Sinyar language
Central Sudanic language spoken in Chad
title: "Sinyar language" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["languages-of-chad", "bongo–bagirmi-languages", "unclassified-languages-of-africa"] description: "Central Sudanic language spoken in Chad" topic_path: "linguistics" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinyar_language" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Central Sudanic language spoken in Chad ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox language"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Sinyar |
| nativename | Shemya |
| states | Chad |
| ethnicity | Sinyar |
| speakers | |
| date | 2023 |
| ref | e27 |
| familycolor | Nilo-Saharan |
| fam2 | Central Sudanic? |
| fam3 | Bongo-Bagirmi? |
| iso3 | sys |
| glotto | siny1243 |
| glottorefname | Sinyar |
| :: |
| name = Sinyar | nativename = Shemya | states = Chad | ethnicity = Sinyar | speakers = | date = 2023 | ref = e27 | familycolor = Nilo-Saharan | fam2 = Central Sudanic? | fam3 = Bongo-Bagirmi? | iso3 = sys | glotto = siny1243 | glottorefname = Sinyar ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3d/Darfur_Linguistic_Map.svg" caption="Linguistic map of the non-Arab peoples of Darfur."] ::
Shemya (tàar ʃàmɲà) is the language of the Sinyar people. It is a Central Sudanic language spoken in Chad and formerly in Darfur, Sudan. It is variously spelled Shamya, Shamyan, Shemya, Sinya, and known as Symiarta, Taar Shamyan, Zimirra.
The language is spoken in Goz Beïda, Chad and Foro Boranga, Sudan. There are two level tones and downstepped low tones. Word order is SVO.
Dimmendaal leaves it as a language isolate, whereas Blench groups it with Formona.
Doornbos records 18 Sinyar clans. The Kijaar clan, located close to the Kujargé, likely intermarried with the Kujargé.
Lexicon
Sinyar numerals from Boyeldieu (2013):
;Numerals ::data[format=table]
| 10 | ʈìyà |
|---|---|
| :: |
Sinyar appears to have a Bongo–Bagirmi superstratum and a non-Bongo–Bagirmi substratum. Some lexical items in Sinyar have cognates in Bongo–Bagirmi languages (particularly the neighboring Yulu-Gula group), while others do not.
;Sinyar lexical items without Bongo-Bagirmi cognates ::data[format=table]
| Gloss | Sinyar |
|---|---|
| bee, honey | sìmír |
| black | kìttì |
| buffalo | kàjìbìl |
| come | uwe / weeɲ |
| deep | cuggol |
| dry | arfa |
| ear | ùrà |
| leaf | ìi |
| elephant | kártí |
| foot | gwàar |
| leg | kàffà |
| grass | kàanà |
| head | sùɓó |
| hunger | mùsù |
| kill | wii |
| long | ʃùggòl |
| moon | kwànjà |
| neck | kwàalà |
| new | sìyèer |
| night | dìkìttì |
| nose | ɲàrmá |
| person | cé / céè; ƒítì |
| place | dì |
| placenta | kàɗù |
| plait, to | urɓa / urmba |
| rain, to | weeri (-ooru) |
| red | abbal |
| rope | kwàár |
| smoke | úʃú |
| snake | nɖùbbòl |
| steal | maggal / mangal |
| stone, grindstone | gòl |
| wet | wicce (-ucce) |
| :: |
;Sinyar lexical items with Bongo-Bagirmi cognates ::data[format=table]
| Gloss | Sinyar |
|---|---|
| beget | wiʄe / wiɲe |
| bird | wèl |
| breast | mbàár |
| die | wille |
| dog | ɓìsì |
| drink | iya |
| eat | wiɲ |
| eye | kwòm |
| fire | fòɗù |
| fish | kwùnjó |
| grease, oil | ìbì |
| horn | kòjjù |
| hot | uŋŋa |
| I | màá |
| know | ugol / ungol |
| make a pot | uɓa / umba |
| meat | ìjjà |
| mouth | tàar |
| name | èerè |
| ox, cow | ìccà |
| seed | kùfò |
| sharp | affa |
| skin | ànnà |
| seep | suɗo / sunjo |
| three | mùʈʈà |
| tree | kàggá |
| two | róò |
| who? | ɗèe- |
| goat | fìyà |
| gruel, porridge | fìryà |
| hair | fìí |
| warthog | fòɗú |
| sun | dkàjjà |
| water, thirst | kùjá |
| urine | wèrjí |
| tie, to | wirja / wirnja |
| :: |
Pronouns
Sinyar pronouns: ;Sinyar pronouns ::data[format=table]
| Gloss | Sinyar |
|---|---|
| 1S | màalé, (màá) |
| 2S | ìllé |
| 3S | nàalé, (nàá) |
| 1P.du | cìngé |
| 1P.ex? | cìyé |
| 1P.in | cèesá |
| 2P? | sìngé; sèesá |
| 3P | nìngé |
| :: |
References
References
- Boyeldieu, Pascal. 2013. Case alignment(s) in Sinyar. Paper presented at the Nilo-Saharan Linguistics Colloquium, 22-24 May, 2013.
- Boyeldieu, Pascal. 2015. Case alignment(s) in Sinyar. In Angelika Mietzner and Anne Storch (eds.), Nilo-Saharan: Models and Descriptions, 21-36. Cologne: Köppe.
- Blench, Roger. [http://www.rogerblench.info/Language/Nilo-Saharan/Central%20Sudanic/CS%20overview.pdf Central Sudanic overview].
- Blažek, Václav. (2015). "On the position of Kujarke within Chadic". Folia Orientalia.
- Boyeldieu, Pascal. 2013. [https://mpi-lingweb.shh.mpg.de/numeral/Sinyar.htm Sinyar numerals].
- Boyeldieu, Pascal. 2013. ''Sinyar and SBB (Central Sudanic): genetic relationship or contact?'' Paper presented at Linguistique diachronique et reconstruction : méthodes, acquis, avancées récentes. Labex EFL. 1-6 July 2013.
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