Bangala area and people”
Early 20th Century
French
lingala
“Recorded by colonial administrators and missionaries as the name of the emerging lingua franca”
20th Century
English
Lingala
“The established name of the Central African language used in scholarship and general reference”
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