Murle | Ethnologue

A language of South Sudan

ISO 639: mur
Alternate Names: Adkibba, Agiba, Ajibba, Beir, Merule, Mourle, Murelei, Murlɛ, Murule
Autonym: Murleye
Population: 196,000 (2017).
Location:: Jonglei state: Bor and Pibor counties.
Language Status: 5 (Developing).
Classification: Nilo-Saharan, Satellite-Core, Core, Eastern Sudanic, Southern (n languages), Surmic, South, Southwest, Didinga-Murle, Murle
Dialects: Ethnic subgroups: Lotilla, Boma, and Olam (Ngalam). Maacir may be a dialect or ethnic group. Lexical similarity: 74% with Narim [loh], 71% with Didinga [did].
Typology: VSO; postpositions; genitives and relatives follow noun heads; suffixes indicate case; question words final; verbal affixes (prefixes and suffixes) distinguish subject person and number.
Language Use: All domains. Used by all. Positive attitudes.
Language Development: Literacy rate in L1: 30%. Very few schools due to pastoral lifestyle and inter-tribal tension. Literature. Dictionary. Grammar. NT: 1996.
Language Resources: OLAC resources in and about Murle
Writing: Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments: Taught in churches; most church pastors literate in Murle.

Location: Jonglei state: Bor and Pibor counties.