Nuer language

Nuer
Thok Naath
Pronunciation[ˈnaːt̪]
Native toSouth Sudan, Ethiopia
RegionGreater Upper Nile, Gambela Region
EthnicityNuer
Native speakers
1.7 million (2017)[1]
Dialects
  • Abigar
  • Cien
  • Dor
  • Eastern Jikany
  • Lou
  • Thiang
  • Western Jikany
Latin
Language codes
ISO 639-3nus
Glottolognuer1246
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The Nuer language (Thok Naath)[2] ("people's language") is a Nilotic language of the Western Nilotic group. It is spoken by the Nuer people of South Sudan and in western Ethiopia (region of Gambela). The language is very similar to Dinka and Atuot.[3]

The language is written with a Latin-based alphabet. There are several dialects of Nuer, although all share one written standard. For example, final /k/, is pronounced in the Jikany dialect but is dropped in other dialects despite being indicated in the Nuer orthography used by all.

  1. ^ Nuer at Ethnologue (26th ed., 2023) Closed access icon
  2. ^ "WALS Online -Language Nuer". wals.info. Retrieved 2016-10-29.
  3. ^ Trust, Gurtong. "Nuer (Naath)". www.gurtong.net. Retrieved 2016-10-29.