Murle

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A language of South Sudan

ISO 639-3
mur
Alternate Names
Adkibba, Agiba, Ajibba, Beir, Merule, Mourle, Murelei, Murlɛ, Murule
Autonym
Murleye
User Population

196,000 (2017).

Location

Jonglei state: Bor and Pibor counties.

Language Maps
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. Taught as subject in some primary schools through grade 3. 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.