nilotic
/nai'lɔtik/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Adjective:
- Relating to the Nilotic languages: Pertaining to or constituting the Nilotic group of languages, a branch of the Eastern Sudanic languages within the larger Nilo-Saharan family, spoken in parts of East Africa.
- Relating to the Nile River or its peoples: Of or connected to the Nile River or the various peoples historically living in the Nile Valley and surrounding regions.
Noun:
- A group of languages: The Nilotic languages collectively, including languages such as Dinka, Nuer, Luo, Maasai, and Kalenjin.
Examples of Usage
Adjective:
- The linguist specialized in Nilotic phonology.
- Archaeological findings shed light on ancient Nilotic civilizations along the river.
Noun:
- Nilotic is a subgroup of the Nilo-Saharan language family.
- Several Nilotic languages are spoken in South Sudan and Kenya.
Advanced Usage
- In anthropological contexts: Used to describe cultural, social, or physical traits associated with Nilotic-speaking peoples.
- The study focused on the Nilotic pastoralist communities of the Great Lakes region.
Variants and Related Words
- Nilote (noun): A member of any of the peoples speaking a Nilotic language.
- The Nilotes have a rich oral tradition.
Synonyms
- Nile-related (for the geographical sense).
- Eastern Sudanic (in a broad, outdated linguistic classification; "Nilotic" is more precise).
Different Meanings
- The term is primarily a linguistic and anthropological classifier. It is not commonly used in general English outside these academic fields. It does not have idiomatic or phrasal verb forms.
Adjective
- of or relating to or constituting the Nilotic group of languages
- Nilotic syntax
- of or relating to the Nile River or the people living near it
Noun
- a group of languages of East Africa belonging to the Chari-Nile group