Inor (pronounced [inoːr]), sometimes called Ennemor, is a Semitic language spoken in central Ethiopia, mainly within the Gurage Zone in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region, and by speakers of the language who have settled in Ethiopian cities, especially Addis Ababa. In addition to the morphological complexity that is common to all Semitic languages, Inor exhibits the very complex morphophonology characteristic of West Gurage languages.
Endegegn, Enner, Gyeto, and the extinct dialect Mesmes are all sometimes considered dialects of Inor.
Inor possesses nasal vowels, unusual for a Gurage language, and many of these may be the result of historical rhinoglottophilia.
Phonology
Consonants
Inor consonants[1]
|
labial |
labio-dental |
alveolar |
alveo-palatal |
palatal |
velar |
glottal |
| stops |
voiceless |
p pʷ |
|
t |
|
|
k kʷ kʲ |
ʔ ʔʷ |
| ejective |
|
|
t’ |
|
|
k’ kʷ’ kʲ’ |
|
| voiced |
b bʷ |
|
d |
|
|
g gʷ gʲ |
|
| fricatives |
voiceless |
|
f fʷ |
s |
ʃ |
|
x xʷ xʲ |
|
| voiced |
|
|
z |
ʒ |
|
|
|
| affricates |
voiceless |
|
|
|
tʃ |
|
|
|
| ejective |
|
|
|
tʃ’ |
|
|
|
| voiced |
|
|
|
dʒ |
|
|
|
| approximants |
β̞ β̞̃ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| sonorants |
nasal |
m mʷ |
|
n |
ɳ |
ɲ |
ŋ |
|
| liquids |
|
|
r r̃ (l) |
|
|
|
|
| glides |
w |
|
|
|
j |
|
|
Vowels
Inor vowels[2]
|
front |
central |
back |
| high |
i |
ɨ |
u |
| mid |
e |
ə |
o |
| low |
æ |
|
a |
[ɨ] may be regarded as largely epenthetic and only marginally phonemic.[3]
References
Bibliography
- Berhanu Chamora. "Consonant distribution in Inor", in: G. Hudson (ed.), Essays on Gurage Language and Culture (Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag), pp. 53-67.
- Chamora, Berhanu; Hetzron, Robert (2000), Inor, Munich: Lincom Europa, ISBN 3-89586-977-5
- Bustorf, Dirk. (2005). "Ennämor Ethnography”, in: Siegbert Uhlig (ed.): Encyclopaedia Aethiopica, vol. 2: D-Ha, Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, p. 307-08.
- Boivin, Robert (1996). "Spontaneous Nasalization in Inor", in: G. Hudson (ed.), Essays on Gurage Language and Culture (Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag), pp. 21-33.
- Hetzron, R. (1977). The Gunnän-Gurage Languages. Napoli: Istituto Orientale di Napoli.
- Leslau, W. (1979). Etymological Dictionary of Gurage (Ethiopic). 3 vols. Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz. ISBN 3-447-02041-5
- Leslau, W. (1983). Ethiopians Speak: Studies in Cultural Background. Part V : Chaha - Ennemor. Äthiopistische Forschungen, Band 16. Wiesbaden: Franz Steiner Verlag. ISBN 3-515-03965-1
- Leslau, W. (1996). "Inor Lullabies", in: Africa 66/2, pp. 280-287.
- Voigt, Rainer.(2005). "Ennämor Language”, in: Siegbert Uhlig (ed.): Encyclopaedia Aethiopica, vol. 2: D-Ha, Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, p. 307.
External links
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