Dinka

Dinka, also called Thiang, is a Nilotic language spoken in South Sudan. It is the primary language of the Dinka people, who number around 1.5 million. The Dinka language is closely related to Nuer and Atuot, and is distantly related to other Nilotic languages like Luo and Maasai. Dinka is a tonal language, with two tones: high and low. The language has a complex system of noun classes, and each noun is assigned to one of these classes. There are also a number of different verb tenses, which are used to indicate the time and aspect of the action being described. The Dinka language is written using a Latin-based alphabet. There is no standard orthography, but a number of different writing systems have been developed by different authors. Dinka is spoken in a number of dialects, which can be broadly divided into two groups: Western Dinka and Eastern Dinka. The Western dialects are spoken in the western and central parts of South Sudan, while the Eastern dialects are spoken in the east and north of the country. The two groups are not mutually intelligible, and there is some variation within each group as well. The Dinka language has a rich oral tradition, and many of the country's folktales and legends are passed down through the generations via this medium. The Dinka people have a strong sense of identity, and their language is an important part of this.