Nkore (also called Nkole, Nyankore, Nyankole, Orunyankore, Orunyankole, Runyankore and Runyankole) is a Bantu language spoken by the Nkore ("Banyankore") of south-western

Uganda Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the ...

in the former province of Ankole, as well as in

Tanzania Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Uganda to the northwest; Kenya to the northeast; the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to t ...

, the

DR Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), also known as the DR Congo, Congo-Kinshasa, or simply the Congo (the last ambiguously also referring to the neighbouring Republic of the Congo), is a country in Central Africa. By land area, it is t ...

Rwanda Rwanda, officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of East Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge. Located a few degrees south of the Equator, Rwanda is bordered by ...

and

Burundi Burundi, officially the Republic of Burundi, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is located in the Great Rift Valley at the junction between the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa, with a population of over 14 million peop ...

. Runyankole is mainly spoken in the Mbarara, Bushenyi, Ntungamo, Kiruhura, Ibanda, Isingiro, Rukungiri, Buhweju, Mitooma, Sheema, Rubirizi and parts of Kitagwenda districts. There is a brief description and teaching guide for this language, written by Charles V. Taylor in the 1950s, and an adequate dictionary in print. Whilst this language is spoken by almost all the Ugandans in the region, most also speak English, especially in the towns. (English is one of Uganda's two official languages, and the language taught in schools.) Nkore is so similar to Kiga (84–94 percent lexical similarity) that some argue they are

dialects A dialect is a variety of language spoken by a particular group of people. This may include dominant and standardized varieties as well as vernacular, unwritten, or non-standardized varieties, such as those used in developing countries or iso ...

of the same language, a language called Nkore-Kiga by Taylor.

Phonology

Runyankore has a five-vowel system: * Sounds /i, u/ can be heard as �, ʊwhen short or lax.

Orthography

* a - * b - * c - ͡ʃ* d - * e - * f - * g - /d͡ʒ* h - * i - * k - /t͡ʃ* m - * n - * o - * p - * r - * s - * t - * u - * v - * w - * y - * z - * ai - i̯* ei - �i̯* gy - ʲ* ky - ʲ* mp - ��p* mw - ��w* nd - ��d* ng - �* ny - �* oi - �i̯* sh - �* ts - ͡s* zh - � D and P are only used in the digraphs ''ND'' and ''MP'' and in loanwords. G and K are ͡ʒand ͡ʃbefore I, and elsewhere.

Basic greetings

The greeting ''Agandi'', implying, "How are you?" but literally meaning "other news!", can be replied with ''Ni marungi'', which literally means "good news!". The proper greetings are ''Oraire ota?'' or ''Osiibire ota?'', literally translated "How was your night?" and "How was your day?". "Good night" is ''Oraare gye'' and "Good day" is ''Osiibe gye''. Here are a few names one might use in a greeting: *Madam – ''Nyabo'' *Sir – ''Sebo'' *Child – ''omwana'' *Boy – ''omwojo'' *Girl – ''omwishiki''

Food

*Matooke or Bananas - ''Ebitookye'' *Maize Meal or corn bread – ''Obuhunga''’Ensano’ *Beans – ''Ebihimba'' *Meat – ''Enyama'' *Millet Bread – ''Oburo''

Other words and phrases

*No: Ngaaha (ing-gah-ha) or Apaana (ah-pah-nah) *Yes: Yego (yegg-oh) *Thank you: Webare (We-ba-re) *Thank you very much: Webare munonga (We-ba-re mu-non-ga) *You're welcome (literally: Thank you for appreciating): Webare kusiima (We-ba-re koo-see-mah) *I like/love you: Ninkukunda (nin-koo-coon-dah) or ninkukunda munonga (nin-koo-coon-dah moo-non-gah) *My name is ____: Eizina ryangye niinye ______ (ey-zeen-ah riya-gye ni-inye___) or ndi _____ (in-dee ______) *I am from _____: Ninduga_____ (nin-doog-ah_____) *It's how much shillings/money? Ni shiringi zingahi? (Knee shi-rin-gee zin-gah-hee) or ni sente zingahi? *Good morning. How are you? Oraire ota (orei-rota) Replies: I'm fine Ndaire gye (ndei-re-jeh) or Ndyaho (indi-aho) *Good morning. Did you sleep well? Oraire gye? (orei-reh-jeh) Reply: Yes, yourself? Yego, shan’iwe *Good afternoon. How are you spending your day? Osiibire ota (o-see-bee-rota) Replies: Nsiibire gye (insi-bi-reje) *You are spending your day well? Osiibire gye (Osi birejge) Replies: Yes- Yego (yegg-oh) or nsiibire gye *Good afternoon. How has your day been? Waasiiba ota (wasib-wota) Reply: Fine, good, I've spent it well – Naasiiba gye (nasi-baje) *Good night: oraregye Standard English–Runyankore/Rukiga Dictionary – Mwene Mushanga, Ph.D. Banyankore Cultural Foundation, Mbarara, Uganda, 2004 English to Runyankole Easy Reading Handbook, Vincent Busulwa, 2000 Staff of Bishop Stuart Core Primary Teachers' College, Mbarara, Uganda

References