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'''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]] 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 reduplication. Phonologically, it is noteworthy among the [[Omotic languages]] for having velar and uvular fricative phonemes.<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 SOV (subject–object–verb), as in other Omotic languages, indeed as in all the languages of the core of the [[Ethiopian Language Area]].
'''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]].


The language, as well as the [[Dime people]] themselves, reportedly decreased in numbers over the 20th century due to predation 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 Ethiopian census figures, the 1994 census reported 6293 speakers of the Dime language in the [[Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' 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/>Below is a table of Dime Pronouns
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/>Below is a table of Dime Pronouns


==Phonology==


===Consonants===
'''Phonology'''


'''Consonants'''
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|
|
Line 33: Line 33:
|'''glottal'''
|'''glottal'''
|-
|-
| rowspan="4" |'''PLOSIVE'''
| rowspan="4" |'''Plosive'''
|'''VL'''
|'''Voiceless'''
|'''p'''
|'''p'''
|'''t'''
|'''t'''
Line 42: Line 42:
|
|
|-
|-
|'''VD'''
|'''Voiced'''
|'''b'''
|'''b'''
|'''d'''
|'''d'''
Line 52: Line 52:
| rowspan="2" |'''Ej'''
| rowspan="2" |'''Ej'''


'''imp'''
'''Ejective/Implosive'''
|'''P’'''
|'''P’'''
|t’
|t’
Line 67: Line 67:
|
|
|-
|-
| rowspan="3" |'''FRICATIVE'''
| rowspan="3" |'''Fricative'''
|'''VL'''
|'''Voiceless'''
|'''f'''
|'''f'''
|'''s'''
|'''s'''
Line 76: Line 76:
|'''h'''
|'''h'''
|-
|-
|'''VD'''
|'''Voiced'''
|
|
|'''z'''
|'''z'''
Line 84: Line 84:
|
|
|-
|-
|'''EJ'''
|'''Ejective'''
|
|
|'''S’'''
|'''S’'''
Line 92: Line 92:
|
|
|-
|-
| rowspan="3" |'''AFFRICATE'''
| rowspan="3" |'''Affricate'''
|'''VL'''
|'''Voiceless'''
|
|
|'''ts'''
|'''ts'''
Line 101: Line 101:
|
|
|-
|-
|'''VD'''
|'''Voiced'''
|
|
|
|
Line 109: Line 109:
|
|
|-
|-
|'''EJ'''
|'''Ejective'''
|
|
|
|
|'''čˈ'''
|'''č’'''
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|-
|'''NASAL'''
|'''Nasal'''
|'''VD'''
|'''Voiced'''
|'''m'''
|'''m'''
|'''n'''
|'''n'''
Line 126: Line 126:
|
|
|-
|-
| rowspan="2" |'''LIQUIDS'''
| rowspan="2" |'''Liquids'''
|
|
|
|
Line 143: Line 143:
|
|
|-
|-
|'''GLIDES'''
|'''Glides'''
|
|
|'''w'''
|'''w'''
Line 153: Line 153:
|}
|}


===Vowels===
'''Dime vowel'''
{| class="wikitable"
| colspan="4" | '''                                  FRONT                   CENTRAL               BACK'''
|-
|'''Close'''
| rowspan="4" |'''I                               e                                                                                           ɛ'''
| rowspan="4" |'''ɨ                                          '''                  

'''ɘ'''

'''a'''
| rowspan="4" |'''u                                    o'''

'''ɔ'''
|-
|'''Half close'''
|-
|'''Half open'''
|-
|'''Open'''
|}

'''PHONOLOGICAL PROCESS OF DIME LANGUAGE'''

Free Variation

Dime language also undergoes phonological process when speaking and one of these process is the 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 in Dime.

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

example

ʔˈalfe and halfe Knife

ʔˈaʁe and haʁe wood, knife

ʔààke and hààke to pick up

ʔaay and haay grass

Other examples which shows free variation of y and h and y and ʔ

yízí and hízí to run

yín or ʔín you (obj)

Germinate

Dime language has a lot consonant germination which mostly occurs in the middle and final position of words which gives different meaning

Examples

m vrs mm

túmú (deep)

túmmú (stomach)

l vrs ll

ʔoloχ (quick)

ʔolloχ (slowly)

n vrs nn

ʔane (hand)

ʔanne (wild life)


'''Dime vowels'''
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|
|
Line 251: Line 182:
|}
|}


===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.
SYLLABIC STRUCTURE OF DIME LANGUAGE

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.)
Dime language has both closed and open syllable. It also has super heavy syllables and most of the consonants occurs in the middle and ending of the word.


===Gemination===
Examples
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)
CV

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.

CV:


ná she
ná she
Line 264: Line 217:
nú he
nú he


CVC:

CVC


káf wait
káf wait
Line 271: Line 223:
lág friend
lág friend


CVV:

CVV


čúú  bottom
čúú  bottom
Line 278: Line 229:
loo.mú lemon
loo.mú lemon


CVVC:

CVVC


neey hunger
neey hunger
Line 285: Line 235:
zuúb red
zuúb red


CVCC:

CVCC


gušš nails
gušš nails
Line 294: Line 243:
gɘrž cat
gɘrž cat


CVVCC
CVVCC:


lóokk
lóokk


c’íížž
cˈíížž


Consonant cluster


Dime language also have consonant cluster. Consonants that occur in these clusters are most only two. There are some consonants that occur at the end and middle of the word respectively.
Dime also has consonant clusters, which are mostly made up of only two members.


At the end of the word:
Examples of cluster of consonants that occur at the end of words


gušš nails
gušš nails
Line 317: Line 263:
túss pillar
túss pillar


In the middle of the word:

Examples of cluster of consonants that occur in the middle of words


dámpe tobacco
dámpe tobacco
Line 328: Line 273:
bedze out
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
Morphology And Syntax

Definiteness

Definite is a term used to refer to a specific entity. Morphologically Dime language definiteness unlike indefiniteness. Dime definiteness is marked by the suffix -is


Examples

ʔ́ehé a house

ʔ́éh-is the house

nîts a child

nîts-is the child


nîts a child - nîts-is the child
ʔiyýi a person


ʔiyýs-is the person
ʔiyýi a person - ʔiyýs-is the person


ʔámzi gúdúm-ind-is the tall woman
ʔámzi gúdúm-ind-is the tall woman
Line 359: Line 292:
tall            man DEF
tall            man DEF


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


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

Examples


ʔéh-is the house
ʔéh-is the house


gášš-is the road
gášš-is the road



ʔámz-iz the woman
ʔámz-iz the woman
Line 374: Line 304:
zúùb-iz the red one
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.


ʔéh-áf-is   the houses
Numbers

Nouns and noun phrases make singular and plural distinction in Dime language. Singular is morphologically unmarked. Plural is marked by suffix -af. That a head noun is plural can be inferred from morpheme -id which is suffix to modifier of the plural noun.

Examples

ʔéh- áf -is   the houses


house-PL-DEF
house-PL-DEF



dər-áf-is    the goats
dər-áf-is    the goats


goat-PL-DEF
goat-PL-DEF



guur-af-is   the crocodiles
guur-af-is   the crocodiles
Line 395: Line 319:
crocodile - PL-DEF
crocodile - PL-DEF


===Pronouns===





Dime Pronouns

Below is a table of Dime Pronouns
Below is a table of Dime Pronouns
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 414: Line 332:
|I
|I
|ʔis-im
|ʔis-im
|ME
|me
|-
|-
|2S
|2S
|Yaay/yáye
|Yaay/yáye
|YOU
|you
|yin-im
|yin-im
|YOU
|you
|-
|-
|3SM
|3SM
Line 428: Line 346:


ná
ná
|HE
|he


she
SHE
|kin-im
|kin-im


kon-im
kon-im
|HIM
|him


her
HER
|-
|-
|1PL
|1PL
|wótú
|wótú
|WE
|we
|won-im
|won-im
|US
|us
|-
|-
|2PL
|2PL
|yesé
|yesé
|you all/you guys
|YOU
|yen-im
|yen-im
|you all/you guys
|YOU
|-
|-
|3PL
|3PL
|kété
|kété
|they
|THEY
|ken-im
|ken-im
|them
|THEM
|}
|}






































== References ==
== References ==

Revision as of 01:35, 23 February 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]Below is a table of Dime Pronouns

Phonology

Consonants

BILABIAL AVEOLAR AVEO -PALATAL VELAR UVELAR glottal
Plosive Voiceless p t k
Voiced b d g
Ej

Ejective/Implosive

P’ t’ k’ ʔ
ɗ
Fricative Voiceless f s š x χ h
Voiced z ž ɣ ʁ
Ejective S’
Affricate Voiceless ts č
Voiced ʤ
Ejective č’
Nasal Voiced m n
Liquids l
r
Glides w y

Vowels

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.

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

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

ʔámzi gúdúm-ind-is the tall woman

woman tall -F-DEF

gúdúm-ub gǒst-is the tall man

tall            man DEF

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.

ʔéh-áf-is   the houses

house-PL-DEF

dər-áf-is    the goats

goat-PL-DEF

guur-af-is   the crocodiles

crocodile - PL-DEF

Pronouns

Below is a table of Dime Pronouns

Subject Object
1S ʔaté I ʔis-im me
2S Yaay/yáye you yin-im you
3SM

3SF

nú

ná

he

she

kin-im

kon-im

him

her

1PL wótú we won-im us
2PL yesé you all/you guys yen-im you all/you guys
3PL kété they ken-im them

References

  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.
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