Cipu language explained

Cicipu
Also Known As:Acipanci
Nativename:'Cicipu'
States:Nigeria
Region:Kebbi State, Niger State
Speakers:20,000
Date:1995
Ref:e18
Familycolor:Niger-Congo
Fam2:Benue–Congo
Fam3:Kainji
Fam4:Kambari-Cicipu
Iso3:awc
Glotto:cici1237
Glottorefname:Cicipu
Notice:IPA

Cicipu is a Kainji language spoken by about 20,000 people in northwest Nigeria. The people call themselves Acipu, and are called Acipawa in Hausa.[1]

Like most Benue–Congo languages, Cicipu has a complex noun class system.[2] It has a fairly complex phonology with lexical and grammatical tone, vowel harmony and nasalisation.

Virtually all Cicipu speakers speak the lingua franca Hausa. Many also speak other nearby languages.

Classification

Cicipu is part of the Kambari branch of the Niger–Congo languages.

The most recent published classification[3] has Cicipu as part of the Kamuku group of West Kainji. However more detailed studies[4] [5] have shown this to be unlikely.

Alternative names

The Ethnologue used to list Cicipu as 'Western Acipa'. In Hausa, the language is referred to as Acipanci and the people as Acipawa.

Geographic distribution

Cicipu is spoken in Nigeria by approximately 20,000 people,[6] split between Sakaba Local Government Area, Kebbi State and Kontagora Local Government Area, Niger State.

Dialects/Varieties

The Acipu themselves recognise seven distinct varieties of Cicipu. The dialect names are as follows (with the corresponding Hausa names in parentheses):

Phonology

The most common syllable type in Cicipu is CV, although there are fairly strong arguments for N and CVN. A small number of noun and verb roots begin with a V syllable. Lexical tone contrasts are found in nouns e.g. káayá ‘house’ and káayà ‘bean’, but not in verbs (although grammatical tone is important for verbs).

Vowels

Cicipu has an asymmetric six-vowel system. All vowels can be long or short, and all have nasalised counterparts. There are four diphthongs: pronounced as //ei//, pronounced as //eu//, pronounced as //ai//, and pronounced as //au//.

Monophthongs!! Front! Central! Back
Closepronounced as /i, iː/pronounced as /u, uː/
Close-midpronounced as /e, eː/pronounced as /o, oː/
Open-midpronounced as /ɔ, ɔː/
Openpronounced as /a, aː/

Consonants

Consonant length is contrastive in Cicipu, e.g. yuwo 'fall' vs. yuwwo 'turn around'. Any consonant may be lengthened.

Consonant phonemes
 LabialDental or
alveolar
Postalveolar
or palatal
VelarGlottal
PlainLabializedPalatalizedPlainLabialized
Plosives
and
affricates
Voicelesspronounced as /p/pronounced as /t/pronounced as /tʃ/pronounced as /k/ pronounced as /kʷ/pronounced as /ʔʲ/ pronounced as /ʔ/ pronounced as /ʔʷ/
Voicedpronounced as /b/pronounced as /d/pronounced as /dʒ/pronounced as /ɡ/ pronounced as /ɡʷ/
Implosivepronounced as /ɓ/pronounced as /ɗ/
FricativesVoicelesspronounced as /s/pronounced as /hʲ/ pronounced as /h/ pronounced as /hʷ/
Voicedpronounced as /v/pronounced as /z/
Nasalspronounced as /m/pronounced as /n/
Rhoticpronounced as /ɾ/
Approximantspronounced as /l/pronounced as /j/pronounced as /w/

Vocabulary

A large number of Cicipu words are borrowings from the lingua franca Hausa. The pronunciation of many of these loanwords has changed to fit in with Cicipu phonology, in particular with respect to vowel harmony.

Writing system

Cicipu is not currently written, although a preliminary orthography proposal has been made, and a small number of trial books has been circulated.[7]

See also

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Blench . Roger . The Kamuku languages . https://web.archive.org/web/20150420033926/http://www.rogerblench.info/Language/Niger-Congo/BC/Kainji/Kamuku/KmkOP.htm . 2015-04-20.
  2. McGill . Stuart . 2007 . The Cipu noun class system . Journal of West African Languages . 34 . 2 . 51–90 .
  3. Book: Williamson . Kay . Roger M. . Blench . 2000 . Niger–Congo in African languages: an introduction . 11–42 . Cambridge . Cambridge University Press.
  4. Dettweiler . Steve . Sonia . Dettweiler . 2002 . Sociolinguistic survey (level one) of the Kamuku language cluster . SIL Electronic Survey Reports . 2003-003 .
  5. Web site: McGill . Stuart . 2007 . The classification of Cicipu .
  6. Book: CAPRO Research Office . 1995 . Kingdoms at war : an enthic [i.e. ethnic] survey of Niger, Kebbi States and FCT . . CAPRO Media.
  7. McGill, Stuart (ined). Some orthographic challenges for Cicipu. West Kainji Language Workshop, Safara Motel, Kontagora, 10 -12 March 2008, pp. 2-3.