Kiga (also called Rukiga, Ruchiga, or Chiga) is a Great Lakes Bantu language of the Kiga people (Bakiga). Kiga is a similar and partially mutually intelligible with the Nkore language. It was first written in the second half of the 19th century. Kiga is largely spoken in the ancient Kigezi region which includes about 5 districts, namely Rubanda, Rukiga, Kabale, Kanungu and some parts of Rukungiri. As of 2021, Kiga is spoken natively by about 1.3 million people in Uganda.
Kiga is so similar to Nkore (84%–94% lexical similarity[3]) that some argue they are dialects of the same language, called Nkore-Kiga by Charles Taylor.[4]
In common with other Bantu languages, Kiga has a noun class system in which prefixes on nouns mark membership of one of the noun genders. Pronouns, adjectives, and verbs reflect the noun gender of the nominal they refer to. Some examples of noun classes:
mu – person (singular), e.g. omukiga = inhabitant of Kigezi land
ru – language, e.g. Rukiga = language of the Kiga
ba – people, e.g. Bakiga = The Kiga people
ki – customs or traditions, e.g. kikiga, (sometimes spelled Kichiga), describes religious tradition common to the Kiga people. Sometimes the people are called 'Chiga' by people misunderstanding the linguistic rules in relation to the prefixes.
The sound [l] is not distinctive in Rukiga. The letter "r" is used instead.
^Lewis, Paul M., ed. (2009). "Ethnologue Report for Language Code: nyn". Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Sixteenth edition. Dallas, TX: SIL International. Retrieved 9 December 2009.
^Poletto, Robert E. (1998). Topics in Runyankore Phonology(PDF). Linguistics Graduate Program, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio. Retrieved Dec 8, 2009.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)[permanent dead link]
^Taylor, Charles (1985). Nkore-Kiga. London: Croom Helm.
^"Kiga language". Omniglot. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
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kiga, language, also, nkore, kiga, also, called, rukiga, ruchiga, chiga, great, lakes, bantu, language, kiga, people, bakiga, kiga, similar, partially, mutually, intelligible, with, nkore, language, first, written, second, half, 19th, century, kiga, largely, s. See also Nkore Kiga language Kiga also called Rukiga Ruchiga or Chiga is a Great Lakes Bantu language of the Kiga people Bakiga Kiga is a similar and partially mutually intelligible with the Nkore language It was first written in the second half of the 19th century Kiga is largely spoken in the ancient Kigezi region which includes about 5 districts namely Rubanda Rukiga Kabale Kanungu and some parts of Rukungiri As of 2021 Kiga is spoken natively by about 1 3 million people in Uganda KigaChigaOrukigaNative toUganda RwandaEthnicityBakiga TwaNative speakers1 6 million 2002 census 1 Language familyNiger Congo Atlantic CongoVolta CongoBenue CongoBantoidSouthern BantoidBantuNortheast BantuGreat Lakes BantuWest NyanzaRutaraNorth RutaraNkore Kiga Nyoro TooroNkore KigaKigaStandard formsRunyakitaraLanguage codesISO 639 3 a href https iso639 3 sil org code cgg class extiw title iso639 3 cgg cgg a Glottologchig1238Guthrie codeJE 14 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 source source source source source source source A Kiga speaker recorded in Uganda Kiga is so similar to Nkore 84 94 lexical similarity 3 that some argue they are dialects of the same language called Nkore Kiga by Charles Taylor 4 Contents 1 Phonology 2 Orthography 3 Grammar 4 See also 5 ReferencesPhonology editFront Central Back Close i u Mid ɛ o Open a Sounds i u can also range to ɪ ʊ when short or lax a can range from a central a to a back ɑ sound Consonants Labial Alveolar Post alv Palatal Velar Glottal Nasal m n ɲ ŋ Plosive Affricate voiceless p t t ʃ k voiced b d d ʒ g Fricative voiceless f s ʃ h voiced v z ʒ Trill r Approximant j w r can also be heard as a glide ɹ in free variation b can be heard as ʋ in intervocalic positions 5 Orthography edita a b b ch c t ʃ d d e ɛ f f g g gʲ h h i i j d ʒ k k kʲ m m n n ny ɲ o ɔ p p r r s s t t ts t s u u v v w w y j z z D and P are only used in foreign names and loanwords G and K are palatalised before I ai ai ei ɛi gy ɟ ky c mp ᵐp mw ᵐw nd ⁿd ng ŋ oi ɔi sh ʃ 6 Grammar editIn common with other Bantu languages Kiga has a noun class system in which prefixes on nouns mark membership of one of the noun genders Pronouns adjectives and verbs reflect the noun gender of the nominal they refer to Some examples of noun classes mu person singular e g omukiga inhabitant of Kigezi land ru language e g Rukiga language of the Kiga ba people e g Bakiga The Kiga people ki customs or traditions e g kikiga sometimes spelled Kichiga describes religious tradition common to the Kiga people Sometimes the people are called Chiga by people misunderstanding the linguistic rules in relation to the prefixes The sound l is not distinctive in Rukiga The letter r is used instead See also editRunyakitara language Nkore KigaReferences edit Kiga at Ethnologue 18th ed 2015 subscription required Jouni Filip Maho 2009 New Updated Guthrie List Online Lewis Paul M ed 2009 Ethnologue Report for Language Code nyn Ethnologue Languages of the World Sixteenth edition Dallas TX SIL International Retrieved 9 December 2009 Poletto Robert E 1998 Topics in Runyankore Phonology PDF Linguistics Graduate Program Ohio State University Columbus Ohio Retrieved Dec 8 2009 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link permanent dead link Taylor Charles 1985 Nkore Kiga London Croom Helm Kiga language Omniglot Retrieved 19 February 2021 nbsp This Bantu language related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kiga language amp oldid 1211578838, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
