Nyole language

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Nyole (also LoNyole, Lunyole, Nyuli) is Bantu language spoken in Uganda near Lake Kyoga.

Contents

[edit] Sounds

[edit] Consonants

Bilabial Alveolar Palatal Velar
Plosive p t tʃ k
b d dʒ g
mb nd ɲdʒ ŋɡ
Nasal m n ɲ ŋ
Fricative ɸ s x
β
Liquid l ~ r
Approximant w j (w)

Nyole has series of voiceless, voiced, and prenasalized stops. /w/ is labio-velar.

[edit] Vowels

Front Back
High i u
Mid e o
Low a

[edit] Historical changes

Nyole has an interesting development from Proto-Bantu *p > Nyole [ŋ]. Schadeberg (1989) connects this sound change to rhinoglottophilia, where the sound change developed first as *p > ɸ > h. Then, given the acoustic similarity of [h] and breathy voice to nasalization, the sound change progressed as h > h̃ > ŋ. The velar place of articulation development is due to velar nasals being the least perceptible of the nasals and its marginal status in (pre-)Nyole and other Bantu languages. In closely related neighboring languages, Proto-Bantu developed variously into /h/ or /w/ or was deleted.

This historical development results in so-called "crazy" alternations, like /n/ + /ŋ/ resulting in /p/ as in the following:

-ŋuliira ("hear" stem form) : puliira "I hear"
-ŋumula ("rest" stem form) : pumula "I rest"

In the above two words, when the first person singular subject prefix /n-/ is added to the stem starting with /ŋ/, the initial consonant surfaces as /p/. In other forms (like /oxu-ŋuliira/ "to hear" and /oxu-ŋumula/ "to rest"), the original stem-initial /ŋ/ can be seen.

ɮ This Niger-Congo languages-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.


[edit] Bibliography