Musgu language explained

Musgu
Nativename:Mulwi
States:Cameroon, Chad
Ethnicity:Musgum
Date:1993–2005
Ref:e25
Familycolor:Afro-Asiatic
Fam2:Chadic
Fam3:Biu–Mandara
Fam4:East–Central
Fam5:Munjuk (B.2)
Iso3:mug
Glotto:musg1254
Glottorefname:Musgu
Dia1:Mpus
Dia2:Beege (Jafga)
Dia3:Vulum (Mulwi)
Dia4:Ngilemong
Dia5:Luggoy
Dia6:Maniling
Dia7:Muzuk
Script:Latin

Musgu is a cluster of closely related language varieties of the Biu–Mandara subgroup of the Chadic languages spoken in Cameroon and Chad. The endonym is Mulwi. Blench (2006) classifies the three varieties as separate languages.[1] Speakers of the extinct related language Muskum have switched to one of these.

Names

Muzuk is another name for the language. Another term, Mousgoum, is not used by the speakers themselves.[2]

Munjuk languages

Munjuk languages:[2]

Munjuk, from manjakay (H. Tourneux), refers to the a group of four related languages, not only Muzuk. Munjuk languages are spoken in northern Mayo-Danay Department (arrondissements of Maga, Yele, and Kai-Kai in the Far North Region).[2]

Beege and Mpus are found in the flood plains of the Logone River, in (Logone-et-Chari department, Zina district); Diamaré department (Bogo district). Beege is found in the south (Djafga and Begué) and Mpus in the north (in Pouss). Vulum is found mainly in Chad.[2]

Phonology

Consonants

LabialAlveolarPalatalVelarGlottal
Nasalpronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/
Stop/
Affricate
voicelesspronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/
voicedpronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/
prenasalpronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/
implosivepronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/
Fricativevoicelesspronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/ (pronounced as /ink/)pronounced as /ink/
voicedpronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/
Approximantpronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/
Trillpronounced as /ink/

Vowels

FrontCentralBack
Closepronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/
Midpronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/
Openpronounced as /ink/

Notes and References

  1. Blench, 2006. The Afro-Asiatic Languages: Classification and Reference List (ms)
  2. Book: Binam Bikoi. Charles. 2012. Atlas linguistique du Cameroun (ALCAM). Linguistic Atlas of Cameroon. 1: Inventaire des langues. fr. Yaoundé. CERDOTOLA. Atlas linguistique de l'Afrique centrale (ALAC). 9789956796069.
  3. Book: Tourneux, Henry . Le Munjuk . 2011 . Les langues d’Afrique et de l’Asie du Sud-Ouest . 258-266.
  4. Book: Meyer-Bahlburg, Hilke . Studien zur Morphologie und Syntax des Musgu . Hamburg: Helmut Buske . 1972.