Luo languages

Not to be confused with Luo dialect or Luwo language.

For the language of Kenya and Tanzania known as Luo, see Dholuo language. For the unclassified language of Atta in Cameroon, see Luo language (Atta).

Luo
Lwo
Geographic distribution	southwestern Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan, northeastern Congo (DRC), northern Uganda, southwestern Kenya, northern Tanzania
Ethnicity	Luo peoples
Linguistic classification	Nilo-Saharan? Eastern Sudanic Nilotic Western Luo
Subdivisions	Northern Southern
Language codes
Glottolog	luob1235

The dozen Luo, Lwo or Lwoian languages are spoken by the Luo peoples in an area ranging from southern Sudan to southern Kenya, with Dholuo extending into northern Tanzania and Alur into the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They form one of the two branches of the Western Nilotic family, the other being Dinka–Nuer. The Southern Luo varieties are mutually intelligible, and apart from ethnic identity they might be considered a single language.

The time depth of the division of the Luo languages is moderate, perhaps close to two millennia. The division within the Southern Luo dialect cluster is considerably shallower, perhaps five to eight centuries, reflecting migrations due to the impact of the Islamization of Sudan).

• Southern (Uganda and neighboring countries)
• Northern
  • Shilluk (South Sudan)
  • Belanda Bor (South Sudan)
  • Thuri (South Sudan)
  • Jur languages
    • Luwo (South Sudan)
    • Anuak (South Sudan, Ethiopia)
    • Päri (South Sudan)

Bibliography

• Gilley, Leoma G. 2004. "The Lwoian family." Occasional Papers in the Study of Sudanese Languages, 9, 165–174.