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{{Short description|Endangered Omotic language of Ethiopia}}
{{language
{{Infobox language
|name=Dime
|name=Dime
|familycolor=Afro-Asiatic
|states=[[Ethiopia]]
|states=[[Ethiopia]]
|region=[[Debub Omo Zone|Debub (South) Omo Zone]]
|region=Kafa Region
|speakers={{sigfig|10700|2}}
|speakers=6,501 total; 4,785 monolinguals (1998)
|ref=e18
|fam1=[[Afro-Asiatic languages|Afro-Asiatic]]
|date=2007 census
|familycolor=Afro-Asiatic
|fam2=[[Omotic languages|Omotic]]
|fam2=[[Omotic languages|Omotic]]
|fam3=[[South Omotic languages|South Omotic]]
|fam3=[[South Omotic languages|South Omotic]]
|iso3=dim}}
|iso3=dim
|glotto=dime1235
|glottorefname=Dime
}}


'''Dime''' or '''Dima''' is an [[Afro-Asiatic languages|Afro-Asiatic]] language spoken in the northern part of the [[Selamago]] district in the [[Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region]] (SNNP) of [[Ethiopia]], around [[Mount Smith (Ethiopia)|Mount Smith]].<ref name=e18/> Dime divides into at least two dialects, which include Us'a and Gerfa. It has six case suffixes in addition to an unmarked nominative. It is overwhelmingly suffixing, but uses prefixes for demonstratives and has reduplication. Phonologically, it is noteworthy among the [[Omotic languages]] for having phonemic velar and uvular fricatives.<ref name="Mulugeta">{{Cite thesis |last=Seyoum |first=Mulugeta |title=A grammar of Dime |date=2008 |degree=Ph.D. |publisher=Leiden University |hdl=1887/12833 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> The basic word order is [[Subject–object–verb word order|subject–object–verb]] (SOV), as in other Omotic languages, and indeed in all members of the core of the [[Ethiopian Language Area]].
'''Dime''' is an [[Afro-Asiatic languages|Afro-Asiatic]] language spoken in the Kafa Region of [[Ethiopia]]. <ref>Raymond G. Gordon, Jr, ed. 2005. ''Ethnologue: Languages of the World''. 15th edition. Dallas: Summer Institute of Linguistics.</ref>


The language, as well as the [[Dime people]] themselves, reportedly decreased in number over the 20th century due to predations from their neighbors the [[Bodi people|Bodi]], and both are in danger of extinction.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dNB4eh67y1wC |title=Omotic Language Studies |last=Fleming |first=Harold |publisher=[[School of Oriental and African Studies|SOAS]] |year=1990 |editor=Richard Hayward |location=London |pages=495|isbn=9780728601666 }}</ref> According to official Ethiopian figures, the 1994 census reported 6293 speakers of the Dime language in the SNNP region alone;<ref>[http://www.csa.gov.et/images/documents/pdf_files/regional/SNNPR1.pdf ''1994 Population and Housing Census of Ethiopia: Results for Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region'', Vol. 1, part 1], Table 2.14</ref> in the 2007 census, only 574 speakers were reported for all of Ethiopia.<ref name=CSA>{{cite web |title=Ethiopia - Population and Housing Census 2007 Report, National |url= http://catalog.ihsn.org/index.php/catalog/3583/download/50086 |author=Central Statistical Agency |publisher=International Household Survey Network }}</ref> Further, because the Dime language still lacks a writing system and there are no local schools to promote the use of the language, it is even more threatened.<ref name=Mulugeta/>
== Notes ==

{{Reflist}}
==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!colspan="2"|
! Bilabial
! Alveolar
! Alveo-palatal
! Velar
! Uvular
! Glottal
|-
! rowspan="4" |Plosives
! Voiceless
|p
|t
|
|k
|
|
|-
! Voiced
|b
|d
|
|g
|
|
|-
! Ejective
|p’
|t’
|
|k’
|
|ʔ
|-
! Implosive
|
|ɗ
|
|
|
|
|-
! rowspan="3" | Fricatives
! Voiceless
| f
| s
| ʃ
| x
| χ
| h
|-
! Voiced
|
| z
| ʒ
| ɣ
| ʁ
|
|-
! Ejective
|
| s’
|
|
|
|
|-
! rowspan="3" | Affricates
! Voiceless
|
| ts
| tʃ
|
|
|
|-
! Voiced
|
|
| dʒ
|
|
|
|-
! Ejective
|
|
| tʃ’
|
|
|
|-
!colspan="2"| Nasals
| m
| n
|
|
|
|
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="2" | Liquids
|
| l
|
|
|
|
|-
|
| r
|
|
|
|
|-
! colspan="2"| Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|
|
|}

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
!Front
!Central
!Back
|-
!Close
|i
|ɨ
|U
|-
!Half-close
|e
|
|O
|-
!Half-Open
|ɛ
|ə
|ɔ
|-
!Open
|
|a
|
|}

===Free variation===
Dime undergoes phonological processes when speaking and one of them is free variation. Free variation is a phenomenon of two or more sounds or forms appearing in the same environment without a change in meaning and without being considered as wrong by a native speaker of Dime.

h and ʔ are free variation word initially in some lexemes.

: ʔˈalfe and halfe Knife
: ʔˈaʁe and haʁe wood, knife
: ʔààke and hààke to pick up
: ʔaay and haay grass
: yízí and hízí to run
: yín or ʔín you (obj.)

===Gemination===
Dime has a lot of consonant gemination, which mostly occurs in the middle and final position of words, which distinguishes the meaning of lexemes.

: túmú (deep) - túmmú (stomach)
: ʔoloχ (quick) - ʔolloχ (slowly)
: ʔane (hand) - ʔanne (wild life)

===Syllable structure===
Dime has both closed and open syllables as well as super-heavy syllables. Most consonants can occur in the middle and at the end of the word.

{| class="wikitable"
! Syllable shape !! examples !! translation
|-
! rowspan="2"| CV
| ''ná'' || 'she'
|-
| ''nú'' || 'he'
|-
! rowspan="2"| CVC
| ''káf'' || 'wait'
|-
| ''lág'' || 'friend'
|-
! rowspan="2"| CVV
| ''čúú'' || 'bottom'
|-
| ''loo.mú'' || 'lemon'
|-
! rowspan="2"| CVVC
| ''neey'' || 'hunger'
|-
| ''zuúb'' || 'red'
|-
! rowspan="3"| CVCC
| ''gušš'' || 'nails'
|-
| ''físt'' || mucu
|-
| ''gɘrž'' || 'cat'
|-
! rowspan="2"| CVVCC
| ''lóokk''
|-
| ''c’íížž''
|}


Dime also has consonant clusters, which are mostly made up of only two members.

At the end of the word:

: gušš nails
: físt sneeze
: tálk borrow
: sáánk floor
: túss pillar

In the middle of the word:

: dámpe tobacco
: básumb fearful
: gázde boundry
: bedze out

==Morphology and Syntax==

===Definiteness===
A definite noun is one which refers to a specific entity. Morphologically, Dime distinguishes definite from indefinite nouns. Definiteness is marked by the suffix -is.

:ʔ́ehé a house - ʔ́éh-is the house
:nîts a child - nîts-is the child
:ʔiyýi a person - ʔiyýs-is the person

{{interlinear |indent=2
|ʔámzi gúdúm-ind-is
|woman tall-F-DEF
|the tall woman}}

{{interlinear |indent=2
|gúdúm-ub gǒst-is
|tall man-DEF
|the tall man}}

In the last example, there is a modifier in the noun phrase; the definite marker is suffixed to the modifier.

The definite marker -is may optionally be changed to -iz when followed by a voiced consonant.

:ʔéh-is the house
:gášš-is the road
:ʔámz-iz the woman
:zúùb-iz the red one

===Number===
Nouns and noun phrases make a distinction between singular and plural. Singular is morphologically unmarked, whereas plural is marked by the suffix -af. That a head noun is plural can be inferred from the morpheme -id, which is suffixed to a modifier.

{{interlinear |indent=2
|ʔéh -áf-is
|house -PL-DEF
|the houses}}

{{interlinear |indent=2
|dər -áf-is
|goat -PL-DEF
|the goats}}

{{interlinear |indent=2
|guur -af-is
|crocodile -PL-DEF
|the crocodiles}}

===Pronouns===

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Pronouns
! colspan="3" |
! colspan="2" | Subject
! colspan="2" | Object
|-
! rowspan="2" | 1st<br />person
! colspan="2" | {{small|singular}}
| ʔaté || I
| ʔis-im || me
|-
! colspan="2" | {{small|plural}}
| wótú || we
| won-im || us
|-
! rowspan="2" | 2nd<br />person
! colspan="2" | {{small|singular}}
| yaay/yáye || you
| yin-im || you
|-
! colspan="2" | {{small|plural}}
| yesé || you all/you guys
| yen-im || you all/you guys
|-
! rowspan="3" | 3rd person
! rowspan="2" | {{small|singular}}
! {{gcl|M}}
| nú || he
| kin-im || him
|-
! {{gcl|F}}
| ná || she
| kon-im || her
|-
! colspan="2" | {{small|plural}}
| kété || they
| ken-im || them
|}


== References ==
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
* [http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=dim Ethnologue entry for Dime]

==External links==
* Yilma, Aklilu and Ralph Siebert (2002), [http://www.sil.org/silesr/2002/029/SILESR2002-029.pdf "Sociolinguistic survey report of the Chara, Dime, Melo and Nayi languages of Ethiopia part 1."] SIL Electronic Survey Reports 2002-029.
* Ralph Siebert (2002), [http://www.sil.org/silesr/2002/SILESR2002-043.PDF "Sociolinguistic survey report on the Dime language of Ethiopia."] SIL Electronic Survey Reports 2002-043
* [[World Atlas of Language Structures]] information on [http://wals.info/languoid/lect/wals_code_dim Dime]

{{Languages of Ethiopia}}
{{Omotic languages}}


[[Category:Languages of Ethiopia]]
{{lang-stub}}
[[Category:Afro-Asiatic languages]]
[[Category:Aroid languages]]
[[Category:Omotic languages]]
[[Category:South Omotic languages]]

Latest revision as of 07:34, 21 June 2024

Dime
Native toEthiopia
RegionDebub (South) Omo Zone
Native speakers
11,000 (2007 census)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3dim
Glottologdime1235
ELPDimé

Dime or Dima is an Afro-Asiatic language spoken in the northern part of the Selamago district in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNP) of Ethiopia, around Mount Smith.[1] Dime divides into at least two dialects, which include Us'a and Gerfa. It has six case suffixes in addition to an unmarked nominative. It is overwhelmingly suffixing, but uses prefixes for demonstratives and has reduplication. Phonologically, it is noteworthy among the Omotic languages for having phonemic velar and uvular fricatives.[2] The basic word order is subject–object–verb (SOV), as in other Omotic languages, and indeed in all members of the core of the Ethiopian Language Area.

The language, as well as the Dime people themselves, reportedly decreased in number over the 20th century due to predations from their neighbors the Bodi, and both are in danger of extinction.[3] According to official Ethiopian figures, the 1994 census reported 6293 speakers of the Dime language in the SNNP region alone;[4] in the 2007 census, only 574 speakers were reported for all of Ethiopia.[5] Further, because the Dime language still lacks a writing system and there are no local schools to promote the use of the language, it is even more threatened.[2]

Phonology

[edit]

Consonants

[edit]
Bilabial Alveolar Alveo-palatal Velar Uvular Glottal
Plosives Voiceless p t k
Voiced b d g
Ejective p’ t’ k’ ʔ
Implosive ɗ
Fricatives Voiceless f s ʃ x χ h
Voiced z ʒ ɣ ʁ
Ejective s’
Affricates Voiceless ts tʃ
Voiced dʒ
Ejective tʃ’
Nasals m n
Liquids l
r
Glides w j

Vowels

[edit]
Front Central Back
Close i ɨ U
Half-close e O
Half-Open ɛ ə ɔ
Open a

Free variation

[edit]

Dime undergoes phonological processes when speaking and one of them is free variation. Free variation is a phenomenon of two or more sounds or forms appearing in the same environment without a change in meaning and without being considered as wrong by a native speaker of Dime.

h and ʔ are free variation word initially in some lexemes.

ʔˈalfe and halfe Knife
ʔˈaʁe and haʁe wood, knife
ʔààke and hààke to pick up
ʔaay and haay grass
yízí and hízí to run
yín or ʔín you (obj.)

Gemination

[edit]

Dime has a lot of consonant gemination, which mostly occurs in the middle and final position of words, which distinguishes the meaning of lexemes.

túmú (deep) - túmmú (stomach)
ʔoloχ (quick) - ʔolloχ (slowly)
ʔane (hand) - ʔanne (wild life)

Syllable structure

[edit]

Dime has both closed and open syllables as well as super-heavy syllables. Most consonants can occur in the middle and at the end of the word.

Syllable shape examples translation
CV ná 'she'
nú 'he'
CVC káf 'wait'
lág 'friend'
CVV čúú  'bottom'
loo.mú 'lemon'
CVVC neey 'hunger'
zuúb 'red'
CVCC gušš 'nails'
físt mucu
gɘrž 'cat'
CVVCC lóokk
c’íížž


Dime also has consonant clusters, which are mostly made up of only two members.

At the end of the word:

gušš nails
físt sneeze
tálk borrow
sáánk floor
túss pillar

In the middle of the word:

dámpe tobacco
básumb fearful
gázde boundry
bedze out

Morphology and Syntax

[edit]

Definiteness

[edit]

A definite noun is one which refers to a specific entity. Morphologically, Dime distinguishes definite from indefinite nouns. Definiteness is marked by the suffix -is.

ʔ́ehé a house - ʔ́éh-is the house
nîts a child - nîts-is the child
ʔiyýi a person - ʔiyýs-is the person

ʔámzi

woman

gúdúm-ind-is

tall-F-DEF

ʔámzi gúdúm-ind-is

woman tall-F-DEF

the tall woman

gúdúm-ub

tall

gǒst-is

man-DEF

gúdúm-ub gǒst-is

tall man-DEF

the tall man

In the last example, there is a modifier in the noun phrase; the definite marker is suffixed to the modifier.

The definite marker -is may optionally be changed to -iz when followed by a voiced consonant.

ʔéh-is the house
gášš-is the road
ʔámz-iz the woman
zúùb-iz the red one

Number

[edit]

Nouns and noun phrases make a distinction between singular and plural. Singular is morphologically unmarked, whereas plural is marked by the suffix -af. That a head noun is plural can be inferred from the morpheme -id, which is suffixed to a modifier.

ʔéh

house

-áf-is

-PL-DEF

ʔéh -áf-is

house -PL-DEF

the houses

dər

goat

-áf-is

-PL-DEF

dər -áf-is

goat -PL-DEF

the goats

guur

crocodile

-af-is

-PL-DEF

guur -af-is

crocodile -PL-DEF

the crocodiles

Pronouns

[edit]
Pronouns
Subject Object
1st
person 		singular ʔaté I ʔis-im me
plural wótú we won-im us
2nd
person 		singular yaay/yáye you yin-im you
plural yesé you all/you guys yen-im you all/you guys
3rd person singular M nú he kin-im him
F ná she kon-im her
plural kété they ken-im them

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Dime at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. ^ a b Seyoum, Mulugeta (2008). A grammar of Dime (Ph.D. thesis). Leiden University. hdl:1887/12833.
  3. ^ Fleming, Harold (1990). Richard Hayward (ed.). Omotic Language Studies. London: SOAS. p. 495. ISBN 9780728601666.
  4. ^ 1994 Population and Housing Census of Ethiopia: Results for Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region, Vol. 1, part 1, Table 2.14
  5. ^ Central Statistical Agency. "Ethiopia - Population and Housing Census 2007 Report, National". International Household Survey Network.
[edit]
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