Angola's Most Spoken Language: Trivia Crack

Angola is a multilingual and multicultural country with 46 native languages, most of which are Bantu and other African languages. Portuguese, the official language of Angola, is the most widely spoken language in the country. It is spoken by 71.1% of the population as a primary or secondary language.

Portuguese is the official language

Portuguese was introduced to Angola during the colonial era. It was quickly adopted by Angolans in the mid-twentieth century as a lingua franca among the various ethnic groups. After the Angolan Civil War, many people moved to the cities, where they learned Portuguese. When they returned to the countryside, Portuguese had become the first language for more people. The variant of the Portuguese language used in Angola is known as Angolan Portuguese, which is phonetically similar to the Mozambican variant. Some believe that Angolan Portuguese resembles a pidgin in some aspects.

There are 46 other languages spoken in Angola, most of which are Bantu languages. Umbundu, Kimbundu, and Kikongo are the most popular indigenous languages. Umbundu is the most widely spoken Bantu language, spoken by about 23% of the population, or about 5.9 million people. Kimbundu is spoken in Luanda Province and adjacent provinces, and Kikongo is spoken in the northwest, including the exclave of Cabinda.

There are 46 other spoken languages

While Portuguese is the only official language of Angola, there are 46 other spoken languages in the country, most of which are Bantu languages. Umbundu, Kimbundu, and Kikongo are the most popular indigenous languages. Umbundu is the most widely spoken Bantu language, with about 23% of the population, or 5.9 million people, speaking it natively. It is mainly spoken in the centre and south of the country. Kimbundu is spoken in Luanda Province and adjacent provinces, while Kikongo is spoken in the northwest, including the exclave of Cabinda, by about 8.24% of Angolans.

Other national languages of Angola include Chokwe, spoken by around half a million people; Kwanyama, or Oshikwanyama, spoken by around 420,000 people; and Bangala, Chokwe, Fiote, Herero, Kimbundu, Kwanyama, Lunda, Ngangela, Ngoya, Nyaneka, Ovambo, Songo, and Umbundu, which are transmitted by Angolan radio.

In addition to these native languages, some Angolans of Lebanese descent speak Arabic and/or French, and there is a growing sinophone community of about 300,000 people. English is the most popular language taught in Angolan schools, and the government plans to make it a compulsory subject in the future.

Umbundu is the most widely spoken Bantu language

Umbundu is one of the two languages that make up Mbundu, the other being Kimbundu, or North Mbundu. They are both spoken throughout Angola and have a heavy Portuguese influence from the country's colonial period. During this time, a 1919 colonial decree banned the use of local languages in schools, making Portuguese obligatory. This reduced the number of native speakers, but Umbundu remains a prominent language in Angola today.

Umbundu is one of the most popular indigenous languages in the country, along with Kimbundu and Kikongo. All native languages of Angola are considered to be national languages.

French is spoken in Cabinda

The official language of Angola is Portuguese, which was introduced during the colonial era. It is the most spoken language in the country, with nearly 71% of the population speaking it, according to a 2014 study. Portuguese is the mother tongue of 39% of the population, while many others speak it as a second language. The use of the Portuguese language is more common in urban areas, with 85% of the population speaking it in cities, compared to 49% in rural areas.

The prevalence of French in Cabinda can be attributed to its geographical location between two Francophone countries. This linguistic influence from neighbouring countries has resulted in a significant portion of the Cabinda population adopting French as their primary language.

It is worth noting that all native languages of Angola are recognised as national languages. Umbundu, Kimbundu, and Kikongo are the most popular indigenous languages in the country. Umbundu is the most widely spoken Bantu language, with about 23% of the population speaking it natively, mainly in the centre and south of Angola. Kimbundu is spoken in Luanda Province and adjacent regions, while Kikongo is prevalent in the northwest, including the exclave of Cabinda, where about 8.24% of Angolans use it.

English is the most popular language taught in schools

Angola is a Southern African nation with a single official language, Portuguese, and several national languages. Portuguese was introduced during the colonial era and is the most spoken language in Angola. It is the mother tongue of 39% of the population, while many more speak it as a second language. Portuguese is also the most commonly spoken language, and often the only language, among younger Angolans.

Despite Portuguese being the official language, English is the most popular language taught in Angolan schools. The Angolan government has plans to make English a compulsory subject in schools in the future. This would be unlike French, which is only offered as an elective.

English being taught in schools is part of a broader push to make English an additional official language in Angola. Angola has been an independent state for nearly 50 years, and adopting English as an official language would be a way to further distance the country from its colonial legacy. There are also significant socio-economic benefits to adopting English as an official language. English is the most widely spoken language in the world, with 1.5 billion speakers. Research has shown a direct correlation between a population's English skills and the economic performance of the country. For example, greater English proficiency is connected with a rise in per capita income.

In addition to making English a compulsory subject in schools, other initiatives have been proposed to increase the prevalence of English in Angola. These include recruiting foreign national English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instructors and deploying them to primary, secondary, and tertiary education institutions. There have also been calls for immersion classes and training in English for teachers already employed in the education system. Furthermore, English-language programming on TV and radio should be increased, with news bulletins delivered in English.

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