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Kinyarwanda, Kirundi
Ruanda and Rundi (properly, Kinyarwanda and Kirundi) are of the Rwanda-Rundi Group of Bantu (Guthrie D60). (Webbook). Note: English Wikipedia lists Rwanda as D61 and Rundi as D62
Ethnologue lists the classification as: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, J, Rwanda-Rundi (J.60)
They are the mutually intelligible national languages of Rwanda and Burundi, respectively. Ruanda is also spoken in Tanzania, Uganda, and Dem. Rep. of the Congo (DRC); Rundi is also spoken in Uganda. (Webbook)
According to Ethnologue:
Kimenyi (1983) states that the three major ethnic groups in both countries share the same language and culture. (Webbook)
According to Ethnologue:
They are official languages.
Literacy rate of Rundi speakers (according to Ethnologue):
A standardized orthography has existed since the 1940s, although Goldsmith (personal communication, 1985) notes that the Roman Catholic and Protestant missions use "slightly different orthographic systems." (Webbook) [Not clear whether this refers to both Kinyarwanda and Kirundi, or if one of them, which one]
A standardised spelling system for Kinyarwanda has been in use since the 1940s, though the spelling used by Roman Catholic and Protestant missions differ somewhat. (Omniglot)
There has been a standardised spelling system for Kirundi since the 1940s, though Roman Catholic and Protestant missions use slightly different systems. (Omniglot)
Omniglot lists this alphabet (including digraphs) for Kinyarwanda at http://www.omniglot.com/writing/kinyarwanda.htm :
a b c cy d e f g h i j jy k l m n nk nt ny o p r s sh t u v w y z
Omniglot lists this alphabet (including digraphs) for Kirundi at http://www.omniglot.com/writing/kirundi.php :
a b c cy d e f g h i j jy k l m mp n nk nt ny o p r s sh shy t u v w y z
Sample texts are shown on the "Language Museum" site as follows (these may or may not reflect current standards and use):
Standard Latin fonts will suffice.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights:
Wikipedia in:
Localisation of OpenOffice 2.3 in Kinyarwanda is almost complete. The effort has been underway since 2003.
The Dr. Geo geometry software has apparently been localized in Kinyarwanda.
Rwanda (Kinyarwanda)
Rundi (Kirundi)
Marsten Memorial Dictionaries http://www.freemethodistchurch.org/users/marston/Dictionaries.htm
There is an effort to develop an online Kinyarwanda dictionary (a meeting about this was held at Yale University [US] on 2006/12/14-15)
Software localisation (Kinyarwanda):
ICT and Kinyarwanda:
Kinyarwanda language:
Online dictionary (Kinyarwanda, mainly):
Open-Tran.eu supports Kinyarwanda http://rw.open-tran.eu
Given the importance and similarity of these two languages, it would make sense to harmonise translations used in localisation, if not to consolidate them.
Becker, David. 2004. "Se habla open source?" CNET News.com, February 16, 2004, http://news.com.com/2100-7344_3-5159179.html [discusses early stages of Kinyarwanda localisation of OpenOffice
Dwyer, David (1997), Webbook of African Languages, http://www.isp.msu.edu/AfrLang/hiermenu.html (page on "Rwanda/Rundi," http://www.isp.msu.edu/AfrLang/Ruanda_root.html )
Omniglot, "Kinyarwanda (Ikinyarwanda)," http://www.omniglot.com/writing/kinyarwanda.htm
______, "Kirundi (íkiRǔndi)," http://www.omniglot.com/writing/kirundi.php
SIL International, Ethnologue: Languages of the World, "Rundi," http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=run
______, "Rwanda," http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=kin
SIL International, "ISO 639 Code Tables," http://www.sil.org/iso639-3/codes.asp
U.S. Library of Congress, "ISO 639.2: Codes for the Representation of Names of Languages: Alpha-3 codes arranged alphabetically by the English name of language," http://www.loc.gov/standards/iso639-2/php/English_list.php
Wikipedia, "Kinyarwanda," http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinyarwanda
______, "Kinyarwanda language," http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinyarwanda_language
______, "Kinyarwanda-kirundi," http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinyarwanda-kirundi
______, "Kirundi," http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirundi
______, "Kirundi," http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirundi
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