Nobiin (Nòbíín / نوبية / Ⲛⲟⲩⲃⲓⲛ)

Nobiin is a member of the Northern Nubian branch of the Nilo-Saharan languages. It is spoken along the Nile valley in southern Egypt and northern Sudan by about 610,000 people (in 2006).

The native name of the language, Nòbíín, means "(language) of the Nubians", from Nòòbíí (Nubian). It is thought to be a descendent of Old Nubian, which was spoken in the same area between the 8th and 15th centuries.

Mahas and Fiadidja are the two main dialects of Nobiin, and the language has also been called Mahas(i), Mahas-Fiadidja or Fiadicca, after these dialects.

There is no standard way of to write Nobiin. Some authors use the Latin alphabet, some use the Arabic script, and one uses the Old Nubian alphabet, a version of the Coptic alphabet, with extra letters from Meroitic.

Latin alphabet for Nobiin

Latin alphabet for Nobiin

Tones can be indicated with accents: an acute accent (á) indicates a high tones, and a grave accent (à) indicates a low tone.

Old Nubian alphabet for Nobiin

Old Nubian alphabet for Nobiin

Download an alphabet chart for Nobiin (Excel)

Information compiled by Michael Peter Füstumum

Sample text

ⲁⲇⲓ̄ⲗⲁ ⲱⲟ̄ ⲱⲁⲗⲟ ⲟⲩⲓ̄ⲛ ⲫⲁ ϭⲓⲗⲗⲉ ⲃⲉⲗⲉⲇ ⲧⲁ ⲫⲁ̄ ⲓⲛ ⲙⲟⲩⲅⲉⲕⲕⲁ ⳝⲓⲗⲗⲉ ⲛⲟ̄ⲣⲓⲛ ⲙⲟⲩⲅⲟ̄ⲕⲕⲁⲛ ⳝⲟⲩⲱⲁ̄ⲃⲃⲁ ⲫⲁ̄ⲓ̈ⲉ ⲇⲓ̄ⲅⲓⲇⲧⲁ ⲧⲓ̄ⲅⲓⲙⲉ̄ⲛ ⲕⲟⲣⲉ̄ⲗ ⲛⲁⲗⲟ̄ⳝⲉ

Source: http://napata.org/language.html

Links

Information about the Nobiin language
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobiin_language
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobiin
https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/لغة_نوبية
http://scriptsource.org/cms/scripts/page.php?item_id=wrSys_detail&key=fia-Arab
http://www.thenubian.net/lang.php
http://www.ethnologue.com/18/language/fia/
http://napata.org/language.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Nubian_language

Nilo-Saharan languages

Acholi, Alur, Aringa, Ateso, Avokaya, Baka, Bari, Beli, Bongo, Daza, Dholuo, Dinka, Dongotono, Fur, Gumuz, Jur Modo, Kanuri, Karamojong, Keliko, Komo, Lango, Lotuko, Lokoya, Lopit, Lugbara, Maasai, Ma'di, Mandari, Morokodo, Moru, Narim, Nuer, Nobiin, Old Nubian, Olu'bo, Shilluk, Toposa, Turkana, Uduk, Wa'di, Zaghawa, Zarma

Page last modified: 23.04.21

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