Gula Iro language

language
name=Gula Iro
states=Chad
speakers=3,500
familycolor=Niger-Congo
fam2=Atlantic-Congo
fam3=Volta-Congo
fam4=North
fam5=Adamawa-Ubangi
fam6=Adamawa
fam7=Mbum-Day
fam8=Bua
iso3=glj

The Gula Iro language (autonym "kùláál") is a Bua language spoken by some 3,500 people (as of 1991) north and east of Lake Iro in southern Chad, between the Bola and Salamat rivers. It has four dialects, according to Pairault:
*"páṭóól", the northernmost and the least comprehensible to speakers of the other dialects, spoken in and around Badi;
*"pòŋààl", by the north shore of the lake, spoken in and around Boum Kabir, Boum Sarher, and Tordjigel;
*"tɩ́ààlà", spoken east and south of the lake, including Kouré, Bouni, Tormorhal, and Masidjanga;
*"tííṭààl", the easternmost, spoken in various villages west of Tamba;

to which SIL adds a fifth, Korintal, spoken in Tieou.

Gula Iro is very closely related to Zan Gula and Bon Gula, but they are not mutually comprehensible. As a Bua language, it belongs to the Adamawa subgroup of the Adamawa-Ubangi branch of Niger-Congo.

ounds

The consonants are:

The vowels are: a, e, i, o, u, ɛ, ɩ, , ʋ. Nasalization (only on a, e, o) and length are both contrastive, and diphthongs can be formed. Tone is phonemic; each vowel must carry high or low tone.

Grammar

Typical word order is Subject Verb Object. The basic subject pronouns are: "ñó" I, "mó" you (sg.), "á" he/she/it, "pʋ́" we (exclusive), "én" we (inclusive), "í" you (pl.), "ʋ́" they.

Bibliography

* P. Boyeldieu. "La formation du pluriel nominal en kulaal (Tchad): essai de systématisation des documents publiés par C. Pairault". "Afrika und Übersee", 1986, n° 69, vol. 2, p. 209-249.
* C. Pairault, "Documents du parler d'iro: kùláál du Tchad". Langues et Littérature de l'Afrique Noire V. Klincksieck: Paris 1969.

External links

* [http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=glj Ethnologue entry]