Group or dialect continuum of Nubian languages
The Hill Nubian languages, also called Kordofan Nubian,[2] are a dialect continuum of Nubian languages spoken by the Hill Nubians in the northern Nuba Mountains of Sudan.
Classification
The Hill Nubian languages are generally classified as being in the Central branch of the Nubian languages, one of three branches of the Nubian languages, the other two being Northern (Nile), consisting of Nobiin, and Western (Darfur), consisting of Midob. They are grouped together with Kenzi-Dongolawi (not seen to be closely related to Nobiin, despite their proximity) and Birgid, a language of southwestern Sudan extinct since the 1970s.[3] Nubian lies within the Eastern Sudanic family, which is part of the Nilo-Saharan phylum.
Languages
There are seven Hill Nubian languages, according to Ethnologue and Glottolog. Some of the languages have dialects. Their internal classification within Hill Nubian is not well established. Glottolog classifies Hill Nubian (Kordofan Nubian) into two branches: Eastern Kordofan Nubian and Western Kordofan Nubian, containing three and four languages respectively.[4] Ethnologue, however, only groups Kadaru and Ghulfan together, leaving the rest unclassified within Hill Nubian, as follows:[5]
- Kadaru-Ghulfan
- Ghulfan (also Gulfan, Uncu, Uncunwee, Wunci, Wuncimbe) – 33,000 speakers
- Kadaru (also Kadaro, Kadero, Kaderu, Kodhin, Kodhinniai, Kodoro, Tamya) – 25,000 speakers
- Dair (also Dabab, Daier, Thaminyi) – 1,024 speakers
- Dilling (also Delen, Warkimbe, Warki) – 11,000 speakers
- El Hugeirat (also El Hagarat) – 50 speakers
- Karko (also Garko, Kaak, Karme, Kithonirishe, Kakenbi) – 7,000 speakers
- Wali (also Walari, Walarishe, Wele) – 9,000 speakers
Additionally, one extinct language known only from a word list of 36 words, Haraza, is unclassified within Hill Nubian.
List of Kordofan Nubian (Hill Nubian) language varieties according to Rilly (2010:164-165):[6]
See also
References
- ^ Ghulfan at Ethnologue (27th ed., 2024)
![Closed access icon](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
Kadaru at Ethnologue (27th ed., 2024) ![Closed access icon](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
Karko at Ethnologue (27th ed., 2024) ![Closed access icon](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
Wali at Ethnologue (27th ed., 2024) ![Closed access icon](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
Dilling at Ethnologue (27th ed., 2024) ![Closed access icon](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
Dair at Ethnologue (27th ed., 2024) ![Closed access icon](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
(Additional references under 'Language codes' in the information box) - ^ Jakobi, Angelika; Ruffini, Giovanni; Oei, Vincent W. J. van Gerven (2014-06-03). Dotawo: A Journal of Nubian Studies: Vol. 1: 2014. punctum books. p. 203. ISBN 9780692229149.
- ^ "Nubian". Ethnologue. Retrieved 2017-06-24.
- ^ "Glottolog 3.0 - Kordofan Nubian". glottolog.org. Retrieved 2017-06-24.
- ^ "Hill". Ethnologue. Retrieved 2017-06-24.
- ^ Rilly, Claude. 2010. Le méroïtique et sa famille linguistique. Leuven: Peeters Publishers. ISBN 978-9042922372
External links
- Hill Nubian basic lexicon at the Global Lexicostatistical Database
- A collection of Tabaq in ELAR
More information on specific linguistic characteristics and/or variations among Hill Nubian languages
- http://digitalcommons.fairfield.edu/djns/vol1/iss1/10
- http://digitalcommons.fairfield.edu/djns/vol2/iss1/9
- http://digitalcommons.fairfield.edu/djns/vol2/iss1/13