Katla language

Katla (also Kaalak or Kwaalak) is a Katla language, closely related to a neighbouring language called Tima. Katla is generally classified as Kordofanian, which is not a uniform branch, and is native to the Nuba Mountains (Birgit Hellwig 2013:238). While Jalad is seen a dialect there is a clear distinction between the two groups. Similarly one can distinguish Katla into east and west Katla dialects (Brigit Hellwig 2013: 238), it is believed to be spoken in 11 villages around Jebel Katla and their ethnicity is kàlàk (Brigit Hellwig 2013: 238).

Katla
Kaalak
Native toNuba Hills, Sudan
EthnicityKatla, Gulud
Native speakers
25,000 Julud (2009)[1]
Possibly 14,000 Katla (1984)[2]
Dialects
  • Katla-Cakom
  • Katla-Kulharong
  • Julud
Language codes
ISO 639-3kcr
Glottologkatl1237  Katla
julu1237  Julud
ELPKatla

The variety Julud is mutually intelligible with Katla-Kulharong but not with Katla-Cakom.

Phonology

The vowels found in the Katla language are a;e;ẹ;ọ;o;u;i and they two semi vowels w and y (Meinhof 1917:214). Katla also displays fluctuations between an a to an e and an o to an language which seems to also employ tones to its advantage while speaking(Meinhof 1917:218).

Table of consonant[3]
kh k g ṅ (ɣ)
(ḱ) (ǵ)
tj dj ď ń ś (j) y
tṧ (tž) ṧ
ḍ ṇ
n r l
t d
kg gb
p b m w

Nouns

Plural

Most of the time nouns in Katla do not have a plural, either numbers are put in front of the word or a quantifier is used. Often loanwords do not follow this rule and therefore change in their plural form (Meinhof 1917: 219 )

Genitive case

In lot of cases Katla follows the Sudanese way of placing the genitive after the substantive: ‚u gbalana‘ " the dog’s owner ". Usually although this is tried to bee avoided and put in between both nouns: ‚gas i gu‘ „the dog’s head“ (Meinhof 1917:221)

Pronouns[4]

Ṇ- I

Dj- You

Y- She/He/It

Ni-, N-, Ń- We

Dj- You (pl.)

Y- They

Numbers[5]

1 tẹták

2 sẹk

3 hātẹd

4 agálam

5 jẹgwūlẹn

6 djọltẹn

7 djolēk

8 taṅgẹl

9 djalbatẹn

10 rākwẹs

Dialects and locations

Dialects and village locations:[1]

  • Julud dialect: Kabog, Kabog North, Kabosh, Kambai, Karkando, Karkarya, Kary, Kimndang, Kitanngo, Kolbi, Koto Kork, Octiang, Rumber, Sabba, and Tolot
  • Katla dialect: Bombori, Karoka, Kateik, Kiddu, Kirkpong, and Koldrong

References
  1. Katla at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)
  2. Katla language at Ethnologue (17th ed., 2013)
  3. Meinhof, Carl. 1916-1917. Sprachstudien im egyptischen Sudan 14: Katla. Zeitschrift für Kolonialsprachen VII. 212-235. P.217
  4. Meinhof, Carl. 1916-1917. Sprachstudien im egyptischen Sudan 14: Katla. Zeitschrift für Kolonialsprachen VII. 212-235. p.224
  5. Meinhof, Carl. 1916-1917. Sprachstudien im egyptischen Sudan 14: Katla. Zeitschrift für Kolonialsprachen VII. 212-235. p.223
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