Chonyi language
From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia
| Chonyi | |
|---|---|
| "Chichonyi" | |
| Native to | Kenya |
| Region | Kilifi County |
| Ethnicity | Chonyi people |
Native speakers | 310,000 (2019)[1] |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | coh |
| Glottolog | chon1287 |
E72c[2] | |
Chonyi (Conyi, Kichonyi, Chichonyi) is a Bantu language spoken along the eastern coast of Kenya in Kilifi County by the Chonyi people. It is part of the Mijikenda dialect cluster.
In 2019, there were an estimated 310,000 speakers.[1] Of these, 39,000 spoke the Jibana dialect (Chidzihana) and 71,000 the Kauma dialect (Chikauma).[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Chonyi at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)
- ^ Jouni Filip Maho, 2009. New Updated Guthrie List Online
The major distinction of the Chonyi dialect to their close neighbours which are the Giriama is the use of prefix chi-, instead of ki-.
| Chichonyi | Kigiryama | Kiswahili |
|---|---|---|
| Chihi | Kihi | Kiti |
| Chidogo | Kidogo | Kidogo |
| Chitu | Kitu | Kitu |
| Kiswahili | Chichonyi | |
|---|---|---|
| Umeamkaje? | Ulamkadze? | Amka- lamuka |
| Umeshindaje | Usindadze? | Shinda- sinda |
| Asante | Nasanta | Pole - Pore |
| Kiswahili | Chichonyi |
|---|---|
| Mosi/ moja | Mosi/ mwenga |
| mbili | mbiri |
| tatu | tahu/hahu |
| nne | inne |
| tano | tsano |
| sita/tandatu | handahu |
| saba | fungahe |
| nane | nane |
| tisa/kenda | chenda |
| kumi | kumi |
| kumi na moja | kumi na mwenga |
| kumi na mbili | kumi na mbiri |
| kumi na tatu | kumi na tahu |
| kumi na nne | kumi na inne |
| kumi na tano | kumi na tsano |
| kumi na saba | kumi na fungahe |
| kumi na nane | kumi na nane |
| kumi na tisa | kumi na chenda |
| ishirini/miongo miwili | mirongo miiri |
Chichonyi incorporates intonation during pronunciation which is not very conspicuous in Kiswahili
| Kiswahili | Chichonyi |
|---|---|
| Kichwa | chitswa |
| Jicho (macho) | Dzitso(matso) |
| Pua | pula |
| Skio (maskio) | sikiro (masikiro) |
| Nywele | Nyere |
| Mkono | mkono |
| Kiganja | ganza |
| Kidole/ chanda | chala |
| Kifua | Chifua |
| Mguu | Mgulu |
| Shingo | Singo |
| Mdomo | Mlomo |
| Ulimi | Lulimi |
| Ngozi | Chingo |
| Mgongo | Mongo |