Nuer - Thok Nath

1. Classification / Classification

Nuer belongs to the Nuer Group, East Sudanic branch of Chari-Nile. (Webbook)

Ethnologue lists the classification as: Nilo-Saharan, Eastern Sudanic, Nilotic, Western, Dinka-Nuer, Nuer

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2. Where Spoken / Localisation géographique

It is spoken in Upper Nile Province, the Sudan, and western Ilubabor Province, Ethiopia. (Webbook)

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3. Number of Speakers / Nombre de locuteurs

According to Ethnologue:

• 740,000 in Sudan (1982 SIL)
• 64,907 in Ethiopia (1998 census)
• Population total all countries: 804,907

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4. Dialect Survey / Enquête de dialecte

Many dialects of Nuer are noted, but the two main ones are western Nuer (Jikany) and eastern Nuer. (Webbook)

According to Ethnologue:

• Dor (Door)
• Eastern Jikany (Jikain, Jekaing)
• Abigar
• Western Jikany
• Cien
• Thognaath (Thok Nath)
• Lou (Lau)
• Nyuong
• Thiang (Bul, Gawaar, Jagai, Laak, Leik)

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5. Usage / Utilisation

Nuer is presumed to be a local first language. (Webbook)

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6. Orthography / Orthographe

6.1 Status / Statut

Nuer has a rather standardized orthography, adopted at the Rejaf Language Conference in 1928 and since modified somewhat by missionaries. (Webbook) [need details on recent changes; currently seems to include some extended characters and diacritics]

6.2 Sample Alphabet / Alphabet exemple

See:

• Nuer Field Notes: Genesis: Chapter 1: http://www.dlib.indiana.edu/collections/nuer/bible/ch1.utx.html/ [this page has been moved and cannot find the new location 2007-11-23]
• A sample text on the "Language Museum" site: http://www.language-museum.com/n/nuer.php

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7. Use in ICT / Utilisation dans les TIC

7.1 Fonts / Polices

No information on legacy 8-bit fonts.

Unicode fonts with extended Latin ranges would have the necessary characters. [verify!]

7.2 Keyboard layouts / Dispositions de clavier

OpenRoad http://www.openroad.net.au/languages/african/nuer/keyboards.html

7.3 Content on computers & internet / Contenu en informatique et sur l'Internet

No information on ICT use in Sudan or Ethiopia. There is some use for literacy purposes in immigrant communities in Australia.

Websites include:

7.4 Localized software / Logiciels localisés

None known of.

7.5 Language codes / Codes de langue

• ISO 639-1: -
• ISO 639-2: -
• ISO/DIS 639-3: nus

7.6  Other / Autre

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8. Localisation resources / Ressources pour localisation

8.1 Individuals (experts) / Individuelles (experts)

8.2 Institutions / Institutions

8.3 On the internet / Sur la toile

OpenRoad http://www.openroad.net.au/languages/african/nuer/

Rosetta Project http://www.rosettaproject.org/archive/Nuer

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9. Comments / Remarques

Conditions in southern Sudan (the result of conflict) and the active work of some emmigrant communities (for instance in Australia) may mean that localisation may be based among the latter for a time?

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10. References / Références

Dwyer, David (1997), Webbook of African Languages, http://www.isp.msu.edu/AfrLang/hiermenu.html (page on "Nuer," http://www.isp.msu.edu/AfrLang/Nuer_root.html )

OpenRoad, "Nuer (Thok Nath)," http://www.openroad.net.au/languages/african/nuer/

SIL International, Ethnologue: Languages of the World, "Nuer," http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=nus

SIL International, "ISO 639 Code Tables," http://www.sil.org/iso639-3/codes.asp

U.S. Library of Congress, "ISO 639.2: Codes for the Representation of Names of Languages: Alpha-3 codes arranged alphabetically by the English name of language," http://www.loc.gov/standards/iso639-2/php/English_list.php

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