Ruund language explained

See also: Lunda language.

Ruund
Nativename:Chiluwunda
States:Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola
Region:Copperbelt
Date:2000
Ref:e18
Familycolor:Niger-Congo
Fam2:Atlantic–Congo
Fam3:Benue–Congo
Fam4:Bantoid
Fam5:Bantu (Zone L)
Fam6:Lunda (L.50)
Iso3:rnd
Glotto:ruun1238
Glottorefname:Ruund
Guthrie:L.53

Ruund (Ruwund), also known as Northern Lunda or Uruund, is a Bantu language of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola. It is highly unusual among Bantu languages for allowing consonantal codas and for its reduced vowel system, in which short /e/ and /o/ have become [i] and [a] respectively, leaving only 3 short vowels.[1]

Another interesting feature of Ruund is that, as with the related Ciluba language, the tones of Proto-Bantu have reversed, so that High has become Low and vice versa.[2] In this language therefore the accented syllables are Low and the default tone is High.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Segmental Phonology. Hyman. Larry. 8. 22 March 2014.
  2. Nash, J.A. (1994), "Underlying Low Tones in Ruwund". Studies in African Linguistics Volume 23, Number 3,1992-1994.