Sango
/ˈsæŋɡoʊ/noun
A creole language and lingua franca of the Central African Republic and neighboring regions.
Did you know?Sango became the national language of the Central African Republic and is unusual among African lingua francas for having official status alongside French.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-19th Century
Ngbandi
sängö
“A form associated with the Ngbandi linguistic and cultural sphere; the precise original meaning of the name is debated.”
19th Century
Sango
sängö
“An emerging contact language used among communities around the Ubangi River basin.”
Late 19th Century
French
sango
“The name recorded and popularized in colonial documentation for the regional lingua franca.”
20th Century
Sango
sängö
“A widely used trade and interethnic language in what became the Central African Republic.”
1963
Central African Sango
sängö
“Recognized alongside French as an official language of the Central African Republic.”
Modern English
English
Sango
“The name of the Central African language, also used for its standardized national form.”