Guruntum is a Chadic language spoken in Bauchi and Alkaleri LGAs, Bauchi State, Nigeria. In 1993 it was spoken by about 15,000 people.
Classification Guruntum is a West Chadic language of the Barawa (B.3) group.
Major dialects include Kuuku, Gayar, Mbaaru, Dooka, Gar and Karakara.
Phonology Vowels Guruntum contrasts long and short forms for all vowels except for . In addition, two nasalized vowel phonemes exist: .
FrontCentralBackshortlongshortlongshortlong Close i iː ɨ u uː ũː Mid e eː o oː Open a aː ãː There are two diphthongs, and .
Consonants Labial Alveolar Postalveolaror palatal Velar Plain Palatalized Labialized Plain Palatalized Labialized Nasal Stop prenasalized voiceless voiced implosive Fricative voiceless voiced Trill Approximant is realized as a flap intervocalically before back vowels; elsewhere it is a trill.
Tone Guruntum has four tones: high, low, rising (low-high) and falling (high-low).
References