Uduk | Ethnologue

A language of Sudan

ISO 639: udu
Alternate Names: Cai, Kamus, Kebeirka, Korara, Kwanim Pa, Othan, Tam
Autonym: Twampa
Population: 22,000 in Sudan and South Sudan (split between the two not known). Few monolinguals (Killian 2015).
Location:: Blue Nile state: Kurmuk district, from Belila north, south to Yabus river.
Language Status: 5 (Developing).
Classification: Nilo-Saharan, Satellite-Core, Core, Koman
Dialects: Chali, Bellila, Yabus. The 2 northern dialects, Chali and Bellila, differ considerably from Yabus in the south (Killian 2015).
Typology: SVO; case-marking (ergative, accusative, absolutive, genitive, associative); features of both a Nominative-Accusative system and an Ergative-Absolutive system; 55 consonant phonemes (Chali dialect) and 5 vowels; tonal (3 tones); inclusive/exclusive pronouns.
Language Use: Used by all. Some also use Sudanese Spoken Arabic [apd] (Killian 2015). Also use Berta [wti] (Killian 2015). Also use Burun [bdi] (Killian 2015). Also use English [eng], especially the younger generation (Killian 2015). Also use Ganza [gza] (Killian 2015). Also use Jumjum [jum] (Killian 2015). Also use Komo [xom] (Killian 2015). Also use Mabaan [mfz] (Killian 2015). Also use Opo [lgn] (Killian 2015).
Language Development: Literature. Dictionary. Grammar. NT: 1963–1983.
Language Resources: OLAC resources in and about Uduk
Writing: Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments: In October 2011, the majority of the Uduk became refugees, moving into camps in South Sudan and Ethiopia, where they remain.The future remains very much uncertain in terms of where they will settle (Killian 2015).