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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)
Ethnologue also lists several other languages in the same group that have significant lexical similarity and some degree of interintelligibility, notably Ha, Hangaza and Shubi.
Kinyarwanda and Kirundi 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)
Ha, Hangaza and Shubi are spoken in Tanzania.
According to Ethnologue:
Kimenyi (1983) states that the three major ethnic groups in both countries [Rwanda and Burundi] share the same language and culture. (Webbook)
According to Ethnologue:
Kinyarwanda and Kirundi are official languages.
Literacy rate of Rundi speakers (according to Ethnologue):
According to Ethnologue, the interintelligibility of the other languages in the Rwanda-Rundi group are:
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)
Harjula (2006) discusses development of an orthography for Ha. (This is apparently still a proposal.)
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.
Localisation of LexiquePro in Kinyarwanda is complete. The effort has been underway since 2006.
Localisation of WeSay in Kinyarwanda is complete. The effort has been underway since 2007.
The Dr. Geo geometry software has apparently been localized in Kinyarwanda.
Rwanda (Kinyarwanda)
Rundi (Kirundi)
Ha (Kiha)
Hangaza
Shubi
Vinza
Locale data has been filed for Kinyarwanda [need more details]
Marsten Memorial Dictionaries http://www.freemethodistchurch.org/users/marston/Dictionaries.htm
There are efforts to develop an online Kinyarwanda dictionary. Apart from a meeting about developing Online Kinyarwanda dictionary held at Yale University [US] on 2006/12/14-15, below are other efforts:
http://www.rwandacommunity.net/inkoranya/iriza/index.php
http://www.kasahorow.org/content/paldo-kinyarwanda-dictionary-entry-structure
http://www.freelang.net/online/kinyarwanda.php
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 Rwanda and Rundi, it would make sense to harmonise translations used in localisation, if not to consolidate them?
Would a macrolanguage code in ISO 639 for Rwanda and Rundi be logical and useful?
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 )
Harjula, Lotta (2006) "Designing Orthography for the Ha Language." In L. Harjula and M. Ylänkö, eds. Africa in the Long Run: Festschrift in the Honour of Professor Arvi Hurskainen. (Studia Orientalia 103) Pp. 173-183.
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, "Ha," http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=haq
______, "Hangaza," http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=han
______, "Language Family Trees: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, J, Rwanda-Rundi (J.60)," http://www.ethnologue.com/show_family.asp?subid=91034
______, "Rundi," http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=run
______, "Rwanda," http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=kin
______, "Shubi," http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=suj
______, "Vinza," http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=vin
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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