Lutos language

(Redirected from Ruto language)

Lutos (Ruto) is a Central Sudanic language of CAR and Chad. Two distinctive dialects are Lutos/Ruto proper and Nduka.[2]

Lutos
Ruto
Native toCentral African Republic, Chad
Native speakers
(19,000 cited 1993–1996)[1]
Dialects
  • Ruto
  • Nduka
Language codes
ISO 639-3ndy
Glottologluto1241

Phonology

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Consonants[3]
Labial Alveolar Retroflex Palatal Velar Labiovelar Glottal
Plosive oral p b t d k g kp gb
nasal ᵐb ⁿd ᵑg ᵑᵐgb
Implosive ɓ ɗ
Fricative oral f v s z h
nasal ᵐv ⁿz
Nasal m n ɲ
Approximant w r, l ɽ j
  • /s/ can sometimes be heard as [ʃ] syllable-finally.
Vowels[3]
Front Central Back
High i u ũ ũː
Mid-high e ə o õ õː
Mid-low ɛ ɔ ɔː ɔ̃ ɔ̃ː
Low a ã ãː

Additionally, there exists the diphthong /ua/. It cannot be lengthened nor nasalised.

Lutos has three tones: high, mid, low.[3]

References

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  1. ^ Lutos at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. ^ International Encyclopedia of Linguistics ed. William J. Frawley · 2003 p303 " In Central African Republic: 17,000 speakers in Nde ́le ́, Kaga Andoro, and Kabo subprefectures. Dialects are Nduka (Ndouka, Ndoukwa), Lutos (Ruto, Routo, Rito, Luto, Louto), Wada (Wad), Nduga (Ngougua), Konga."
  3. ^ a b c Olson, Kenneth S. (26 August 2013). A Sketch of Lutos Phonology. 43rd Colloquium on African Languages & Linguistics. Leiden.