Foor'íŋ belé
Fur
Nilo-Saharan (Fur)
Fur is the language of the Fur people of Darfur in western Sudan and the neighbouring Sila region of Chad, centred on the Jebel Marra massif; speakers call themselves Poora and their language Foor'íŋ belé. It forms its own small branch of Nilo-Saharan together with Amdang of Chad and has no close relatives. Nouns mark number by alternating prefixes rather than suffixes — singular d- or n- against plural k-, as in nʉ́ŋɨ́ 'eye' beside kʉ́ŋɨ́ 'eyes' — and the verb system is notorious for allomorphs so divergent that one root can surface in several unrelated-looking shapes. Fur has two tone registers, High (marked with an acute) and Low (left unmarked), and an ATR vowel contrast written with the extra letters ɨ, ʉ and a̱ in the SIL-based Latin orthography developed in the 1990s; where that orthography is unattested for a word, the forms here follow Jakobi's and Beaton's transcriptions. About 790,000 people speak Fur, and although Darfur's wars have displaced much of the population, the language is still passed on to children and is used in radio broadcasting and literacy materials.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Fur
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Nilo-Saharan (Fur)
| Meaning | Fur | Hajong | Lardil | Proto-Bantu | Dâw | Baniwa | Yangkaal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | kòrò /kòrò/ | pani /pani/ | nguka /ŋuka/ | *-jíjì /-jíjì/ | nǝ̌x /nə̌x/ | óoni /óoni/ | nguku /ŋuku/ |
| Fire | udú /ùdú/ | ag /aɡ/ | nyuda /ɲuda/ | *-dído /-dído/ | bohõ̂ /bohõ̂/ | ttídzee /t̪ídzee/ | ngida /ŋida/ |
| Sun | dùlé /dùlé/ | bela /bela/ | warrka /waɾka/ | *-júbà /-júbà/ | xɨtɨ̂m /xɨtɨ̂m/ | kámoi /kámoi/ | warrku /waɾku/ |
| Moon | dʋ́àl /dʊ́àl/ | চান /tʃan/ | kirdikir /kiɖikir/ | *-jèdì /-jèdì/ | xɨtɨ̂m /xɨtɨ̂m/ | kéeri /kéeɻi/ | waldarra /waldaɾa/ |
| Star | wírí /wírí/ | tara /taɾa/ | kuwa thungal /kuwa θuŋal/ | *-nyényèdí /-ɲéɲèdí/ | mʼæ̃̌h /mʼæ̃̌h/ | hiwírhi /hiwíɻhi/ | miburlda thungalda /mibuɭda t̪uŋalda/ |
| Night | lul /lùːl/ | rati /rati/ | nata /nata/ | *-tíkʊ̀ /tikʊ/ | cem /cem/ | déepi /déepi/ | ngimi /ŋimi/ |
| Snow | — /—/ | borof /bɔrof/ | — | — | — /—/ | — /—/ | — |
| Earth | sùːrù /sùːrù/ | মাটি /maʈi/ | — | *-cɪ́ /-cɪ́/ | cax /cax/ | híipai /híipai/ | — |
| Mountain | fúgó /fúɡó/ | — | — | — | — | hidzápa /hidzápa/ | — |
| Mother | íya /íja/ | ma /ma/ | ngama /ŋama/ | *-nyìná /-nyìná/ | mɛ̃ʔ /mɛ̃ʔ/ | hádoa /hádoa/ | ngamathu /ŋamat̪u/ |
| Father | âba /âba/ | baba /baba/ | kantha /kan̪t̪a/ | *-íce /-íce/ | ʔǐp /ʔǐp/ | hániɻi /hániɻi/ | kanthathu /kant̪at̪u/ |
| I | ká /ká/ | moi /muɪ/ | ngada /ŋada/ | — /—/ | ʔãh /ʔãh/ | nhóa /nhóa/ | ngada /ŋada/ |
| You | jɨ́ /ɟɪ́/ | tui /tuɪ/ | nyingki /ɲiŋki/ | — /—/ | ʔãm /ʔãm/ | phía /pʰía/ | nyingka /ɲiŋka/ |
| We | kɨ́ /kɪ́/ | amra /amra/ | ngakuli / nyali /ŋakuli / ɲali/ | — /—/ | ʔid /ʔid/ | wha /wha/ | ngakulda / ngalda /ŋakulda / ŋalda/ |
| Name | kònà /kònà/ | nam /nam/ | nyunda /ɲunda/ | *-jína /-jína/ | xǎt /xǎt/ | iipítana /iipítana/ | nida /nida/ |
| Person | dùó /dùó/ | — | — | *-ntʊ̀ /-ntʊ̀/ | — | newíki /newíki/ | — |
| Head | tàbù /tàbù/ | — | — | *-tʊ́è /-tʊ́è/ | nũh /nũh/ | hiwída /hiwída/ | — |
| Eye | nʉ́ŋɨ́ /nʊ́ŋɪ́/ | soku /sɔku/ | kuwa /kuwa/ | *-jícò /-jícò/ | tɨm /tɨm/ | thi /thi/ | miburlda /mibuɭda/ |
| Ear | dɨ́ló /dɪ́ló/ | kan /kan/ | — | *-tʊi /tʊi/ | xũ̂j /xũ̂j/ | héeni /héeni/ | — |
| Nose | dòrmí /dòrmí/ | nak /nak/ | — | *-jʊ́dʊ̀ /-jʊ́dʊ̀/ | tôɟ /tôɟ/ | hitáko /hitáko/ | — |
| Mouth | útò /útò/ | — | — | *-nʊ̀à /-nʊ̀à/ | nɔ̃h /nɔ̃h/ | nóma /nóma/ | — |
| Tooth | dagi /daɡi/ | dat /dat/ | kadma leman /kadma leman/ | *-jìnò /dʒino/ | tǝg /təɡ/ | eétsha /eétʃa/ | damanda /damanda/ |
| Tongue | dali /dali/ | jiba /dʒiba/ | jalda leman /dʒalda leman/ | *-dìmì /dimi/ | nɔ̃hkæ̂d /nɔ̃hkæ̂d/ | eenéne /eenéne/ | jalngantha /ɟalŋant̪a/ |
| Hand | dóŋá /dóŋá/ | hat /hat/ | marlda /maɭda/ | *-bókò /-bókò/ | ʃôb /ʃôb/ | káapi /káapi/ | — /—/ |
| Foot | tàar /tàːr/ | theng /ʈʰeŋ/ | jaa /dʒaː/ | *-gʊ̀dʊ̀ /ɡʊdʊ/ | cɨ̌m /cɨ̌m/ | híipa /híipa/ | — |
| Heart | kilmá /kìlmá/ | mon /mon/ | bulja /buldʒa/ | *-tíma /-tíma/ | hæ̃g tôj /hæ̃ɡ tôj/ | kaale /kaaɺe/ | — /—/ |
| Bone | daru /daru/ | harang /haraŋ/ | kadma /kadma/ | *-kúpà /kupa/ | kɛg /kɛɡ/ | áapi /áapi/ | julda /ɟulda/ |
| Blood | kewa /kɛwa/ | rokto /rɔkto/ | kanda /kanda/ | *-gàdí /ɡadi/ | jɨ̂w /jɨ̂w/ | iiránaa /iiɻánaa/ | kandu /kandu/ |
| Love | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | *-kʊ́nda /-kʊ́nda/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Tree | kuru /kuru/ | gas /ɡas/ | thungal /θuŋal/ | *-tí /-tí/ | təg /təɡ/ | háiko /háiko/ | — /—/ |
| Dog | ásà /ásà/ | kuthura /kutʰuɾa/ | ngawa /ŋawa/ | *-bʊ́à /-bʊ́à/ | jãm /jãm/ | tsíino /tsíino/ | — /—/ |
| Cat | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | pitsána /pitsána/ | — /—/ |
| Fish | fun /fun/ | mas /maːtʃʰ/ | yaka /jaka/ | *-cùì /cùì/ | hãːp /hãːp/ | kóphe /kúpʰe/ | yakuri /jakuɾi/ |
| Egg | dɨróŋ /dɪróŋ/ | dim /dim/ | — | *-ìgɪ́ /-ìgɪ́/ | tɨ̌p /tɨ̌p/ | éewhe /éewhe/ | — |
| House | tòŋ /tòŋ/ | ghor /ɡʱoɾ/ | ngambirr /ŋambir/ | *-jʊ̀ /-jʊ̀/ | tɔp /tɔp/ | pántti /pánt̪i/ | — /—/ |
| Salt | kerra /kɛrːa/ | — | — | *-jínyʊ̀ /-jíɲʊ̀/ | — | íiwi /íiwi/ | — |
| Eat | ám- /ám/ | kha /kʰa/ | jitha /dʒiθa/ | *-dɪ́a /-dɪ́a/ | wæ̂d /wæ̂d/ | íiñha /íiɲha/ | — /—/ |
| Drink | ba- /ba/ | kha /kʰa/ | kurdama /kuɖama/ | *-nyʊ̀ /-nyʊ̀/ | ʔǝg /ʔəɡ/ | íira /íiɻa/ | — /—/ |
| One | tòk /tòk/ | ek /ek/ | warnge /waɾŋe/ | *-mò /-mò/ | mʼæ̃ʔ /mʼæ̃ʔ/ | aapa /aapa/ | — /—/ |
| Two | a̱w /ə̀w/ | dui /duɪ/ | kiyarrng /kijaɾŋ/ | *-bɪ̀dɪ̀ /-bɪ̀dɪ̀/ | tɨ̌m /tɨ̌m/ | dzáma /dzáma/ | kiyarrngka /kijaɾŋka/ |
| Three | iis /iːs/ | tin /tin/ | mungkalan /muŋkalan/ | *-tátʊ̀ /tatʊ/ | mũtwáp /mũtwáp/ | madali /madali/ | — /—/ |
| Four | òŋàl /òŋàl/ | — | — | *-nàì /nai/ | — | — | — |
| Five | òòs /òːs/ | — | — | *-táano /táːno/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — |
| Hundred | fírí /fírí/ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Hello | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Thank you | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Good | tullé /tùlːé/ | bhala /bʱala/ | kuba /kuba/ | *-jijá /-jijá/ | jæ̃̂w /jæ̃̂w/ | mátsia /mátsia/ | — /—/ |
| New | dɨwwô /dɪwːô/ | — | — | *-pɪ́à /-pɪ́à/ | — | éemi /éemi/ | — |
| Red | fùkká /fùkːá/ | lal /lal/ | kandukan /kandukan/ | *-kúndù /-kúndù/ | nô /nô/ | íirai /íiɻai/ | kandukandu /kandukandu/ |
| White | fàttá /fàtːá/ | dhola /dʱola/ | — | — | hô /hô/ | háale /háaɺe/ | — |
| Black | dìkkó /dìkːó/ | — | — | *-jídʊ̀ /-jídʊ̀/ | câ /câ/ | íitta /íit̪a/ | — |
| Green | kirro /kirːo/ | — | — | — | mɨ̃̂ /mɨ̃̂/ | hípole /hípole/ | — |
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