!Ora
Korana
Khoe-Kwadi (Khoekhoe)
Korana (!Ora) is a critically endangered Khoekhoe language of the Northern Cape, once spoken by cattle-herding clans along the Orange and Vaal rivers. Like its sister Nama, it uses four click types and has gender-marked person-gender-number (PGN) clitics, but preserves archaic Khoekhoe vocabulary lost in modern Nama. Only a handful of elderly rememberers survive.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Korana
Sources
- Maingard, Louis F. (1962) Korana Folktales: Grammar and Texts. Witwatersrand University Press.
- Du Plessis, Menán (2018) Korana: An Outline of the Phonology and Grammar of an All-but-forgotten Khoekhoe Language. UCT Press, Cape Town.
- Du Plessis, Menán (2019) New Data Concerning the Khoekhoe Language Once Spoken by the Korana. South African Journal of African Languages 39(2).
- Glottolog: Korana
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Khoe-Kwadi (Khoekhoe)
| Meaning | Korana | Nama | Taa | Yuchi | Wichita | Aari | Luwian |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ǁammi /ǁamːi/ | ǁgam-i /ǁɡamːi/ | ǃqhàa /ǃqʰaː/ | tse /tse/ | kicʔa /kitsʔa/ | noqa /noˈkʼa/ | wār /waːr/ |
| Fire | ǀʼaeb /ǀʔaeb/ | ǀae-s /ǀaes/ | ǀʼàã /ǀʼãː/ | ʼyati /ʔjati/ | heːcʔa /heːtsʔa/ | noha /noˈha/ | pāḫur /ˈpaːxur/ |
| Sun | sores /sores/ | sores /sores/ | ǁʼân /ǁʼã/ | tso /tso/ | saːkhirʔa /saːkʰiɾʔa/ | háy /haj/ | 𔖖𔓚 /ˈtiwad/ |
| Moon | ǁxãb /ǁxãb/ | ǁkhâb /ǁkʰãːb/ | ǃqhàn /ǃqʰã/ | shafa /ʃafa/ | waːh /waːh/ | arfi /arfi/ | 𔓜𔒄𔗦 /ˈarmas/ |
| Star | ǀʼamirob /ǀʔamirob/ | ǀgamiros /ǀɡamiros/ | ǃqʰái /ǃqʰái/ | weʼyv /weʔjʌ̃/ | hiːkwirikʔa /hiːkʷiɾikʔa/ | manka /ˈmanka/ | — /—/ |
| Night | thũxub /tʰũxub/ | tsuxub /tsuxub/ | ǃnoe /ǃnoe/ | pado /pado/ | ckhaːrʔa /tskʰaːɾʔa/ | tumi /tʼumi/ | — /—/ |
| Rain | tūs /tuːs/ | ǀnanub /ǀnanub/ | ǃkxʼôe /ǃkxʼoe/ | — | — | doobi /doːbi/ | — |
| Snow | abas /abas/ | tsâmaros /tsãːmaros/ | — | sta /sta/ | hiraːʔa /hiɾaːʔa/ | — | — |
| Wind | ǂʼoab /ǂʔoab/ | ǂoab /ǂoab/ | ǂqhùe /ǂqʰue/ | — | niweʔeːrʔa /niweʔeːɾʔa/ | — | — |
| Earth | ǃhūb /ǃʰuːb/ | ǃhūb /ǃʰuːp/ | ǂkxʼûm /ǂkxʼum/ | — | — | — | tiyamma- /tijamma/ |
| Stone | ǀʼuis /ǀʔuis/ | ǀuib /ǀuib/ | — | — | — | seeni /seːni/ | assu- /ˈasːu/ |
| Mountain | ǃareb /ǃareb/ | ǃhommi /ǃʰomːi/ | — | — | — | — | watti- /ˈwatːi/ |
| Sea | huriǁamma /huriǁamːa/ | hurib /hurib/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Mother | ĩs /ĩs/ | ǁgûs /ǁɡũːs/ | qáe /qae/ | ditsehæ /ditsehæ/ | eciyeːh /etsijeːh/ | inde /inde/ | anni- /ˈanni/ |
| Father | abob /abob/ | ǁgûb /ǁɡũːb/ | a̰a /a̰a/ | dzetʼe /dzetʼe/ | taːtah /taːtah/ | baba /baba/ | 𔐞𔑣𔓯𔗔 /ˈtadis/ |
| Daughter | õas /õas/ | ôas /õas/ | — | — | — | — | duttariyati- /ˈdutːarijati/ |
| I | tita /titá/ | tita /titá/ | ń /ŋ̩/ | di /di/ | nacʔih /natsʔih/ | ita /ʔiˈta/ | 𔐀 /ˈamu/ |
| You | sats /sats/ | sats /sats/ | a /aː/ | tse /tse/ | nasʔih /nasʔih/ | ahna /ahˈna/ | tu /tu/ |
| We | sada / sida /sada / sida/ | sada / sida /sada / sida/ | īh /iː/ | ʼõdi / nõdi /ʔõdi / nõdi/ | — /—/ | wota /woˈta/ | anzāš /ˈantsaːs/ |
| Name | ǀkxʼonna /ǀkxʼonːa/ | ǀons /ǀòns/ | ǀqʼûle /ǀʛûle/ | tiʼe /tiʔe/ | hissaːrʔa /hissaːɾʔa/ | naami /naːˈmi/ | 𔐓𔓇𔒄𔖪 /ˈalamantsa/ |
| Person | khoeb /kʰoeb/ | khoe-i /kʰoei/ | tâa /taː/ | — | ihaas /ihaas/ | ed /ʔed/ | ziti- /ˈtsiti/ |
| Head | mũǃʼãb /mũǃʔãb/ | danas /danas/ | ǀnàn /ǀnã/ | — | — | mata /maˈta/ | ḫarmaḫi- /ˈxarmaxi/ |
| Eye | mũb /mũb/ | mûs /mũːs/ | ǃʼûĩ /ǃʼũĩ/ | gochi /ɡotʃʰi/ | kirikʔa /kiɾikʔa/ | aafi /aːfi/ | tawi- /ˈtawi/ |
| Ear | ǁnãub /ǁnãub/ | ǂgaes /ǂɡaes/ | — | — | — | — | tummant- /ˈtumːant/ |
| Nose | ǂuib /ǂuib/ | ǂguis /ǂɡuis/ | — | — | — | nuki /ˈnuki/ | — |
| Mouth | kxʼamma /kxʼamːa/ | am-s /ams/ | ǂûe /ǂue/ | — | — | afa /ʔaˈfa/ | āssa- /ˈaːsːa/ |
| Tooth | ǁũb /ǁũb/ | ǁgûb /ǁɡũːb/ | ǃxu /ǃχu/ | kẽ /kẽ/ | aːkʔa /aːkʔa/ | achʼi /atsʼi/ | — /—/ |
| Tongue | tamma /tamːa/ | nammi /namːi/ | ǃnani /ǃnani/ | kʼẽka /kʼẽka/ | hacʼa /hatsʔa/ | adim /adim/ | lāli- /ˈlaːli/ |
| Hand | ǃʼommi /ǃʔomːi/ | ǃom-mi /ǃomːi/ | ǀkxʼàa /ǀkxʼaː/ | weʼothæ /weʔotʰæ/ | iskʔa /iskʔa/ | aani /ʔaːni/ | 𔑁𔓯𔑶𔖸 /ˈistri/ |
| Foot | ǂaib /ǂʔaib/ | ǂaidi /ǂaidi/ | ǂnùũ /ǂnũũ/ | wedithæ /weditʰæ/ | asʔa /asʔa/ | duuti /duːti/ | pāta- /ˈpaːta/ |
| Heart | ǂaob /ǂaob/ | ǂgaob /ǂɡaob/ | ǀqʼàn /ǀqʼã/ | wethæ /wetʰæ/ | sikicʔa /sikitsʔa/ | buudi /ˈbuːdi/ | zārt- /tsaːrt/ |
| Bone | ǂxōb /ǂxoːb/ | ǂkhōb /ǂkʰoːb/ | ǂàã /ǂãã/ | weshʼe /weʃʼe/ | kiːsʔa /kiːsʔa/ | lefi /lefi/ | ḫāssa- /ˈxaːsːa/ |
| Blood | ǀʼaob /ǀʔaob/ | ǀaob /ǀaop/ | ǃxãu /ǃχãũ/ | wi /wi/ | waːckicʔa /waːtskitsʔa/ | — /—/ | āšḫar- /ˈaːsxar/ |
| Love | ǀnam /ǀnam/ | ǀnam /ǀnam/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | azza- /ˈatsːa/ |
| Tree | hais /hais/ | hai-s /hais/ | ʼʘnàje /ʔʘnaje/ | ʼya /ʔja/ | tiyaːhkw /tijaːhkʷ/ | ahqe /ahːˈqe/ | — /—/ |
| Dog | arib /arib/ | arib /arib/ | ǂqhài /ǂqʰai/ | dzene /dzene/ | kiciyeːh /kitsijeːh/ | aksi /ˈʔaksi/ | zuwana- /tsuˈwana/ |
| Cat | — /—/ | ǀores /ǀores/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Fish | ǁʼaub /ǁʔaub/ | ǁaub /ǁaub/ | ǀqhaa /ǀqʰaa/ | shu /ʃu/ | kaːcʔa /kaːtsʔa/ | toila /toila/ | — /—/ |
| Bird | kxʼanis /kxʼanis/ | anis /anis/ | — | — | ichir /itsʰiɾ/ | afti /afti/ | — |
| Horse | hāb /haːb/ | hāb /haːb/ | — | — | — | — | azzu- /ˈatsːu/ |
| House | kxʼommi /kxʼomːi/ | oms /oms/ | — /—/ | yufa /jufa/ | akhaːrʔa /akʰaːɾʔa/ | — /—/ | 𔔙𔐤𔖪 /ˈparnantsa/ |
| Milk | bīb /biːb/ | bis /bis/ | gǂqhèẽ /ɡǂqʰeẽ/ | — | — | — | — |
| Honey | danis /danis/ | danis /danis/ | — | — | — | — | malli- /ˈmalːi/ |
| Salt | ǂkxʼōb /ǂkxʼoːb/ | ǂōb /ǂoːp/ | — | — | — | sooq /soːkʼ/ | — |
| Wine | ǀkxʼabaǃxarib /ǀkxʼabaǃxarib/ | ǂauxûi-i /ǂauxũĩi/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Iron | ǀkxʼurib /ǀkxʼurib/ | ǀurib /ǀurib/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Wheel | ǃnaris /ǃnaris/ | ǀnūs /ǀnuːs/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Book | ǂxanis /ǂxanis/ | ǂkhanis /ǂkʰanis/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Eat | ǂʼũ /ǂʼũ/ | ǂû /ǂũː/ | ʼâã /ʔãː/ | gothlæ /ɡoɬæ/ | kaʔac /kaʔats/ | — /—/ | ad- /ad/ |
| Drink | kxʼā /kxʼaː/ | ā /aː/ | kxʼāhã /kxʼaːhã/ | pʼe /pʼe/ | kikʔa /kikʔa/ | — /—/ | ū- /uː/ |
| Sleep | ǁūm /ǁʔuːm/ | ǁom /ǁom/ | ʘân /ʘã/ | — | — | — | — |
| One | ǀui /ǀui/ | ǀgui /ǀɡui/ | ǂʼûã /ǂʼũã/ | hitʼe /hitʼe/ | chiʔass /tsʰiʔass/ | wollaq /ˈwolːakʼ/ | — /—/ |
| Two | ǀam /ǀam/ | ǀgam /ǀɡàm/ | ǂnûm /ǂûm/ | nõwe /nõwe/ | wic /wits/ | qasken /kʼasˈken/ | — /—/ |
| Three | ǃnona /ǃnona/ | ǃnona /ǃnoná/ | ǁaeˀe /ǁaeʔe/ | nǫkæ /nõkæ/ | taw /taw/ | makken /makːen/ | tarri- /ˈtarːi/ |
| Four | haka /haka/ | haka /haka/ | — | — | taːkwic /taːkʷits/ | oydi /ojdi/ | māuwa- /ˈmaːuwa/ |
| Five | koro /koro/ | koro /koro/ | — | chʼwahe /tʃʼwahe/ | — | donq /donkʼ/ | panta /ˈpanta/ |
| Hello | — /—/ | matisâ /matisãː/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Thank you | — /—/ | aios /aios/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Good | ǃãĩ /ǃãĩ/ | ǃgâib /ǃɡãĩb/ | — /—/ | sæle /sæle/ | acs /atss/ | laqami /lakʼaˈmi/ | 𔖢 /ˈwaːsu/ |
| New | ǀʼāsa /ǀʔaːsa/ | ǀasa /ǀasa/ | — | — | — | killa /kilːˈa/ | nāwa- /ˈnaːwa/ |
| Red | ǀkxʼaba /ǀkxʼaba/ | ǀapa /ǀapa/ | ǀàa /ǀàa/ | tshyathla /tsʰjaɬa/ | kwhaːc /kʷʰaːts/ | zeymi /zejˈmi/ | — /—/ |
| White | xati /xati/ | ǃuri /ǃuri/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Black | ǂnū /ǂnuː/ | ǂnu /ǂnu/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Green | ǃkxʼam /ǃkxʼam/ | ǃgam /ǃɡam/ | ᶢǀa̤ʕi /ᶢǀa̤ʕi/ | — | — | — | — |
| Blue | ǃnoā /ǃnoaː/ | ǃhoa /ǃʰoa/ | ᶢǀa̤ʕi /ᶢǀa̤ʕi/ | — | — | — | — |
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