Meʼen language

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Meʼen (also Mekan, Mieʼen, Mieken, Meqan, Men) is a Nilo-Saharan language (Eastern Sudanic, Surmic, Southeast Surmic[1]) spoken in Ethiopia by the Meʼen people. In recent years, it has been written with the Geʽez alphabet, but in 2007 a decision was made to use the Latin alphabet. Dialects include Bodi (Podi) and Tishena (Teshina, Teshenna).

Meʼen and Kwegu are unique among Surmic languages in that they have ejective consonants.

Reliable descriptions of some parts of the language have been produced by Hans-Georg Will, often contradicting Carlo Conti Rossini's work, the editing of the extensive language notes of a non-linguist.

Phonology

Consonants[2]
Bilabial Dental Palatal Velar Glottal
Stop voiceless Template:IPA link Template:IPA link Template:IPA link Template:IPA link
voiced Template:IPA link Template:IPA link Template:IPA link Template:IPA link
ejective Template:IPA link Template:IPA link Template:IPA link
implosive Template:IPA link Template:IPA link
Fricative voiceless (Template:IPA link) Template:IPA link Template:IPA link Template:IPA link
voiced Template:IPA link
Nasal Template:IPA link Template:IPA link Template:IPA link Template:IPA link
Rhotic Template:IPA link
Glide Template:IPA link Template:IPA link Template:IPA link

Script error: No such module "IPA". can be realized as a fricative Script error: No such module "IPA". in initial and medial positions.

Vowels[2]
Front Central Back
Close Template:IPA link Template:IPA link
Close-mid Template:IPA link Template:IPA link
Open-mid Template:IPA link Template:IPA link
Open Template:IPA link

Script error: No such module "IPA". can have lax variants as Script error: No such module "IPA"..

Notes

Template:Reflist

References

  • Conti Rossini, Carlo. (1913). "I Mekan o Suro nell'Etiopia meridionale e il loro linguaggio." Rendiconti della Reale Accademia dei Lincei XXII (7-10): 397–463.
  • Diehl, Achim and Hans-Georg Will. (2007). "Meˀen language." In Siegbert Uhlig (ed.), Encyclopaedia Aethiopica 3, 907–909. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag.
  • Eba Teresa Garoma and Amanuel Raga Yadate. 2015. Sketch [of] Morphology and Syntax of Meʼenit. International Journal Advances in Social Science and Humanities Vol.3, Issue 7, pp. 30–50.
  • Will, Hans-Georg. 1989. "Sketch of Meʼen grammar." In M. Lionel Bender (ed.), Topics in Nilo-Saharan linguistics 129–50. Nilo-Saharan, 3. Hamburg: Helmut Buske.
  • Will, Hans-Georg. 1998. "The Meʼen verb system: Does Meʼen have tenses?." In Gerrit J. Dimmendaal and Marco Last (eds.), Surmic languages and cultures, 437–58. Nilo-Saharan, 13. Cologne: R. Köppe

External links

Template:Languages of Ethiopia Template:Eastern Sudanic languages


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  1. Peter Unseth. 1988. The Validity and Unity of the Southeast Surma Language Grouping. Northeast African Studies 10.2/3:151-163
  2. a b Will, Hans-Georg (1993) MeTemplate:Hamzaen phonology