Dhopadhola

language
name=Dhopadhola
nativename=Adhola, Jopadhola, Ludama
familycolor=Nilo-Saharan
states=Uganda
region=Tororo District, Uganda
speakers=~250,000
fam2=Eastern Sudanic
fam3=Nilotic
fam4=Western Nilotic
fam5=Luo
fam6=Southern Luo
iso2=ssa|iso3=adh

Dhopadhola is the language of the Jopadhola (a.k.a. Badama) ethnic group in Uganda. Dhopadhola is generally mutually intelligible with Acholi language, Lango language, Kumam language and Alur language of Uganda and Dholuo language of Kenya.

The prefix "dho" means "language of". It can be attached to a nationality or speech community to imply the language of such a people. "jo" means "people of". The infix "pa" means possessive 'of'.

"Dhopadhola" thus means the language spoken in Padhola.
"Padhola" is the area or region where Dhopadhola is spoken.
"Jopadhola" is the plural of "Japadhola"; a person who speaks Dhopadhola. Hence, "Jopadhola" are speakers of Dhopadhola.

"Ja" is a prefix meaning the 'doer' or a person belonging to a particular place or position. The plural is "Jo". That is, people who do something or belong to a particular place or organisation.

For instance
"Jafwonji" means a teacher.
"Jofwonji" means teachers.
"Jawer" means a singer.
"Jower" means singers.
"Janywol" means a parent.
"Jonywol" means parents.
"Japach" means a carpenter.
"Jopach" means carpenters.