Notice: Function _load_textdomain_just_in_time was called incorrectly. Translation loading for the a3-lazy-load domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /homepages/19/d811159906/htdocs/clickandbuilds/kigala/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6121

Notice: Function _load_textdomain_just_in_time was called incorrectly. Translation loading for the cleantalk-spam-protect domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /homepages/19/d811159906/htdocs/clickandbuilds/kigala/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6121

Notice: Function _load_textdomain_just_in_time was called incorrectly. Translation loading for the header-footer-elementor domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /homepages/19/d811159906/htdocs/clickandbuilds/kigala/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6121

Notice: Function _load_textdomain_just_in_time was called incorrectly. Translation loading for the cenote domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /homepages/19/d811159906/htdocs/clickandbuilds/kigala/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6121
Variant Vowels and Tones – Kigala

Variant Vowels and Tones

As we said before, gáláà is a tonal language; in other words, only tone introduces a meaning in a word. For instance, the duplicated consonant, ‘k k,’ is meaningless because there is no vowel bearing a tone or two to give it meaning. But when we add the low-toned vowel, ‘à and the high-toned ‘é,’ a meaning emerges: a short sentence, a command: Kà ké. (Say it now).

The Igala speech uses a number of tones, namely: High, Mid, Low and Mid-High tones; and the Extra High tone, sounding shrill like none of the ones mentioned, usually occurring at the end of negative and other rare statements. This tone is represented by a dot-bearing ‘n’ (ṅ). The four tone variants are shown below with their corresponding tone (or accent) marks and are also phonetically-transcribed to demonstrate how they are articulated, with examples translated to English:

Vowel

Phonetic Transcription

Tone

Examples of the sounds

Á

/á/

High

ájá (Market); éwó (goat)

A

/a/

Mid

awa; awa; agba (Casual greeting)

Ā

/ā/

Mid-high

Ọ́mátā (name); Ọ́fákga (town)

À

/à/

Low

àjà (bird, Night jar); ùlẹ̀ (walk)e

É

/é/

High

égbé (grass); úlé (run)

E

/e/

Mid

hieele (all); che (to do)

Ē

/ē/

Mid-high

égélē (a bird);

È

/è/

Low

ènè (question); Ètè (town)

Ẹ́

/ɛ́/

  High

pẹ́ẹ́ (a little); fẹ́fẹ́ (to be very clean)

/ɛ/

Mid

ẹ; wẹ (pron.) you; gbẹ (to dry)

Ẹ̄

/ɛ̄/

z

Á í dẹ̄?: How is it? Áñẹ́jẹ̄ (tortoise)

Ẹ̀

/ɛ̀/

Low

ẹ̀tẹ̀ (source); Ẹ̀dẹ̀ (Igala day/name)

Í

/ Í /

High

fÍÍlÍ (to be thin); míílí (to be slim)

I

/ i /

Mid

Iii (yes); Òmii? (Is it me?)

Ī

/ Ī /

Mid-high

Ẹ́nẹ́ lī? (Who saw it?) Ọ́jaī (Royal Necropolis at Ídá)

Ì

/ ì /

Low

 ìtì (cheek); jìm (darkly)

Ó

/ó/

High

óbó (soup); ólóló (intensity)

O

/o/

Mid

Oo (Casual: I have heard you).

Ō

/ō/

Mid-high

átákōya (town-crier)

Ò

/ò/

Low

òdò (yellow; dwelling place).

 

 

 

 

Ọ́

ɔ́

High

ọ́lọ́ (deformity); ẹ́nẹ-ọlọ́ (a physically challenged person.

ɔ

Mid

Ábọ (Title Greeting); ọ̀lọ (skyward).

Ọ̣̄

ɔ̄

Mid-high

Ọ́gọ́lọ̄ (gutter)

Ọ̀

ɔ̀

Low

Ọ̀dọ̀ (wall)

 

 

 

 

Ú

Ú

High

úlú (seedling); úgwúnú (vulture)

U

U

Mid

lu (of light) to go off. Look up ‘úná.’

Ū

Ū

Mid-high

ny’ánūnū (to dye a clothing).

Ù

Ù

Low

ùmù (lantern). Look up ‘ẹ̀mùtúla.’

 

Posts created 31

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Posts

Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search. Press ESC to cancel.

Back To Top