Kinyarwanda language

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'''Kinyarwanda''' (also sometimes known simply as '''Rwanda''' or '''Ruanda''') is a [[Bantu languages|Bantu language]] spoken primarily in [[Rwanda]], where it is nearly universal and one of the [[official language]]s of the country. It is also spoken in southern [[Uganda]]. Kinyarwanda is [[mutual intelligibility|mutually intelligible]] with [[Rundi language|Kirundi]], an official language of [[Burundi]].<ref name="ethn">Ethnologue, 15th ed.</ref>
 +
 
 +
==Phonology==
 +
===Consonants===
 +
The table below gives the consonant set of Kinyarwanda, grouping [[voiceless consonant|voiceless]] and [[voiced consonant|voiced]] consonants together in a cell where appropriate, in that order.
 +
{| class="IPA wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
 +
!
 +
![[bilabial consonant|Bilabial]]
 +
![[labiodental consonant|Labiodental]]
 +
![[alveolar consonant|Alveolar]]
 +
![[postalveolar consonant|Postalveolar]]
 +
![[palatal consonant|Palatal]]
 +
![[velar consonant|Velar]]
 +
![[labiovelar consonant|Labiovelar]]
 +
![[glottal consonant|Glottal]]
 +
|-
 +
![[Plosive consonant|Plosive]]
 +
|p b
 +
|
 +
|t d
 +
|
 +
|c ɟ
 +
|k ɡ
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
![[Fricative consonant|Fricative]]
 +
|
 +
|f v
 +
|s z
 +
|ʃ ʒ
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|h
 +
|-
 +
![[Affricate consonant|Affricate]]
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|ts
 +
|tʃ
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
![[Nasal consonant|Nasal]]
 +
|m
 +
|
 +
|n
 +
|
 +
|ɲ
 +
|ŋ
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
![[Approximant consonant|Approximant]]
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|j
 +
|
 +
|w
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
![[Tap consonant|Tap]] or [[Flap consonant|Flap]]
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|ɾ
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
===Vowels===
 +
The table below gives the vowel sounds of Kinyarwanda.
 +
{| class="IPA wikitable"
 +
|-
 +
!
 +
! [[Front vowel|Front]]
 +
! [[Back vowel|Back]]
 +
|-align=center
 +
![[Close vowel|Close]]
 +
| i
 +
| u
 +
|-align=center
 +
![[Close-mid vowel|Close-mid]]
 +
| e
 +
| o
 +
|-
 +
|-align=center
 +
![[Open vowel|Open]]
 +
|colspan=2| a
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
All five vowels occur in [[long vowel|long]] and [[short vowel|short]] forms. The distinction is [[phoneme|phonemically distinctive]]. The [[vowel quality|quality]] of a vowel is not affected by its length.
 +
 
 +
===Tone===
 +
Kinyarwanda is a [[tonal language]].
 +
{{Expand section|date=May 2008}}
 +
 
 +
===Orthography===
 +
<!-- to do: find out how these are pronounced -- Omniglot is not always reliable, and doesn't cite sources -->
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
! A a || B b || C c || Cy cy || D d || E e || F f || G g || H h || I i
 +
|-
 +
! J j || Jy jy || K k || L l || M m || N n || Nk nk || Nt nt || Ny ny || O o
 +
|-
 +
! P p || R r || S s || Sh sh || T t || U u || V v || W w || Y y || Z z
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
The sequences 'ki' and 'ke' may be pronounced interchangeably as [ki] and [ke] or [chi] and [che] according to speaker's preference.{{Citation needed|date=January 2008}}
 +
 
 +
The letters 'a', 'e', or 'i' at the end of a word followed by a word starting with a vowel often follows a pattern of omission (observed in the following excerpt of the Rwandan anthem) in common speech, though the orthography remains the same. For example, ''Reka tukurate tukuvuge ibigwi wowe utubumbiye hamwe twese Abanyarwanda uko watubyaye berwa, sugira, singizwa iteka.'' would be pronounced as "Reka tukurate tukuvug' ibigwi wow' utubumiye hamwe twes' abanyarwand' uko watubyaye berwa, sugira singizw' iteka."
 +
 
 +
In the colloquial language, there are some discrepancies from orthographic ''Cw'' and ''Cy.'' Specifically, ''rw'' (as in ''Rwanda)'' is often pronounced {{IPA|/ɾɡw/}}. The most obvious differences are the following:
 +
 
 +
::{| class=wikitable
 +
! Orthog. !! Pron.
 +
|-
 +
| ''rw'' || {{IPA|/ɾɡw/}}
 +
|-
 +
| ''pw'' || {{IPA|/pk/}}
 +
|-
 +
| ''bw'' || {{IPA|/bɡ/}}
 +
|-
 +
| ''mw'' || {{IPA|/mŋ/}}
 +
|-
 +
| ''my'' || {{IPA|/mɲ/}}
 +
|-
 +
| ''tw'' || {{IPA|/tkw/}}
 +
|-
 +
| ''dw'' || {{IPA|/dɡw /}}
 +
|-
 +
| ''cw'' || {{IPA|/tʃkw/}}
 +
|-
 +
| ''by'' || {{IPA|/bdʒ/}}
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
Note that these are all sequences; {{IPA|/bɡ/}}, for example, is not [[Labial-velar consonant|labio-velar]] {{IPA|/b͡ɡ/}}. Even when ''Rwanda'' is pronounced {{IPA|/ɾwanda/}}, the onset is a sequence.
 +
 
 +
==Grammar==
 +
===Nouns===
 +
Kinyarwanda has ten [[noun class]]es pairs:
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
!      || singular    || plural    || type of words
 +
|-
 +
| I    || ''(u)mu-''  || ''(a)ba-'' || humans
 +
|-
 +
| II  || ''(u)mu-''  || ''(i)mi-'' ||
 +
|-
 +
| III || ''(i)(ri)-'' || ''(a)ma-'' ||
 +
|-
 +
| IV  || ''(i)ki-'' or ''(i)gi-'' || ''(i)bi-'' ||
 +
|-
 +
| V    || ''(i)n-''    || ''(i)n-'' ||
 +
|-
 +
| VI  || ''(u)ru-''  || ''(i)n-'' ||
 +
|-
 +
| VII  || ''(a)ka-''  || ''(u)tu-'' ||
 +
|-
 +
| VIII || ''(u)bu-''  || ''(u)bu-'' ||
 +
|-
 +
| IX  || ''(u)ku-''  || ''(a)ma-'' ||
 +
|-
 +
| X    || ''(a)ha-''  || ''(a)ha-'' ||
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
When preceded by a [[demonstrative]], the vowel prefix is dropped. (e.g. ''umu-'' → ''mu-'').
 +
Class I is used for words representing humans.
 +
 
 +
===Verbs===
 +
All Kinyarwanda verb [[infinitive]]s begin with ''gu-'' or ''ku-'' (morphed into ''kw-'' before vowels).  To [[conjugation (grammar)|conjugate]], the infinitive prefix is removed and replaced with a prefix agreeing with the [[subject (grammar)|subject]].  Then a [[tense (grammar)|tense]] [[infix]] can be inserted.
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
!      || singular || singular before vowels || plural || plural before vowels
 +
|-
 +
| I    || ''a-''  || ''y-''  || ''ba-''  || ''b-''
 +
|-
 +
| II  || ''u-''  || ''w-''  || ''i-''  || ''y-''
 +
|-
 +
| III  || ''ri-''  || ''ry-'' || ''a-''  || ''y-''
 +
|-
 +
| IV  || ''ki-''  || ''cy-'' || ''bi-''  || ''by-''
 +
|-
 +
| V    || ''i-''  || ''y-''  || ''zi-''  || ''z-''
 +
|-
 +
| VI  || ''ru-''  || ''rw-'' || ''zi-''  || ''z-''
 +
|-
 +
| VII  || ''ka-''  || ''k-''  || ''tu-''  || ''tw-''
 +
|-
 +
| VIII || ''bu-''  || ''bw-'' || ''bu-''  || ''bw-''
 +
|-
 +
| IX  || ''ku-''  || ''kw-'' || ''a-''  || ''y-''
 +
|-
 +
| X    || ''ha-''  || ''h-''  || ''ha-''  || ''h-''
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
The prefixes for pronouns are as follows:
 +
* 'I' = ''n-''
 +
* 'you' (sing.) = ''u-''
 +
* 'he/she' = ''y-''/''a-'' (i.e. the singular Class I prefix above)
 +
* 'we' = ''tu-''
 +
* 'you' (pl.) = ''mu-''
 +
* 'they' (human) = ''ba-'' (i.e. the singular Class I prefix above)
 +
 
 +
Tense markers include the following.
 +
* Present ('I do'): ''-'' (no infix)
 +
* Present progressive ('I am doing'): ''-ra-'' (morphs to ''-da-'' when preceded by ''n'')
 +
* Future ('I will do'): ''-za- ''
 +
* Continuous progressive ('I'm still doing'): ''-racya- ''
 +
 
 +
{|class="wikitable"
 +
!colspan="2"|Example translations
 +
|-
 +
| Yego || Yes
 +
|-
 +
| Oya || No
 +
|-
 +
| Uvuga icyongereza? || Do you speak English?
 +
|-
 +
| Bite? || What's Up?
 +
|-
 +
| Mwaramutse || Hi/Good Morning
 +
|-
 +
|-
 +
| Amata || Milk
 +
|-
 +
| Ejo || Yesterday
 +
|-
 +
| Ejo hazaza || Tomorrow
 +
|-
 +
| Nzaza ejo || I will come tomorrow
 +
|-
 +
| Ubu || Now
 +
|-
 +
| Ubufaransa || France
 +
|-
 +
| Ubwongereza || England
 +
|-
 +
| Amerika  ||  America
 +
|-
 +
| Ubudage || Germany
 +
|-
 +
| Ububirigi || Belgium
 +
|-Uburayi      Europe
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
The past tense can be formed by using the present and present progressive infixes and modifying the aspect marker suffix.
 +
 
 +
==Notes==
 +
 
 +
==References==
 +
 
 +
==External links==
 +
*[http://kinyarwanda.net Kinyarwanda.net] Integrated Kinyarwanda and English dictionary and grammar reference
 +
*[http://www.laits.utexas.edu/phonology/kinyarwanda/index.html Introduction to Rwanda phonology]
 +
*[http://www.panafril10n.org/wikidoc/pmwiki.php/PanAfrLoc/RwandaRundi PanAfrican L10n page on Rwanda–Rundi] (has links to dictionaries)
 +
*[http://marston.freemethodistchurch.org/Dictionaries/Hi-Res/kinyarwanda-english%20dictionary.pdf Rwanda-English Dictionary]
 +
*[http://www.speakrwanda.com] www.speakrwanda.com  Kinyarwanda audio lessons and phrasebook for travellers
 +
*[http://www.kigalicoders.com/kinyarwanda Kinyarwanda Book] HTML Transcription of the Book "Kinyarwanda Lessons" by Betty Ellen Cox and Gakuba Faustin
 +
 
 +
[[Category:Languages of Rwanda]]
 +
[[Category:Languages of Uganda]]
 +
[[Category:Tonal languages]]
 +
[[Category:Northeast Bantu languages]]

Revision as of 11:10, 29 December 2010

Kinyarwanda (also sometimes known simply as Rwanda or Ruanda) is a Bantu language spoken primarily in Rwanda, where it is nearly universal and one of the official languages of the country. It is also spoken in southern Uganda. Kinyarwanda is mutually intelligible with Kirundi, an official language of Burundi.<ref name="ethn">Ethnologue, 15th ed.</ref>

Contents

Phonology

Consonants

The table below gives the consonant set of Kinyarwanda, grouping voiceless and voiced consonants together in a cell where appropriate, in that order.

Bilabial Labiodental Alveolar Postalveolar Palatal Velar Labiovelar Glottal
Plosive p b t d c ɟ k ɡ
Fricative f v s z ʃ ʒ h
Affricate ts tʃ
Nasal m n ɲ ŋ
Approximant j w
Tap or Flap ɾ

Vowels

The table below gives the vowel sounds of Kinyarwanda.

Front Back
Close i u
Close-mid e o
Open a

All five vowels occur in long and short forms. The distinction is phonemically distinctive. The quality of a vowel is not affected by its length.

Tone

Kinyarwanda is a tonal language. Template:Expand section

Orthography

A a B b C c Cy cy D d E e F f G g H h I i
J j Jy jy K k L l M m N n Nk nk Nt nt Ny ny O o
P p R r S s Sh sh T t U u V v W w Y y Z z

The sequences 'ki' and 'ke' may be pronounced interchangeably as [ki] and [ke] or [chi] and [che] according to speaker's preference.Template:Citation needed

The letters 'a', 'e', or 'i' at the end of a word followed by a word starting with a vowel often follows a pattern of omission (observed in the following excerpt of the Rwandan anthem) in common speech, though the orthography remains the same. For example, Reka tukurate tukuvuge ibigwi wowe utubumbiye hamwe twese Abanyarwanda uko watubyaye berwa, sugira, singizwa iteka. would be pronounced as "Reka tukurate tukuvug' ibigwi wow' utubumiye hamwe twes' abanyarwand' uko watubyaye berwa, sugira singizw' iteka."

In the colloquial language, there are some discrepancies from orthographic Cw and Cy. Specifically, rw (as in Rwanda) is often pronounced /ɾɡw/. The most obvious differences are the following:

Orthog. Pron.
rw /ɾɡw/
pw /pk/
bw /bɡ/
mw /mŋ/
my /mɲ/
tw /tkw/
dw /dɡw /
cw /tʃkw/
by /bdʒ/

Note that these are all sequences; /bɡ/, for example, is not labio-velar /b͡ɡ/. Even when Rwanda is pronounced /ɾwanda/, the onset is a sequence.

Grammar

Nouns

Kinyarwanda has ten noun classes pairs:

singular plural type of words
I (u)mu- (a)ba- humans
II (u)mu- (i)mi-
III (i)(ri)- (a)ma-
IV (i)ki- or (i)gi- (i)bi-
V (i)n- (i)n-
VI (u)ru- (i)n-
VII (a)ka- (u)tu-
VIII (u)bu- (u)bu-
IX (u)ku- (a)ma-
X (a)ha- (a)ha-

When preceded by a demonstrative, the vowel prefix is dropped. (e.g. umu- → mu-). Class I is used for words representing humans.

Verbs

All Kinyarwanda verb infinitives begin with gu- or ku- (morphed into kw- before vowels). To conjugate, the infinitive prefix is removed and replaced with a prefix agreeing with the subject. Then a tense infix can be inserted.

singular singular before vowels plural plural before vowels
I a- y- ba- b-
II u- w- i- y-
III ri- ry- a- y-
IV ki- cy- bi- by-
V i- y- zi- z-
VI ru- rw- zi- z-
VII ka- k- tu- tw-
VIII bu- bw- bu- bw-
IX ku- kw- a- y-
X ha- h- ha- h-

The prefixes for pronouns are as follows:

  • 'I' = n-
  • 'you' (sing.) = u-
  • 'he/she' = y-/a- (i.e. the singular Class I prefix above)
  • 'we' = tu-
  • 'you' (pl.) = mu-
  • 'they' (human) = ba- (i.e. the singular Class I prefix above)

Tense markers include the following.

  • Present ('I do'): - (no infix)
  • Present progressive ('I am doing'): -ra- (morphs to -da- when preceded by n)
  • Future ('I will do'): -za-
  • Continuous progressive ('I'm still doing'): -racya-
Example translations
Yego Yes
Oya No
Uvuga icyongereza? Do you speak English?
Bite? What's Up?
Mwaramutse Hi/Good Morning
Amata Milk
Ejo Yesterday
Ejo hazaza Tomorrow
Nzaza ejo I will come tomorrow
Ubu Now
Ubufaransa France
Ubwongereza England
Amerika America
Ubudage Germany
Ububirigi Belgium

The past tense can be formed by using the present and present progressive infixes and modifying the aspect marker suffix.

Notes

References

External links

Retrieved from "http://textus-receptus.com/wiki/Kinyarwanda_language"
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