Keiga language

{{Short description|Kadu language of Kordofan, Sudan}}

{{Infobox language

|name=Keiga

|altname=Keiga-Timero

|states=Sudan

|region=South Kordofan

|ethnicity=Keiga

|speakers=6,100

|date=1984

|ref = e18

|dia1=Demik

|dia2=Aigang

|script=Latin

|familycolor=Nilo-Saharan

|fam1=Nilo-Saharan?

|fam2=Kadu

|fam3=Kadugli-Krongo

|map2=Lang Status 40-SE.svg

|mapcaption2={{center|{{small|Keiga is classified as Severely Endangered by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger}}}}

|iso3=kec

|glotto=keig1242

|glottorefname=Keiga

}}

Keiga, Yega, or Deiga is a Nilo-Saharan language of the Kadu branch spoken in South Kordofan, Sudan. Dialects are Demik (Rofik) and Keiga proper (Aigang).

Keiga is a VSO language. Reh (1994) instead uses the name Deiga or Dayga, with a prefix d- instead of the place prefix k-.Reh, Mechthild. 1994. A Grammatical Sketch of Deiga. Afrika und Übersee 77: 197-261.

Demographics

Stevenson (1956; 1957) originally called the language Keiga, after the places where it is mainly spoken, namely Keiga Timmero, Keiga al-Kheil and Keiga Lubun. The local name for the language is sani m-aigaŋ 'speech of Keiga' (Stevenson 1956: 104). Stevenson (1956: 104) considers it to be a language cluster consisting of two dialects, Keiga proper and Demik, with a total number of approximately 7,520 speakers (with 1,504 taxpayers).Stevenson, Roland C. 1956; 1957. A survey of the phonetics and grammatical structure of the Nuba Mountain languages, with particular reference to Otoro, Katcha and Nyimang. In: Afrika und Übersee 40 (1956): 73-84; 93-115; 41 (1957): 27-65; 117-152; 171-196.

=Villages=

Keiga is spoken in the following villages according to the 22nd edition of Ethnologue:

  • Ambong (Àmbóŋ) area: Ambong, Ambongadi, Arungekkaadi, Bila Ndulang, Kandang, Kuluwaring, Lakkadi, Roofik, Saadhing, Taffor, and Tingiragadi villages
  • Lubung (Lùbúŋ) area: Kuwaik, Miya Ndumuru, Miya Ntaarang, Miya Ntaluwa, Semalili, and Tungunungunu villages
  • Tumuro (Tʊ̀mʊ̀rɔ̀) area: Jughuba, Kayide, Koolo, and Tumuro villages

Blench (2005) identified 3 dialects, which are Àmbóŋ, Lùbúŋ, and Tʊ̀mʊ̀rɔ̀.Blench, Roger. 2005. The Kayigang (Keiga, Deiga) language of the Nuba hills, Sudan. Cambridge: Kay Williamson Education Foundation.

Àmbóŋ villages are as follows. Only Taffor, Kantang, Lak ka aati, and Arungek ka aati villages were reported by Blench (2005) to be inhabited. The rest were abandoned due to the Sudanese Civil War.

class="wikitable sortable"

! Orthographic !! IPA !! Official name

Ambongə̀mbɔ́ŋ
TafforTə̀ffɔ́rJighaiba
SaadhingSə́ə́ɖɪ̀ŋ
Ambong ka aatiə̀mbɔ̀ŋ kà ə̀ə̀tɪ́
KulwaringKʊ̀lwə̀rɪ̀ŋ
KantangKə̀ntə̀ŋ
Tinkira ka aatiTɪ́nkɪ̀rə̀ kə́ ə́ə́tɪ̀
Lak ka aatiLə̀k kə́ ə́ə́tɪ̀Turlake
Arungek ka aatiə̀rʊ́ŋɛ́k kə́ ə́ə́tɪ̀Shihaita
MutujuMʊ̀tʊ̀jʊ́

Lùbúŋ villages are as follows. Only Küwëk is inhabited.

class="wikitable sortable"

! Orthographic !! IPA !! Official name

KüwëkKùwékKuwaik
Miya NtarangMìyà ntáráŋ
Miya Ntaluwa
Tungunungunu
Se Malili
Miya Ntumuro

Tʊ̀mʊ̀rɔ̀ villages are as follows. Only Koolo is inhabited.

class="wikitable"

! Orthographic !! IPA

KooloKɔ́ɔ́lɔ̀
Kayëtë

References

{{Reflist}}