Dizin language

Spoken in

• Afro-Asiatic Omotisch Nordomotisch Dizi Sheko

Dizi (also Magi, Maji ) is a omotische language that is spoken in southwestern Ethiopia in the Kaffa region. It is attributed to the Nordomotischen and is closely related to Sheko and Nayi

For the Dizi several descriptions are available ( see bibliography ), which differ in many important points, which can probably infer strong dialectal differences.

Phonology

The dizi has about 25 consonants. It is striking that plosives and affricates can not only voiced and voiceless, but also ejektiv occur. The existence of ž ( ie, [ ʒ ]) and the retro flexes ʐ, ʂ, ɖ, ʈ and syllabic nasals bildener who find themselves within the Omotischen only in Gimira and Dizi Sheko, can be regarded as characteristic. The number of vowel phonemes is six, five of them can be both long and short occur. As a tonal language, the dizi has three pitches that are used primarily in morphology. The accent is on the first syllable.

Morphology

Pronouns and nouns

According to Allan, the personal pronouns have the following forms:

In addition, it should ( "man") and give a Genusdistinktion in the second person, but they are probably out of date or are referred by Bender 2000 as doubtful by Allan also a dual, an indefinite person. After Toselli at least the following case are formed by suffixes: genitive / ablative kn, s dative, accusative - (i ) n

Every noun is either masculine or feminine. According to the descriptions of Toselli and Allan, the genus is characterized with certain suffixes such as -en/-in for the feminine. After Allan Keefer and noun phrases in the plural by subsequent k ~ k ʾ ʾ Anka aŋkaz marked; deterministic plurals carry außerdemin certain cases a suffix -a:

• Kian -à k ʾ Anka's " the dogs "

Toselli, however, describes a plural suffix -en:

• Kiyanu -el "dog "

Allan and Keefer also describe parts of a case system. The Subjektskasus is unmarked case, a allative / dative ( -s) and ablative ( -t) are characterized by suffixes. The accusative is marked with definite or marked with modifiers masculine noun phrases in the singular with -s, in other masculine noun phrases in the accusative singular is unmarked. In all other cases ( feminine singular, masculine plural, etc.) is the accusative suffix -n:

• Yaaba -s sʌgo "He looked at the man. "
• Yaaba Yeda s sʌgo " He saw the man who came. "
• Kìanù - ∅ sʌgo "He saw a dog " (Since the Subjektskasus is unmarked, does the phrase also " saw a dog. " )
• Wete -n sʌgo " He saw the cow. "
• Kìanù k ʾ Anka's -n sʌgo " He saw the dogs. "

Ownership are identified by the analysis of Bender in 2000 by changing the sound.

Verb

After Keefer Dizi has formally strictly separate declarative and interrogative conjugations other descriptions treat only declarative conjugations, which can be divided according to formal criteria in synthetic and analytical forms. The synthetic tenses formally comprise the verbal stem, a tense marker and a personal ending, which shows some variations depending on the tense. The tense system of several forms for the past tense / perfect, present tense, future tense, and even non- past. As an example, serve forms of verbs k ʾ əy " work ", k ʾ ʾ wuts - "cut" after Bender:

Some tenses are formed with auxiliary verbs that are conjugated to own Personalsuffixen ( forms Allan ):

In addition to the main clause affirmative forms knows the Dizi also Nebensatzkonjugationen that are like the interrogative verbs formed with a prefixed person markers and a suffix. So a " Konverb " or " gerund " with -te/-de is formed:

• N -k ʾ e - te " after I had worked "
• A- k ʾ ɛyn -de " that it works ".

After Keefer interrogative verbs have the following structure:

• Personalpräfixe ( identical to the Possessivpräfixen, see above)
• Verbal stem
• Tempussuffixe ( present tense: - kn tweeter, Perfect: CN bass, habitatives present tense - as, future tense - ∅, past tense: Nasal ).

Examples:

• Futur: Asie " you'll see? "
• Present tense: āsɛ̄kŋ " you see?"
• Perfect: āsɛkŋ " did you see? "
• Preterite ason " you saw? "

In sentences with interrogatives is a suffix -ni Application:

• Iikin āsɛkì -ni " Who did you see? "