| Nalu | |
|---|---|
| Native to | Guinea,Guinea-Bissau |
Native speakers | 23,000 (2017–2018)[1] |
Niger–Congo?
| |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | naj |
| Glottolog | nalu1240 |
| ELP | Nalu |
Nalu (nalɛ,nul;[2] also spelledNalou[3]) is anAtlantic language ofGuinea andGuinea-Bissau, spoken by theNalu people, a West African people who settled the region before the arrival of theMandinka in the 14th or 15th centuries.[4] It is spoken predominantly by adults. It is estimated to be spoken by a range of 10,000 to 25,000 people,[3] whereas Wilson (2007) reports that there are around 12,000 speakers.[2] It is considered anendangered language due to its dwindling population of speakers.[5]
Contrary to prior classifications, Güldemann (2018) classifies Nalu as unclassified within Niger-Congo. It also does not form a subgroup with theRio Nunez languages.[6]
Nalu is traditionally classified asNiger-Congo,Atlantic-Congo, Mbulugish-Nalu.[7][8]
The Nalu people who speak Nalu have been described as settling in West Africa before theMandinka people.[9] This would place them as existing in West Africa between the 14th and 15th centuries. Wilson (2007) reports that the Nalu people had originally come fromGuinea-Bissau.[2]
Today, the Nalu speakers are shifting toward theSusu language which is gaining more popularity in Guinea.[10] It has a predominantly adult-speaking population. The next generation is being passed on the language, however, in a few remote villages around Katoufoura.
Nalu is spoken predominantly on the littorals, or shore regions, of Guinea and Guinea-Bissau.[11] Most Nalu speakers in Guinea live north of theNuñez River on theTristão islands, in the sub-prefecture ofKanfarandé which is the prefecture ofBoké. In Guinea-Bissau, most speakers of Nalu live in theCacine estuary in theTombali region.[12]
| Labial | Alveolar | Palatal | Velar | Labiovelar | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plosive | pb | td | c | g | gb |
| Fricative | f | θ,s | h | ||
| Nasal | m | n | ŋ | ||
| Approximant | w | r,l | j |
| Front | Central | Back | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High | iiː | uuː | |
| Mid-high | eeː | ooː | |
| Mid-low | ɛɛː | ɔɔː | |
| Low | aaː |
Nalu underwent a sound change in its language.[13] Sound change generally occurs due to what sounds require less effort for the speaker. These sound changes are usually limited to each dialect in a language and examples of the Nalu language sound changes are in the section below. Nalu has six dialects. Three are spoken in Guinea-Conakry and three are spoken in Guinée-Bissau.[13] However, the relationship between the dialects is unknown.
| English | Nalu |
|---|---|
| man | be-cel |
| dirty/black | m-balax |
| cold | m-hon |
| arrow | n-kiam |
| axe | n-wōfañ |
| blood | a-nyak |
| bow | m-firl |
| brother | n-wōke |
| chief/king | m-fem/be-fem |
| devil/evil spirit | m-banjon |
| medicine man (doctor) | mi-let |
| fire | met |
| god | gu-dana |
| moon | m-bilañ |
| night | fot |
| slave | m-bōl |
| snake | mi-sis |
Verbs[14]
| English | Nalu |
|---|---|
| to come | m-ba |
| to kill | rama |
| to die | n-ref |
Sound Changes Over Time[13]
| English | Pre-Sound Change Nalu | Post-Sound Change Nalu |
|---|---|---|
| bone | nhol | a-hol |
| mouth | n-sol | a-sol |
| to kill | m-rama | rama |
| man | nlam-cel | be-cel |
| eye | n-cet | a-cet |
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