Lingala (classified as Bantu language C30B) is the most widely used ­lingua franca in large parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Congo, as well as in their border zones. While many of the major Bantu languages have been thoroughly researched in recent ­decades, this book is, to date, the first collection of wide-ranging contributions shedding light on the Central African contact language. Renowned scholars in the field provide in-depth studies on the ­historical background of Lingala, a language that emerged at the end of the 19th century, and on its political and social instrumentalization in contemporary Congolese history. They study its regiolectal and sociolectal variation, increasing geographical spread, indexicalities and social meaning, as well as its relationship with its closest linguistic relative Bangala (­classified as Bantu language C30A). Further topics covered include morphosyntactic and pragmatic features of Lingala, contact between Lingala and Sango, and contact settings between Bangala, Zande, Arabic and Swahili. The transdisciplinary direction taken by this edited volume ­offers perspectives on central themes in Lingala song lyrics, highlighting its role in Congolese popular culture, and also examines graphic novels published in the language. Going beyond the often prescriptive works by missionaries and more recent descriptive works by current scholars on Lingala and ­B­angala, this diverse collection reflects the multifaceted and vivid contexts in which the language is used, implemented, and further popularized.