Nyoro-Tooro language

Language of western Uganda From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Nyoro-Tooro is a language spoken by the people living in the Bunyoro and Tooro sub-regions of western Uganda. It is often defined as two separate languages: Nyoro and Tooro, though it is defined and standardised as one language by the Ministry of Education in Uganda.[3]: 143–144  It is closely related to Runyankore-Rukiga.

NativetoUganda
RegionBunyoro, Tooro Kingdom
EthnicityBanyoro, Batooro
Native speakers
~6,000,000 (first or second language) (2002/1991 census)[1]
Quick facts Native to, Region ...
Nyoro-Tooro
Runyoro-Rutooro
Orunyoro-Orutooro
Native toUganda
RegionBunyoro, Tooro Kingdom
EthnicityBanyoro, Batooro
Native speakers
~6,000,000 (first or second language) (2002/1991 census)[1]
Standard forms
Dialects
Language codes
ISO 639-3Either:
nyo – Nyoro
ttj – Tooro
Glottolognyor1247
JE.11–12[2]
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Orthography

More information 1947 (modern), IPA ...
Nyoro-Tooro orthography[4][5]
1947 (modern)[6] 1901[7] IPA
a a[a] /a/[a]
aa a[a] /aː/
b b /β/
bb b /b/
c c /tʃ/
d d /d/
e e[a] /e/
ee e[a] /eː/
f f /f/
g g /g/
h h /h/
i i[a] /i/
ii ī[a] /iː/
j j /dʒ/
k k /k/
l l /l/
m m /m/
n n /n/
ny[b][c] ny[b][c] /ɲ/
o o[a] /o/
oo o[a] /oː/
p p /p/
r r /ɾ/
rr 'r /r/
s s /s/
t t /t/
u u[a] /u/
uu u[a] /uː/
v N/a /v/
w u, w[d] /w/
y y /j/
z z /z/
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  1. [a]
    In the 1901 orthography, short and long vowels were not usually distinguished except for /iː/ ⟨ī⟩. If a lack of distinction causes severe ambiguity, short vowels would be marked with a breve and long vowels with a macron.
  2. [b]
    In the modern orthography, /nj/ is written as ⟨ni⟩ in all contexts (e.g. okunia "to defecate"). The 1901 orthography did not distinguish between /nj/ and /ɲ/.
  3. [c]
    In the modern orthography, /ɲː/ (normally pronounced [ɲ], but still lengthens the vowel before it) is written as ⟨nny⟩ (e.g. okunnyaga "to kidnap me"). The 1901 orthography did not distinguish between /ɲː/ and /ɲ/.
  4. [d]
    Maddox states that "before vowels either u or w may be written, for no definite rule has yet been formed".

Comparison of Nyoro and Tooro

Nyoro and Tooro are very similar in many aspects, but differ in several ways as well.

Tone

Both languages are tonal languages where high and low tones (or H and L) are the essential tones. However, Nyoro has both lexical and grammatical tone, whereas Tooro only has grammatical tone. This means that some homophones in Tooro are differentiated in Nyoro.[8]

More information Tooro pronunciation, Proto-Bantu word ...
Nyoro-Tooro word Nyoro pronunciation Tooro pronunciation Proto-Bantu word[9] Part of speech English (definition)
enda /êːnda/ /éːnda/ *ndà Noun abdomen
/éːndâ/ *ndá louse
ekyenda /ekjênda/ /ekjénda/ *kɪ́á ndà (> *ekya enda) intestine
/ekjéndâ/ *kɪ̀jèndá (group of) ninety
engo /êːŋgo/ /éːŋgo/ *ngò leopard(s)
/éːŋgô/ *ngó fences[a]
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Word formation

There are many instances where the two languages have slightly different words. These minor variations include different consonants, vowels or vowel lengths.

More information Summary, Tooro ...
Summary Nyoro Tooro Part of speech English (definition)
Consonants enkwahwa enkwaha Noun armpit(s)
Vowels enkokora enkokera Noun elbow
Formation ngenzere ngenzire Verb I have gone
nkozere nkozire I have done
Mixed sso iso Noun (his/her) father
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Notes

  1. [a]
    The singular for engo (meaning 'fences') is orugo.

References

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