Welcome to Learning Acholi Free online with us.
Part.1. Acoli/Luo (aka Acholi) Alphabet
Background Introduction:
Acholi is spoken mainly in Northern Uganda, known collectively as Acholiland, and in the Eastern Part of Southern Sudan. Who belongs to the Western Nilotic branch of the Nilo-Saharan languages. Acholi/Acoli is closely related to Alur, Lango, Jopadhola and Luo of Kenya. Acholi is also pronounce as Acoli, Akoli, Acooli, Atscholi, AShuli, Lwoo, Lwo,
The Language spoken by the Acholi People is also known as – Acholi or Lok Acoli or Dok/dog Acoli or Leb Acholi.
The best-known piece of writing in Acholi so far is the Song of Lawino, an epic poem by Okot p’Bitek from Uganda. It was first published in 1966 and has been translated into quite a few other languages, including English.
Part-1. The Alphabet.
Written Acholi Alphabet is so unique in many ways and sometimes may look confusing to many Learners of this most easy language to learn in the world.
There are letters that are completely missing and some letters are combined to form a desired pronunciation of a single word. Therefore, don’t get it wrong when you see two letters together in the Alphabetical lists, just remember that the two letters are, but one single Alphabetical word in Acholi language.
Below is the Alphabetical order:
The missing letters:
As explained above, Acholi Alphabet doesn’t include all the 26 English Alphabetical letters. There seven missing letters, they are listed below;
“F, H, Q, S, X, V and Z”
However, this doesn’t mean that acholi language; written or spoken doesn’t use these letters at all, No, they are used occasionally when references are made to nouns known in other Languages which are not of Acoli/Luo (acholi) origin.
Acholi-Luo Folk Culture 
Kong mukwongo amito cwalo mot mamega bot dano ducu ma gitye kayele me gonyo ki temo kwedo kit me Loko leb wa man me Acoli ni. Rwot Lacwec omyero ogoo laa ne ikom yele wu man.
Me ariyo ne eni ni amito cwalo lega na bot Acoli onyo Luo ducu me bedo ki cwak ma malo tutwal ikom yub man.
An nyinga Oneka Morris Obal(43)
Lakwaru Lyeli Yushua Obal me Patiko Kal.
Apwoyo.
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Wapwoyo mada Oneka, me kwanyo kare me coyo pwoci pi yub man me konyo pwonyo dano ma pe ngeyo leb wa me gangi.
Watye atera me ye ki nyamo kit tam mo keken ma twero medo yub man o bot dano mapol kabedo ma tye woko ilobo Ulaya wek okony litino/lutino wa ma gudongo woko.
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Thanks for the initiatives. The only correction I would like you to make is that the language is LUO. But not Acholi language.
Secondly, the Labgi, or the Lango people belong to the Nilo-hamites and the Acholi or Acoli belong to the the Nilo-tics.
The Langi ethnic people learnt Luo because they are the neighbors to the Acoli ethnic group. They formerly belong to the Iteso and Koromojong ethnic groups.
Thanks a lot.
Go ahead and carry on with your work.
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Thanks wodpalyec for your input. The info you provided are true and correct, however the reason why we called our language Acholi instead of Luo/Lwo here is because; we took notice of the modern findings and research on the world’s websites with resources in our language, we found that each sites with the mentions of materials labeled “Luo” are often meant the language of our Luo brothers in Kenya not our Lwo language that we speak as Acholi people of Northern Uganda and Eastern part of Southern Sudan.
Though we share alot in Common still the luo Language(Leb Luo, dog luo) that we speak as Acholi people, differs a lot in accent, phrases and expression with that of our brothers in Kenya, Congo and Tanzania.
Therefore, We decided to go with the modern understanding of our language references and translations as known worldwide today and that is directly linked to the area we live in as Acholi people.
The other issue about history and migration and dispersal of Lwo people that resulted into integration and assimilation of other tribes into our midst, isn’t an issue we are focusing on for now. As modern generation we want to embrace all who speak luo, Acholi, Lango, Alur and the likes as one people who share common language, origin, culture and traditions.
Infact all of us are Jonam.(people of the Nile valley).
Thanks.
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This month I am featuring blog posts about the Acholi. We recently travelled to Gulu where we hope to return. I am just beginning to learn the beautiful Acholi language so I look forward to your future posts.
A Piece of Uganda
I will be linking a few posts to yours so people can see the language.
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Thanks moodustwriter
I am happy to hear that you will travel to my homeland and wish you all the best of stay.
Yeah we could touch up better materials here to help others learn acholi language.
keep in touch!
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[…] Alphabet (thanks to Acholi-Luo folk Culture blog […]
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“The absent of Q”
Thanks for taking interest in Acholi language.
Yes, Acholi Alphabet doesn’t includes 7 of the known English Alphabetical letters.
Check out details here
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Acoli is never to be written with h or H. It is not in the alphabet to start with. If other people write your name wrongly it does not mean you should do the them. Stand for the write structures please.
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Acoli should not be spealt Acholi. Just like people write Ochan we do not use h in our alphabet.
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Thanks for the suggestion Kaka, it’s clear that out alphabet has no letter *h, and any native speaker of our language can read it correctly when this letter is excluded as in “Acoli” but this article was written not only for us native speakers but to others who are none native speakers interested to know our language. Secondly, the mode of the communication here is English so we have inserted *h to bring out the desired pronounciation of the words, otherwise none speakers would read the *c letter as *k and that wouldn’t mean anything near our language 🤗
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That is not the point here. Do the English people change their wording because of you or they stick to the structure of their grammar? Gang kitye ka munyo wan mot mot ki leb pa Lurok. I radio jo ma gimiyo kwena ginyobo ata ka omede kit meno ci pe wabi bedo ki leb kadi coc matir i kaka eni.
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Kom lok kaka, watye ka teme me neno ni meno leb wa pe giloko nyo gimedo iye leb pa lurok, ento ka ilwodo mot bene inongo ni meno kit leb mo keken iwi lobo ni tye latin leb/lok palurok mo iye. Pe tye leb mo ma ucung ni pi en kene ma pe okwanyo wit lok ki ikin leb pa lurok. Kadi wa leb Munu tye wit kwayi leb greek ki Latin Ki mukene ma oribe kombedi gilwong ni Leb munu ni, ento megwa pud pe tye ma onyope mapol gire.
Me coyo Leb wa, myero wa’ti ki nyig lacoc ma aa ki ileb Munu ma gilwongo ni “Alphabet” ni, Gidok wangeyo maber bene ni meno, Leb wa Pe okwako Alphabet weng, Ci dong me poko kit ma Lok moni, nyo kit ma nyig lok acel-acel lwonge/kwane kwede myero Lacoc oteme me keto ne ikit ma romo kwane atir bot kwayi Lwak me kare menu. Pi menu Oweko wacoyo Leb “Acoli” ki nyig coc (Letter) “H” ikin “C” ki “O” wek okel winye pa kwano nyig coc “C” Ikit ma gilwongo kwede iLeb wa, man poko anyoba anyoba me Lwongo Lebwa iyo ma pe atir bot jo ma tye ka pwonyo lebwa kekengi gi i kabedo me intanet. (online) Ento Pol Kare gire Ka wacoyo Buk, i Leb wa, pien meno bot jo ma kwano maber, myero me coyo ne “Acoli” ma pe KI “h”.
Wapwyo miyo dwanni
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That is not correct. Other nations are readers already. We are the ones who are storytellers except for the people who went to school. So do not think that people will not read this if you do not spell things with h. It is you to tell them how to pronounce things that you have spelt. e.g. Luganda wites ki but it is pronounced chi = they do not spell it as chi. Lok me coyo leb Acoli ki h tye ka nywnno wi lwak wa i coyo nying dano. Acayo mogo coyo ni Achayo mene ma mene. A change of one spelling can change the identity of a person even in legal documents. You people who claim to be teaching Acoli need to agree on what you want as a common practice.
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Noted with thanks Ladit,
We will make the necessary revision in due course.
Thanks for clear reasoning.
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