Sinyar language
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Shemya (tàar ʃàmɲà) is the language of the Sinyar people. It is a Central Sudanic language spoken in Chad and formerly in Darfur, Sudan. It is variously spelled Shamya, Shamyan, Shemya, Sinya, and known as Symiarta, Taar Shamyan, Zimirra.
The language is spoken in Goz Beïda, Chad and Foro Boranga, Sudan. There are two level tones and downstepped low tones. Word order is SVO.
Dimmendaal leaves it as a language isolate, whereas Blench groups it with Formona.
Doornbos records 18 Sinyar clans. The Kijaar clan, located close to the Kujargé, likely intermarried with the Kujargé.
Lexicon
Sinyar numerals from Boyeldieu (2013):
Numerals
| 1 | kàllà |
| 2 | róò |
| 3 | mùʈʈà |
| 4 | ùssà |
| 5 | mòy |
| 6 | mìccà |
| 7 | mòorsò |
| 8 | màartà |
| 9 | mànɖéy |
| 10 | ʈìyà |
Sinyar appears to have a Bongo–Bagirmi superstratum and a non-Bongo–Bagirmi substratum. Some lexical items in Sinyar have cognates in Bongo–Bagirmi languages (particularly the neighboring Yulu-Gula group), while others do not.
| Gloss | Sinyar |
|---|---|
| Sinyar lexical items without Bongo-Bagirmi cognates GlossSinyar bee, honeysìmír blackkìttì buffalokàjìbìl comeuwe / weeɲ deepcuggol dryarfa earùrà leafìi elephantkártí footgwàar legkàffà grasskàanà headsùɓó hungermùsù killwii longʃùggòl moonkwànjà neckkwàalà newsìyèer nightdìkìttì noseɲàrmá personcé / céè; ƒítì placedì placentakàɗù plait, tourɓa / urmba rain, toweeri (-ooru) redabbal ropekwàár smokeúʃú snakenɖùbbòl stealmaggal / mangal stone, grindstonegòl wetwicce (-ucce) | Sinyar lexical items with Bongo-Bagirmi cognates GlossSinyar begetwiʄe / wiɲe birdwèl breastmbàár diewille dogɓìsì drinkiya eatwiɲ eyekwòm firefòɗù fishkwùnjó grease, oilìbì hornkòjjù hotuŋŋa Imàá knowugol / ungol make a potuɓa / umba meatìjjà mouthtàar nameèerè ox, cowìccà seedkùfò sharpaffa skinànnà seepsuɗo / sunjo threemùʈʈà treekàggá tworóò who?ɗèe- goatfìyà gruel, porridgefìryà hairfìí warthogfòɗú sundkàjjà water, thirstkùjá urinewèrjí tie, towirja / wirnja |
| bee, honey | sìmír |
| black | kìttì |
| buffalo | kàjìbìl |
| come | uwe / weeɲ |
| deep | cuggol |
| dry | arfa |
| ear | ùrà |
| leaf | ìi |
| elephant | kártí |
| foot | gwàar |
| leg | kàffà |
| grass | kàanà |
| head | sùɓó |
| hunger | mùsù |
| kill | wii |
| long | ʃùggòl |
| moon | kwànjà |
| neck | kwàalà |
| new | sìyèer |
| night | dìkìttì |
| nose | ɲàrmá |
| person | cé / céè; ƒítì |
| place | dì |
| placenta | kàɗù |
| plait, to | urɓa / urmba |
| rain, to | weeri (-ooru) |
| red | abbal |
| rope | kwàár |
| smoke | úʃú |
| snake | nɖùbbòl |
| steal | maggal / mangal |
| stone, grindstone | gòl |
| wet | wicce (-ucce) |
| Gloss | Sinyar |
| beget | wiʄe / wiɲe |
| bird | wèl |
| breast | mbàár |
| die | wille |
| dog | ɓìsì |
| drink | iya |
| eat | wiɲ |
| eye | kwòm |
| fire | fòɗù |
| fish | kwùnjó |
| grease, oil | ìbì |
| horn | kòjjù |
| hot | uŋŋa |
| I | màá |
| know | ugol / ungol |
| make a pot | uɓa / umba |
| meat | ìjjà |
| mouth | tàar |
| name | èerè |
| ox, cow | ìccà |
| seed | kùfò |
| sharp | affa |
| skin | ànnà |
| seep | suɗo / sunjo |
| three | mùʈʈà |
| tree | kàggá |
| two | róò |
| who? | ɗèe- |
| goat | fìyà |
| gruel, porridge | fìryà |
| hair | fìí |
| warthog | fòɗú |
| sun | dkàjjà |
| water, thirst | kùjá |
| urine | wèrjí |
| tie, to | wirja / wirnja |
Pronouns
Sinyar pronouns:
Sinyar pronouns
| Gloss | Sinyar |
|---|---|
| 1S | màalé, (màá) |
| 2S | ìllé |
| 3S | nàalé, (nàá) |
| 1P.du | cìngé |
| 1P.ex? | cìyé |
| 1P.in | cèesá |
| 2P? | sìngé; sèesá |
| 3P | nìngé |