Ngigu language

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Ngigu
wuo nuri
wuOnuri
Pronunciation[wú.ɔ́ nú.ɾí]
Regionsouthern Awating
EthnicityNgigu
Native speakers65,000  (2020)
Language family
Ngerupic
  • Umic
    • Ngigu
Writing systemLetso-Terminian script
Ngigu script
Official status
Official language inNone
Regulated bycontested between
  • Awatese Society for the Preservation of Minority Languages
  • Ngigu Advancement Front
CWS codengigu
NgiguMap.PNG
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 by younger speakers, 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] in the same environment.

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 Ngigu numerals and singular nouns:

Selected miscellaneous words Selected words for tools and objects Selected words about local nature
one muì hoe òatu butterfly pea flower hùainno
two adze ngòyèngorebap kassod tree nùaru
three nẹ potter's wheel wòuko cashew tree ùanggùi
four ngè mortar and pestle xòàt coconut palm mmùabimmaw
five hià pot ngòyuka raffia palm nùarọxenne
person nggìgèw rake xòàyaw flower ngùayuri
man ngìye fan nnùioni fruit gùayu
woman ʔìw bead xùibexi banyan tree mmùabunọnnọk
ząm person nìraxì mirror òòxira honey xòanggu
water bao broom dòràkwaa coconut nggòguà
fire xaw bottle kòyòkop cassava òòxo
sun nggùiyùo shoe òògùù galangal òianggo
moon nnùirọm bag xòaw yam kòyò
star mmèba ball bùan tamarind hòèto
boat nggùiya trap òòrin dog uèyo
house hòòhong pit, ditch gèyọng tiger hèèmo
village ròò diamond bùòòmang rabbit turugùi
child xìèxi gold pabàw baird's tapir nùrùmagùo
river nggègung silver kayèk fish uòmi

Sample text

Ngigu script Romanization Translation
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
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.
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.