ⲛⲟⲩⲃⲓⲁ ⲡⲁⲡⲁⲗⲁ
Old Nubian
Nilo-Saharan (Eastern Sudanic) · historical / hidden variety
Old Nubian was the literary language of the Christian Nubian kingdoms of Makuria and Alodia (8-15c.). Well-attested via translations of the Bible, liturgical texts, and legal documents discovered at sites like Qasr Ibrim and Old Dongola. The script is based on Coptic with three additional letters for Nubian sounds. Modern Nobiin and Mahas-Fadicca are direct descendants.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Old Nubian
Water
ⲁⲙ
/am/
Fire
ⲓⲕ
/ik/
Sun
ⲙⲁⲥⲁⲗ
/masal/
Moon
ⲟⲩⲣⲟⲛ
/uron/
Mother
ⲉⲛ
/en/
Father
ⲁⲃ
/ab/
Eat
ⲕⲁⲃ
/kab/
Drink
ϫⲓ
/dʒi/
Love
ⲇⲟⲩⲗⲗ
/dull/
Heart
ⲉⲓⲡ
/eip/
Tree
ⲕⲟ
/ko/
House
ⲇⲟⲩⲗ
/dul/
Dog
ⲡⲱⲗ
/poːl/
Cat
—
/—/
Hand
ⲇⲉⲥⲥⲓ
/dessi/
Eye
ⲙⲁⲥⲥⲓ
/massi/
Hello
ⲉⲓⲗⲗⲉ
/ille/
Thank you
ⲡⲓⲥⲧⲁ
/pista/
One
ⲱⲉⲣ
/wer/
Good
ⲇⲱⲗⲗⲉ
/dolle/
Words compared
Compared with related Nilo-Saharan (Eastern Sudanic) languages
| Meaning | Old Nubian | Toraja-Sa'dan | Iban | Nawat | Isthmus Nahuatl | Ngaju | Puyuma |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ⲁⲙ /am/ | uai /uai/ | ai /ai/ | at /at/ | ahtli /aʔtli/ | danum /danum/ | enay /enai/ |
| Fire | ⲓⲕ /ik/ | api /api/ | api /api/ | tit /tit/ | tit /tit/ | apui /apui/ | apuy /apui/ |
| Sun | ⲙⲁⲥⲁⲗ /masal/ | mata allo /mataʔalːo/ | mata-ari /mataari/ | tunal /tunal/ | tonal /tonal/ | matanandau /matanandau/ | kadaw /kadaw/ |
| Moon | ⲟⲩⲣⲟⲛ /uron/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | metsti /metsti/ | metz /mets/ | bulan /bulan/ | kuwalan /kuwalan/ |
| Mother | ⲉⲛ /en/ | indo /indo/ | indai /indai/ | nan /nan/ | nan /nan/ | indu /indu/ | ina /ina/ |
| Father | ⲁⲃ /ab/ | ambe /ambe/ | apai /apai/ | tat /tat/ | tat /tat/ | bapa /bapa/ | ama /ama/ |
| Eat | ⲕⲁⲃ /kab/ | kumande /kumande/ | makai /makai/ | takwa /takwa/ | tacua /takʷa/ | kuman /kuman/ | kuman /kuman/ |
| Drink | ϫⲓ /dʒi/ | ma'iru /maʔiru/ | ngirup /ŋirup/ | ati /ati/ | ati /ati/ | mihop /mihop/ | enpa /enpa/ |
| Love | ⲇⲟⲩⲗⲗ /dull/ | ma'pa'iya /maʔpaʔija/ | rinduai /rinduai/ | nesa /nesa/ | nech-nequi /netʃneki/ | sinta /sinta/ | ulaw /ulaw/ |
| Heart | ⲉⲓⲡ /eip/ | penaa /penaː/ | ati /ati/ | yulu /julu/ | yolio /jolio/ | atei /atei/ | kalumetan /kalumetan/ |
| Tree | ⲕⲟ /ko/ | kayu /kaju/ | kayu /kaju/ | kwawit /kʷawit/ | cuahuit /kʷawit/ | kayu /kaju/ | kawi /kawi/ |
| House | ⲇⲟⲩⲗ /dul/ | banua /banua/ | rumah /rumah/ | kal /kal/ | cali /kali/ | huma /huma/ | ruma /ɾuma/ |
| Dog | ⲡⲱⲗ /poːl/ | asu /asu/ | ukui /ukui/ | chichi /tʃitʃi/ | itzcuintli /itskʷintli/ | asu /asu/ | suwan /suwan/ |
| Cat | — /—/ | serre /serːe/ | mayau /majau/ | mishin /miʃin/ | miston /miston/ | posa /posa/ | kating /katiŋ/ |
| Hand | ⲇⲉⲥⲥⲓ /dessi/ | lima /lima/ | jari /dʒari/ | mey /mei/ | mahuit /mawit/ | lengen /ləŋən/ | lima /lima/ |
| Eye | ⲙⲁⲥⲥⲓ /massi/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | ish /iʃ/ | ix /iʃ/ | mate /mate/ | mata /mata/ |
| Hello | ⲉⲓⲗⲗⲉ /ille/ | tabe /tabe/ | salam /salam/ | ne pakua /ne pakwa/ | niltze /niltse/ | tabea /tabea/ | marayas /maɾajas/ |
| Thank you | ⲡⲓⲥⲧⲁ /pista/ | kurre sumanga' /kurːe sumaŋaʔ/ | terima kasih /terima kasih/ | padiush /padjuʃ/ | tlazohcamati /tlasoʔkamati/ | sahindai /sahindai/ | kasapakan /kasapakan/ |
| One | ⲱⲉⲣ /wer/ | mesa /mesa/ | satu /satu/ | se /se/ | ce /se/ | ije /ije/ | sa /sa/ |
| Good | ⲇⲱⲗⲗⲉ /dolle/ | melo /melo/ | manah /manah/ | kwahli /kʷahli/ | cualli /kʷalːi/ | bahalap /bahalap/ | mauruway /mauɾuwai/ |
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