Resumen de Power, ethnicity, and the remarkable rise of Lingala in Bukavu, eastern Zaire

D.L. Goyvaerts

• The linguistic Situation in Bukavu (Zaire) is fairly complex, for over 40 languages are spoken among the 240,000 inhabitants of this multiethnic town. Still, this language mosaic constitutes a relatively fluid System in which negotiation of Status, authority, and control can be smoothly accomplished. In recent years, Lingala has become very prominent in Bukavu and is increasingly being used äs an additional lingua franca. This is quite remarkable given the fact that three lingua francas already exist (viz.

  French, Swahili, andlndoubil). An attempt ismade to outline the particular place of Lingala within the overall sociocultural space and to account for its appearance on the Bukavu scene.