Introduction

 
The Pagabete [pae] language of the Democratic Republic of Congo has a population of about 40,000. Alternate names for the Pagabete are Apagibete, Apagibeti, Apakabeti, Apakibeti, and Pagibete. The ethnonym is Egezo or Pagibete. There are two main dialects: the Monveda (the larger) and the Mongbapele.

Besides these two, another smaller dialect, Ndundusana, exists. There is a 90% lexical similarity of the Ndundusana dialect with both the Momveda and Mongbapele dialects. The Momveda and Mongbapele dialects have an 80%, and the Ndundusana dialect has an 85% lexical similarity with Bwa [bww]. The dialects have 60%–75% lexical similarity with Kango [kzy], 60%–65% with Ngelima [agh], 55%–60% with Lika [lik], 46% with Komo [kmw], 40%–45% with Bali [bcp], 35%–40% with Ngombe [ngc] and Budza [bja], and 30% with Lingala [lin], the national language.

The Pagabete region is found in two provinces, the Nord-Ubangi and Mongala, around three principle transportation axes: around Ngakpo on the north side of the Dua River across from Gumba (Monveda dialect); along the road southeast of Businga (Mongbapele dialect); and the Abuzi-Butu axis north of Bumba (Ndundusana dialect). There is also a large population of Pagabete living in the town of Businga (mostly speakers of the Monveda and Mongbapele dialects).

The language is classified as Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Northwest, C, Ngombe (C.401).

The Pagabete highly value their language. While about 80% of Pagabete men marry within the language group, when the others intermarry with another group, their wives are expected to learn Pagabete. Some Pagabete also use Ngombe [ngc], mostly through intermarriage or Northern Ngbandi [ngb], for the same reason. The first three years of school are taught in Lingala [lin], so most Pagabete speak and read Lingala. Many Pagabete learn to speak some French [fra], while those who pursue secondary and higher education speak and read it well.