Kirundi is natively spoken by the Hutu, including Bakiga and other related ethnicities, as well as Tutsi, Twa and Hima among others have adopted the language. Neighbouring dialects of Kirundi are mutually intelligible with Ha, a language spoken in western Tanzania.
Kirundi is one of the languages where Meeussen's rule, a rule describing a certain pattern of tonal change in Bantu languages, is active.
In 2020, the Rundi Academy was established to help standardize and promote Kirundi.[4]
The Kirundi text on the back of the truck warns cyclists not to hold on to it.
Although the literature on Rundi agrees on 5 vowels, the number of consonants can vary anywhere from 19 to 26 consonants.[5] The table below is compiled from a survey of academic acceptance of Rundi consonants.[6]
Rundi is a tonal language. There are two essential tones in Rundi: high and low (or H and L). Since Rundi has phonemic distinction on vowel length, when a long vowel changes from a low tone to a high tone it is marked as a rising tone. When a long vowel changes from a high tone to a low tone, it is marked as a falling tone.[8]
Rundi is often used in phonology to illustrate examples of Meeussen's rule[9][10] In addition, it has been proposed that tones can shift by a metrical or rhythmic structure. Some authors have expanded these more complex features of the tonal system noting that such properties are highly unusual for a tone system.[11]
Phonotacticsedit
Syllable structure in Rundi is considered to be CV, that is having no clusters, no coda consonants, and no complex vowel nuclei. It has been proposed that sequences that are CVV in the surface realization are actually CV in the underlying deep structure, with the consonant coalescing with the first vowel.[12]
Consonant harmonyedit
Rundi has been shown to have properties of consonant harmony particularly when it comes to sibilants. Meeussen described this harmony in his essay and it is investigated further by others.[13] One example of this harmony is triggered by /ʃ/ and /ʒ/ and targets the set of /s/ and /z/ in preceding adjacent stem syllables.
Kirundi was recognized an official language in Burundi by the 1962 Constitution of the Kingdom of Burundi. In accordance with the constitution, many Burundian government orders, especially those printed in the Bulletin Officiel du Burundi from 1962 to 1963, were written in both French and Kirundi. After the constitution was suspended in 1966, Kirundi remained a de facto official language in the county, though its use in government documents declined.[14] In 1972 Kirundi was adopted as the official language of instruction in Burundian primary schools.[15]
Broselow, Ellen; Niyondagara, Alice (Spring 1990). "Feature geometry of Kirundi palatalization". Studies in the Linguistic Sciences. 20 (1): 71–88. ISSN 0049-2388.
Goldsmith, John; Sabimana, Firmard (1989). "The Kirundi Verb" (PDF). Modèles en tonologie: kirundi et kinyarwanda. Paris: Editions du CNRS. ISBN9782222043232. (PDF) from the original on 2022-11-24.
Meeussen, A. E. (1959). Essai de grammaire Rundi. Annales du Musée Royal du Congo Belge, Série Sciences Humaines – Linguistique. Vol. 24. Tervuren.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Myers, Scott P. (1987). Tone and the structure of words in Shona (PhD dissertation). Amherst: University of Massachusetts. ProQuest 303602751.
Ntihirageza, J. (1993). Kirundi Palatization and Sibilant Harmony: Implications for Feature Geometry (Master thesis). Carbondale: Southern Illinois University.
Philippson, Gérard (1998). "Tone reduction vs. metrical attraction in the evolution of Eastern Bantu tone systems". In Hyman, Larry M.; Kisseberth, Charles W. (eds.). Theoretical Aspects of Bantu Tone. Cambridge University Press. pp. 315–329. ISBN1575860953.
Sagey, Elizabeth Caroline (1986). The Representation of Features and Relations in Non-Linear Phonology(PDF) (PhD dissertation). Cambridge: MIT. (PDF) from the original on 2005-03-22.
Verdoodt, A. (2011). "Social and Linguistic Structures of Burundi, a Typical 'Unimodal' Country". Language and Society: Anthropological Issues (reprint ed.). Walter de Gruyter. pp. 509–532. ISBN9783110806489.
Zorc, R. David; Nibagwire, Louise (2007). Kinyarwanda and Kirundi Comparative Grammar(PDF). Hyattsville, MD: Dunwoody Press. (PDF) from the original on 2022-07-14.
USA Foreign Service Institute Kirundi basic course
February 16, 2024
kirundi, also, known, rundi, bantu, language, national, language, burundi, dialect, rwanda, rundi, dialect, continuum, that, also, spoken, rwanda, adjacent, parts, tanzania, regions, close, kigoma, democratic, republic, congo, uganda, well, kenya, mutually, in. Kirundi also known as Rundi is a Bantu language and the national language of Burundi It is a dialect of Rwanda Rundi dialect continuum that is also spoken in Rwanda and adjacent parts of Tanzania in regions close to Kigoma the Democratic Republic of the Congo Uganda as well as in Kenya Kirundi is mutually intelligible with Kinyarwanda the national language of Rwanda and the two form parts of the wider dialect continuum known as Rwanda Rundi 3 RundiIkirundiNative toBurundiEthnicityHutuTutsiTwaGanwaNative speakers13 million 2021 1 Language familyNiger Congo Atlantic CongoVolta CongoBenue CongoBantoidSouthern BantoidBantuNortheast BantuGreat Lakes BantuRwanda Rundi D62 RundiDialectsIkibo Ikirundi Ikiragane Igisoni Ikinyabweru Ikiyogoma IkimosoWriting systemLatinOfficial statusOfficial language in BurundiLanguage codesISO 639 1 span class plainlinks rn span RundiISO 639 2 span class plainlinks run span RundiISO 639 3 a href https iso639 3 sil org code run class extiw title iso639 3 run run a RundiGlottologrund1242 Rundirund1241 Rundi KitwaGuthrie codeJD 62 2 This article contains IPA phonetic symbols Without proper rendering support you may see question marks boxes or other symbols instead of Unicode characters For an introductory guide on IPA symbols see Help IPA PersonUmurundiPeopleAbarundiLanguageIkirundiCountryu BurundiKirundi is natively spoken by the Hutu including Bakiga and other related ethnicities as well as Tutsi Twa and Hima among others have adopted the language Neighbouring dialects of Kirundi are mutually intelligible with Ha a language spoken in western Tanzania Kirundi is one of the languages where Meeussen s rule a rule describing a certain pattern of tonal change in Bantu languages is active In 2020 the Rundi Academy was established to help standardize and promote Kirundi 4 The Kirundi text on the back of the truck warns cyclists not to hold on to it Contents 1 Phonology 1 1 Consonants 1 2 Vowels 1 3 Tone 1 4 Phonotactics 1 5 Consonant harmony 2 Official use 3 Notes 4 References 5 External linksPhonology editSee also Rwanda Rundi Comparison of Kinyarwanda and Kirundi Consonants edit Although the literature on Rundi agrees on 5 vowels the number of consonants can vary anywhere from 19 to 26 consonants 5 The table below is compiled from a survey of academic acceptance of Rundi consonants 6 Labial Alveolar Post alveolar Palatal Velar GlottalNasal m n ɲ ŋPlosive voiceless p t kvoiced b d ɟ ɡAffricate p f t s t ʃFricative voiceless f s ʃ hvoiced v z ʒApproximant j wFlap ɾTrill rVowels edit The table below gives the vowel sounds of Rundi Front BackClose i uMid e oOpen aAll five vowels occur in long and short forms The distinction is phonemic 7 Tone edit Rundi is a tonal language There are two essential tones in Rundi high and low or H and L Since Rundi has phonemic distinction on vowel length when a long vowel changes from a low tone to a high tone it is marked as a rising tone When a long vowel changes from a high tone to a low tone it is marked as a falling tone 8 Rundi is often used in phonology to illustrate examples of Meeussen s rule 9 10 In addition it has been proposed that tones can shift by a metrical or rhythmic structure Some authors have expanded these more complex features of the tonal system noting that such properties are highly unusual for a tone system 11 Phonotactics edit Syllable structure in Rundi is considered to be CV that is having no clusters no coda consonants and no complex vowel nuclei It has been proposed that sequences that are CVV in the surface realization are actually CV in the underlying deep structure with the consonant coalescing with the first vowel 12 Consonant harmony edit Rundi has been shown to have properties of consonant harmony particularly when it comes to sibilants Meeussen described this harmony in his essay and it is investigated further by others 13 One example of this harmony is triggered by ʃ and ʒ and targets the set of s and z in preceding adjacent stem syllables Official use edit nbsp The Lord s Prayer in Kirundi Church of the Pater Noster Kirundi was recognized an official language in Burundi by the 1962 Constitution of the Kingdom of Burundi In accordance with the constitution many Burundian government orders especially those printed in the Bulletin Officiel du Burundi from 1962 to 1963 were written in both French and Kirundi After the constitution was suspended in 1966 Kirundi remained a de facto official language in the county though its use in government documents declined 14 In 1972 Kirundi was adopted as the official language of instruction in Burundian primary schools 15 Notes edit Rundi at Ethnologue 26th ed 2023 nbsp Jouni Filip Maho 2009 New Updated Guthrie List Online Kirundi at Ethnologue 15th ed 2005 nbsp Rigumye Mariette Longtemps attendue l Academie Rundi ouvre sous peu IWACU in French Archived from the original on 2020 11 04 Retrieved 2021 09 10 Zorc amp Nibagwire 2007 p 23 Zorc amp Nibagwire 2007 p 25 Meeussen 1959 de Samie 2009 Myers 1987 Philippson 1998 Goldsmith amp Sabimana 1989 Sagey 1986 Ntihirageza 1993 Verdoodt 2011 p 515 Weinstein 1976 p 89 References editBroselow Ellen Niyondagara Alice Spring 1990 Feature geometry of Kirundi palatalization Studies in the Linguistic Sciences 20 1 71 88 ISSN 0049 2388 de Samie Thierry 2009 Dictionnaire francais kirundi 2nd ed Paris L Harmattan ISBN 978 2 296 09185 6 Goldsmith John Sabimana Firmard 1989 The Kirundi Verb PDF Modeles en tonologie kirundi et kinyarwanda Paris Editions du CNRS ISBN 9782222043232 Archived PDF from the original on 2022 11 24 Meeussen A E 1959 Essai de grammaire Rundi Annales du Musee Royal du Congo Belge Serie Sciences Humaines Linguistique Vol 24 Tervuren a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link Myers Scott P 1987 Tone and the structure of words in Shona PhD dissertation Amherst University of Massachusetts ProQuest 303602751 Ntihirageza J 1993 Kirundi Palatization and Sibilant Harmony Implications for Feature Geometry Master thesis Carbondale Southern Illinois University Philippson Gerard 1998 Tone reduction vs metrical attraction in the evolution of Eastern Bantu tone systems In Hyman Larry M Kisseberth Charles W eds Theoretical Aspects of Bantu Tone Cambridge University Press pp 315 329 ISBN 1575860953 Sagey Elizabeth Caroline 1986 The Representation of Features and Relations in Non Linear Phonology PDF PhD dissertation Cambridge MIT Archived PDF from the original on 2005 03 22 Verdoodt A 2011 Social and Linguistic Structures of Burundi a Typical Unimodal Country Language and Society Anthropological Issues reprint ed Walter de Gruyter pp 509 532 ISBN 9783110806489 Weinstein Warren 1976 Historical Dictionary of Burundi Metuchen NJ Scarecrow Press ISBN 9780810809628 Zorc R David Nibagwire Louise 2007 Kinyarwanda and Kirundi Comparative Grammar PDF Hyattsville MD Dunwoody Press Archived PDF from the original on 2022 07 14 External links edit nbsp Rundi edition of Wikipedia the free encyclopedia Online Kirundi English dictionary revised Free English Kirundi Dictionary Free Kirundi selfstudy course Free Kirundi grammar study book PanAfrican L10n page on Kirundi Learning Kirundi in Spanish Online Kirundi English dictionary USA Foreign Service Institute Kirundi basic course Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kirundi amp oldid 1200537283, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
