Lingala (classified as Bantu language C30b) is the most widely used lingua franca in large parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Congo, as well as in their border zones. While many of the major Bantu languages have been thoroughly researched in recent decades, this book is, to date, the first collection of wide-ranging contributions shedding light on the Central African contact language. Renowned scholars in the field provide in-depth studies on the historical background of Lingala, a language that emerged at the end of the 19th century, and on its political and social instrumentalization in contemporary Congolese history. They study its regiolectal and sociolectal variation, increasing geographical spread, indexicalities and social meaning, as well as its relationship with its closest linguistic relative Bangala (classified as Bantu language C30a). Further topics covered include morphosyntactic and pragmatic features of Lingala, contact between Lingala and Sango, and contact settings between Bangala, Zande, Arabic and Swahili. The transdisciplinary direction taken by this edited volume offers perspectives on central themes in Lingala song lyrics, highlighting its role in Congolese popular culture, and also examines graphic novels published in the language. Going beyond the often prescriptive works by missionaries and more recent descriptive works by current scholars on Lingala and Bangala, this diverse collection reflects the multifaceted and vivid contexts in which the language is used, implemented, and further popularized.
Table of contens / Table des matieres
Michael Meeuwis
Obituary
Janika Kunzmann and Nico Nassenstein
Bringing research perspectives together in the study of Lingala: A synopsis
Michael Meeuwis
The dissociation of Lingala from Bangala in historical perspective: A prolegomenon to the study of present-day northeastern Bangala
Shuichiro Nakao
On varieties of Bangala in early colonial Congo Basin
Xavier Luffin
Contacts between Bangala, Swahili, Zande and Arabic in Congo and the Lado Enclave, early 20th century
Helma Pasch and Germain Landi
Lingala loanwords in Sango
Nico Nassenstein
Lingala in the northeast: Contact-induced change and regional variation in Ituri Province
Jacky Maniacky et Guy Noël Kouarata
Quelques spécificités du lingala de Brazzaville
Janika Kunzmann
Passive and functionally equivalent constructions in the contact language Lingala
Joshua Castillo
“Langue ya pouvoir”: Imposing, opposing, and navigating Lingala in Shaba (Katanga) – 1965-1997
Klaudia Dombrowsky-Hahn
Lingala’s indexicalities in the diaspora: Linguistic repertoires of mobile Congolese in the Rhine-Main Region
André Motingea Mangulu
Le lingala des milieux de l’Eglise catholique aujourd’hui : analyse d’une interview accordée à la RTCE par les chantres d’une chorale a Kinshasa-N’djili
Paulin Baraka Bose
Lingala among armed groups and youth gangs in the Kivu provinces: Notes on its function and status
Anja Oed
“Tolingi kaka eye ezali sembo / We just want what is right”: The graphic novel Debout Congolais! / Arise Congolese! as a Lingala-language medium of political education and resistance
Clémentine Nkongolo and Hauke Dorsch
Bolingo eponi ekolo te – Lingala lyrics in the Congolese music single collection of the African Music Archives
Philippe Nzoimbengene
Marqueurs du discours en lingála : entre pragmatique et grammaire
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