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Acoli

Acoli is a Nilotic language spoken in Uganda and South Sudan, by about 1.2 million people.

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Acoli · 3.6°N 32.5°E

Acholi ( ə-CHOH-li, also Leb Acoli, or Leb Lwo) is a Southern Luo language spoken by the Acholi people in the districts of Gulu, Kitgum, Amuru, Lamwo, Agago, Nwoya, Omoro and Pader (a region known as Acholiland) in northern Uganda. The Dhopaluo (Chope) sub-dialect of Acholi is spoken in the Kiryandongo District in the kingdom of Bunyoro. It is also spoken in South Sudan in Magwi County, Eastern Equatoria.

Song of Lawino, well known in African literature, was written in Acholi by Okot p'Bitek, although its sequel, Song of Ocol, was written in English.[1]

Acholi, Alur, and Jo Padola have between 84 and 90 per cent of their vocabulary in common[2] and are mutually intelligible. However, they are often counted as separate languages because their speakers are ethnically distinct. Labwor (Thur), once considered a dialect of Acholi, may not be intelligible with it.

From Wikipedia · Acholi dialect · CC BY-SA 4.0

Words in Acoli

MeaningWordRomanization
fatherabaa
womandakóo
persondono*
name5iN*
eyewoN*
earit*
noseum*
toothlok*
tonguelap*
handCiN*
bloodramo*
boneCogo*
skinlo*
kneeCoN*
breasttuno*
liverCwi5*
waterpii
firemoC*
sunCaN*
moondwee
starlokolotwa*
stonegwaN*
mountaingot*
treeyat
leafoboka*
nightdyawor*
doggwok*
fishraC*
louse5ogi*
oneoCal*

* in the simplified ASJP transcription

Most similar languages

Vocabulary

Grammar

Vocabulary compares 40 basic words (ASJP); grammar compares 195 features (Grambank). Similar is not always related.

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Glottolog · acol1236 · Wikipedia (English) · Ethnologue · ach