Runyankore
Runyankole
Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, JE Runyakitara)
Runyankole-Rukiga (or Runyankore) is a Bantu language of southwestern Uganda, with ~3M speakers. Part of the Runyakitara cluster (alongside Rutoro/Tooro, Runyoro/Nyoro, and Rukiga/Chiga), with high mutual intelligibility within the cluster. The combined literary form Runyankole-Rukiga is taught in schools, but Runyankole and Rukiga are sometimes treated as separate languages. Closely associated with the historical Ankole kingdom (one of Uganda's traditional kingdoms, restored 1993). Bantu noun-class system with extensive concord. Standard Bantu phonology with high/low tones.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Runyankole
Water
amaizi
/amaizi/
Fire
omuriro
/omuriro/
Sun
izooba
/izoːba/
Moon
omwezi
/omwezi/
Mother
maawe
/maːwe/
Father
tata
/tata/
Eat
kurya
/kurja/
Drink
kunywa
/kuɲwa/
Love
rukundo
/rukundo/
Heart
omutima
/omutima/
Tree
omuti
/omuti/
House
enju
/endʒu/
Dog
embwa
/embwa/
Cat
kapa
/kapa/
Hand
omukono
/omukono/
Eye
eriiso
/eriːso/
Hello
agandi
/aɡandi/
Thank you
webare
/webare/
One
emwe
/emwe/
Good
kirungi
/kiruŋɡi/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, JE Runyakitara) languages
| Meaning | Runyankole | Chiga | Tooro | Nyoro | Luganda | Soga | Kirundi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | amaizi /amaizi/ | amaizi /amaizi/ | amaizi /amaizi/ | amaizi /amaizi/ | amazzi /amaːzːi/ | amaaji /amaːdʒi/ | amazi /amaːzi/ |
| Fire | omuriro /omuriro/ | omuriro /omuriro/ | omuriro /omuriro/ | omuriro /omuriro/ | omuliro /omuliɾo/ | omuliro /omuliɾo/ | umuriro /umuɾiɾo/ |
| Sun | izooba /izoːba/ | eizooba /eizoːba/ | eizooba /eizoːba/ | eizooba /eizoːba/ | enjuba /eɲɟuba/ | enjuba /eɲɟuba/ | izuba /izuba/ |
| Moon | omwezi /omwezi/ | omwezi /omwezi/ | omwezi /omwezi/ | omwezi /omwezi/ | omwezi /omwezi/ | omwezi /omwezi/ | ukwezi /ukwezi/ |
| Mother | maawe /maːwe/ | nyina /ɲina/ | nyinya /ɲiɲa/ | nyinya /ɲiɲa/ | maama /maːma/ | maama /maːma/ | mama /maːma/ |
| Father | tata /tata/ | ishe /iʃe/ | isho /iʃo/ | isho /iʃo/ | taata /taːta/ | taata /taːta/ | data /data/ |
| Eat | kurya /kurja/ | kurya /kurja/ | kulya /kulja/ | kulya /kulja/ | kulya /kulja/ | kulya /kulja/ | kurya /kuɾja/ |
| Drink | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kunywa /kuɲʷa/ | kunywa /kuɲʷa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ |
| Love | rukundo /rukundo/ | kukunda /kukunda/ | kugonza /kuɡonza/ | kugonza /kuɡonza/ | okwagala /okwaːɡala/ | kwagala /kwaɡala/ | urukundo /uɾukundo/ |
| Heart | omutima /omutima/ | omutima /omutima/ | omutima /omutima/ | omutima /omutima/ | omutima /omutima/ | omutima /omutima/ | umutima /umutima/ |
| Tree | omuti /omuti/ | omuti /omuti/ | omuti /omuti/ | omuti /omuti/ | omuti /omuti/ | omuti /omuti/ | igiti /iɡiti/ |
| House | enju /endʒu/ | enju /endʒu/ | enju /endʒu/ | enju /endʒu/ | ennyumba /eɲɲumba/ | enju /eɲɟu/ | inzu /inzu/ |
| Dog | embwa /embwa/ | embwa /embwa/ | embwa /embwa/ | embwa /embwa/ | embwa /embwa/ | embwa /embwa/ | imbwa /imbwa/ |
| Cat | kapa /kapa/ | kapa /kapa/ | paaka /paːka/ | paaka /paːka/ | kkapa /kːapa/ | enkaaku /eŋkaːku/ | akayabu /akajabu/ |
| Hand | omukono /omukono/ | omukono /omukono/ | omukono /omukono/ | omukono /omukono/ | omukono /omukono/ | omukono /omukono/ | ukuboko /ukuboko/ |
| Eye | eriiso /eriːso/ | eriisho /eriːʃo/ | eriiso /eriːso/ | eriiso /eriːso/ | eriiso /eɾiːso/ | eriiso /eɾiːso/ | ijisho /idʒiʃo/ |
| Hello | agandi /aɡandi/ | oraire /oraire/ | oraire ota /oraire ota/ | oraire ota /oraire ota/ | oli otya /oli otja/ | mwaakire /mwaːkiɾe/ | amahoro /amahoɾo/ |
| Thank you | webare /webare/ | webare /webare/ | webale /webale/ | webale /webale/ | webale /weːbale/ | weebale /weːbale/ | murakoze /muɾakoze/ |
| One | emwe /emwe/ | rumwe /rumwe/ | emoi /emoi/ | emoi /emoi/ | emu /emu/ | ndala /ndala/ | rimwe /ɾimwe/ |
| Good | kirungi /kiruŋɡi/ | kurungi /kuruŋɡi/ | kurungi /kuruŋɡi/ | kurungi /kuruŋɡi/ | kirungi /tʃiɾuŋɡi/ | bulungi /buluŋɡi/ | nziza /nziza/ |
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