Bonjo language

Bonjo
Native to	Republic of Congo
Native speakers	(undated figure of 3,000)[1]
Language family	Niger–Congo? Atlantic–Congo Benue–Congo Bantoid Bantu (Zone C.10) Ngondi–Ngiri Bonjo
Language codes
ISO 639-3	bok
Glottolog	bonj1234
Guthrie code	C143[2]
ELP	Bonjo

Bonjo, also known as Mbonzo or Impfondo, is a Bantu language spoken by around 3,000 people in northern Republic of Congo, particularly the Likouala Department near the town of Impfondo. Speakers are gradually shifting to Lingala.

The classification of Bonjo has shifted over time. Ethnologue formerly classified it as a southern Gbaya language,^[3] but as of the twenty-sixth edition has reclassified it as a Bantoid and member of the Ngondi–Ngiri family.^[4] Some sources continue to list it as a southern Gbaya language.^[5]

Bonjo is closely related to the Bomitaba language, spoken in the same region.^[6][2]

References

1. Bonjo at Ethnologue (16th ed., 2009)
2. Jouni Filip Maho, 2009. New Updated Guthrie List Online
3. Gordon, Raymond G., Jr. (ed.), 2005. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Fifteenth edition. Dallas, Texas: SIL International. Online version: http://www.ethnologue.com/15.
4. Eberhard, David M., Gary F. Simons, and Charles D. Fennig (eds.). 2023. Ethnologue: Languages of the World. Twenty-sixth edition. Dallas, Texas: SIL International. https://www.ethnologue.com/language/bok/
5. "Bonjo". Endangered Language Project. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
6. "Spoken L1 Language: Impfondo". Glottolog. Retrieved 27 May 2023.