Luo Language

The Luo language, Dholuo (pronounced ) or Luo proper, is the eponymous language of the Luo group of Nilotic languages, spoken by about 5.4 million Luo people of Kenya and Tanzania, who occupy parts of the eastern shore of Lake Victoria and areas to the south. It is used for broadcasts on KBC (Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, formerly the Voice of Kenya), Radio Ramogi, Radio Lake Victoria, Radio Lolwe etc. Dholuo is closely related to Lango, Acholi, and Adhola of Uganda. It is somewhat more distantly related to Luwo, also a Western Nilotic language, spoken in Sudan.

Dholuo belongs to the Western Nilotic branch of the Nilo-Saharan language family spoken by other Luo-speaking peoples such as the Lango, Acholi, Adhola and Alur (all of Uganda and parts of Sudan and Eastern Congo). The 4 waves of Luo migration are actually chiefly from the 4 Luo-speaking groups (Lwoo) especially Acholi and Adhola. It is estimated that Dholuo has 90% lexical similarity with Lep Alur (Alur); 83% with LepAchol (Acholi); 81% with Lango, 93% with Dhopadhola (Adhola), 74% with Anuak, 69% with Jurchol (Luwo) & Dhi-Pari.