Guruntum language

Last updated
Guruntum
Guruntum-Mbaaru
gùrdùŋ
Region Nigeria
Native speakers
(15,000 cited 1993) [1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3 grd
Glottolog guru1271
ELP Guruntum
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Guruntum is a Chadic language spoken in Bauchi and Alkaleri LGAs, Bauchi State, Nigeria. In 1993 it was spoken by about 15,000 people.

Contents

Classification

Guruntum is a West Chadic language of the Barawa (B.3) group.

Major dialects include Kuuku, Gayar, Mbaaru, Dooka, Gar and Karakara.

Phonology

Vowels

Guruntum contrasts long and short forms for all vowels except for /ɨ/. In addition, two nasalized vowel phonemes exist: /ũː//ãː/.

Front Central Back
shortlongshortlongshortlong
Close iɨuuː ũː
Mid eo
Open aaː ãː

There are two diphthongs, /ai/ and /au/.

Consonants

Labial Alveolar Postalveolar
or palatal
Velar
Plain Palatalized Labialized Plain Palatalized Labialized
Nasal mnŋ
Stop prenasalized ᵐbⁿdᶮdʒᵑɡᵑɡʲᵑɡʷ
voiceless ptk
voiced bdɡɡʲɡʷ
implosive ɓɗ
Fricative voiceless fsʃ
voiced vzʒ
Trill r
Approximant ljw

/r/ is realized as a flap intervocalically before back vowels; elsewhere it is a trill.

Tone

Guruntum has four tones: high, low, rising (low-high) and falling (high-low).

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References

  1. Guruntum at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015)