Beli Language (South Sudan)

JUR BELI LANGUAGE

’’Bëlï, or Jur Beli, is a Central Sudanic language spoken by the Beli and Sopi people of South Sudan. The Beli people are mainly found in South Sudan, a region southeast of Rumbek. The language is considered as endangered, and it is mostly spoken by the older generation.

However, it has three dialects and variations that are specific to different regions and communities. The language has a complex grammatical structure, with a rich system of prefixes that are used to indicate various grammatical features, such as, mood, and aspect.

Despite the lack of written material and limited use, Jur Beli is an important language for the Beli people, as it is an essential part of their cultural identity. The language serves as an important means of communication within the community, and it is used to transmit cultural knowledge and traditions from one generation to the next.

Brief description about the Jur Beli people

The Jur (Beli & Modo) people, a group of over “100,000” (according to a source found online) individuals divided into two distinct geographic groups: Beli and Modo. The Beli live in the area extending from Bahr Gel to Wulu and Billing, while the Modo live in Mvolo, Bogri, Woko, and Bahr Girindi near Yirol. The area is characterized by flat plains with granitoid rocks and has a rich savannah in the east and tropical equatoria in the west, which allows for extensive agricultural activities. The Jur (Beli & Modo) are sedentary agriculturalists who practice shifting cultivation and raise crops such as sorghum, millet, beans, cassava, groundnuts, and simsim (Sesame).They also engage in hunting, fishing, and beekeeping. The main economic potential of the area is timber, honey, and shea oil. The Jur (Beli & Modo) believe they came from the Central African Republic and have a language that belongs to the central Sudanic group of languages but is linguistically similar to the Baka/Bongo group. Their society is organized into kinships, clans, and families and has elaborate customs and traditions. Marriage customs include respect for in-laws and paying a dowry, which is marked by the groom working in the in-laws' gardens and building a house for them.

Geographic distribution

Jur Beli is a nilo-saharan language of western, central Sudan in the bongo-baka group. In South Sudan, a region southeast of Rumbek is home to 65,000 Jur Beli speakers (Lewis et al. 2013).

Classification and dialects

According to Persson, there are three dialects of the Jur Beli  language: Wulu, Bahri Girinti, and Sopi (Persson 1997:31–32).

Phonology

Consonants

Stirtz (2014) lists the following consonant phonemes:Stirtz, Timothy M. 2014
'Bëlï Phonology, Tone and Orthography. (SIL Electronic Working Papers 2014-002.)
SIL International. 34pp.

Vowels

According to Stirtz (2014), ’Bëlï has nine vowel phonemes that can be divided into /- ATRsets. The vowel �is an allophone that does not occur in roots without other ATRvowels:

References

Definitely endangered languages
Languages of South Sudan
Bongo–Bagirmi languages

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