Ngigu language
Ngigu | |
---|---|
wuo nuri wuOnuri | |
Pronunciation | [wú.ɔ́ nú.ɾí] |
Region | southern Awating |
Ethnicity | Ngigu |
Native speakers | 268,000 (2020) |
Language family | Ngerupic
|
Writing system | Letso-Terminian script Ngigu script |
Official status | |
Official language in | None |
Regulated by | contested between
|
CWS code | ngigu |
The native Ngigu-speaking area in southern Awating. |
Classification
Ngigu is a member of the Umic branch of the Ngerupic languages.
Status
Phonology
Phonemes
Consonants
Bilabial | Alveolar | Post-alveolar | Palatal | Labiovelar | Velar | Glottal | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nasal | m m: | n n: | ŋ ŋ: | ||||
Plosive | p | t | k | ʔ | |||
Fricative | ʃ | h | |||||
Approximants/Flap | ɾ | j | w | ||||
Implosive | ɓ | ɗ | ɠ |
Notes:
- /ʃ/ is frqeuently realized as [s] by younger speakers.
- The implosives /ɓ ɗ ɠ/ are frequently realized as the plain voiced stops [b d g] by younger speakers.
Vowels
Front | Back | |
---|---|---|
Close | í ì | ú ù |
Close-mid | é è | ó ò |
Open-mid | ɛ́ ɛ̀ | ɔ́ ɔ̀ |
Open | á à |
Notes:
- Vowel hiatus (see below) is often removed, with vowel sequences being treated as polyphthongs and and the tone of the first vowel assimilating into those of the following vowels.
- /i/ and /u/ are semivowels [j] and [w]
Phonotactics
Syllable structure is minimally V and maximally CVC. Gemination/length is contrastive in nasals only, and geminated nasals are considered single consonants, and thus can appear word-initially. Consonant clusters are not allowed word-initially or word-finally.
Morphology and syntax
Writing and literature
Vocabulary
A sample of words in Ngigu:
one | muì |
two | nà |
three | nẹ |
four | ngè |
five | hià |
person | nggìgèw |
man | ngìye |
woman | ʔìw |
ząm person | nìraxì |
water | bao |
fire | xaw |
sun | nggùiyùo |
moon | nnùirọm |
star | mmèba |
boat | nggùiya |
house | hòòhong |
village | ròò |
breast | nìùmu |
tooth | nnìẹ̀he |
blood | nìo |
bone | nnìrak |
tongue | ùnìùiri |
ear | nnìrùi |
eye | nìùyu |
nose | ùnìw |
hair | kùaung |
leaf | bùawài |
tree | mmùabi |
pig | buwùet |
snake | nguyò |
lizard | muwite |
palm tree | ùaurot |
name | nnììmma |
hear | -ngo |
hit | -ʔu |
eat | -wom |
go | -è |
come | -nọ̀ |
sit | -ʔù |
stand | -rùat |
hot | nu |
cold | gùù |
good | mọng |
bad | ù |
Sample text
Ngigu script: gu`dh``Oht3N6EpzIriro`9E``pzdu9O``U`repun`ro`a`dego`I`byuOmo muI`r`deh``guOmowudin3`kznmuI`r`deh``guOmowuAkzwu a`ruqzzmuI`9ro`a`deho`I`a`du9h`m3`gexu``qzzro`a`demo`6Ub a`xu``wonudu9h``h``wzniNzn`ro`a`dexo``AI xuPk0NzmuI`9ro`a`deho`I`A`noa`O``gu`Iyu be`toh``OqzzNi`gexiNzd9Nukh``hedoqzzh3nu6buNi`9bOxwzIriyu Ni`gexiNzr`deh``xwzhxiNzxi``Okz ro`a`deho`I`A`h``O``xoqzzNi6wzh``xwzhxiNzxi``Okzdu9h``Nu`Oyun0hi`O``9qzzro`9E``pzre`pz O``U`guOmowuE``wu`wu`ro`a`deOn0xo``UI
Romanization: Gùdahàohatẹ nggaep iri ròòèp duu òùrepu nà ròàde gòìbayuomo. Muì ràdehàguomowu dinẹ̀k na muì ràdehàguomowu akwu. Àruʔ Muìì Ròàde Hòìà duu hàmẹ̀gexùʔ ròàde mmòuba. Àxùwonu duu hàhàw ning nà ròàde xòai. Xuọ kọng, Muìì Ròàde Hòìà noàògùiyu bèto hàoʔ ngìgexing daa ngukahàhedoʔ hẹnnubungìì bao xaw iri yu. Ngìgexing ràdehàxaw haxing xìok. Ròàde hòìà hàòxoʔ nggiw hàxaw haxing xìok duu hàngùoyunọ ùrù daa hàxaaunọ hìòòʔ ròòep rèp, òùguomowu è wùwù ròàde onọ xòui.
Translation: Once there was a small town with two tea vendors. One sold green tea and the other sold black tea. There was a Chief Tea Taster who ensured the quality of the tea. He was getting tired of drinking the same two types of tea every day. One day the Chief Tea Taster was walking in a field when he saw a stranger boiling water in a clay pot over a small fire. The stranger offered him some tea. The tea taster liked it so much he offered to help the stranger set up shop in the town, selling this new kind of extra-dark tea.