Lesson 4 : Unique Letters of Lulogooli

Discussion

There are unique letters in Lulogooli. They are unique because their usage in Lulogooli is different from other languages like Kiswahili. 

These letters are L, V and Z. 

Letter “L” for example, is one main unique letter as it stands for sound <r> in Lulogooli. 

The reason for letter “L” is simply because sound <r> of Lulogooli does not meet the complete requirements under experiment for R.  

English words as "Write" and "Wrong" consider the "r" as an allophone of "r", not really an "r" sound. Perhaps why "w" is relevant in the words.

Letter [L] is used in Lulogooli instead as linguistically provided to represent the “approximate to R”. There is more explanation for letter R and L at further reading below. 

Letters “V” and “Z” have undergone some change since the first Logooli writings. 

Whereas letter [V] was written as [B], letter Z took approximate sounds <DZ> and <TS>. 

After letter [Z] was fully backed by the Lulogooli Bible (2008) edition, letters [DZ] and [TS] may not be common now but can be observed in names as Tsindoli, Matsigulu, Madzu and others. 

For letter [V], it was at first written as approximate for sound <b>. That is why there are names as Bugina, Bulimu and Bukulunya when the reading is <Vugina, Vulimu and Vukulunya>. 

The above has since slowly faded and letters [V] and [Z] are commonly applied today. In creative literature writing as borrowing words, and in informal speech, the use of the letters above can be revisited.

Further reading for letter L and R in Lulogooli

Letter R in linguistics is said to be liquid. That is to say it can change position of its articulation (voicing) in the mouth. The changing of the position or shape of the tongue is in search of a specific voice. 

This changing gives it a slide characteristic, represented as l~r (L to r) letter. 

This is because sound <l> is articulated at the center of the palate while <r> at the front. The “~” sign can be literally translated as “happening in between there” or “showing characteristics of both”. 

For sound <l>, the tongue-tip has to stick at the palate while air moves outwards through the sides. Thereafter the tip of the tongue is released with an outward gush of air. 

For mainstream sound <r>, the tip of the tongue makes a trill. To mean it vibrates. As it often happens in Kiswahili and English. Such is not the case in Lulogooli.

The Logooli <r> sound does not vibrate yet it does not stick at the palate as <l> does for a softer sound. It is due to this phenomena of taking the qualities of both “r” and “l” speech qualities that Lulogooli writes <l> for <r> pronunciation, fulfilling a l~r definition. 

The writing of [L] can be called both rhotic (associated to letter R) or allophone of R (any of two or more sounds of letter R). This is well applicable in Lulogooli since there is no sound <l> in formal tone. 

This lesson notes that some writings of Lulogooli mix both L and R. In further asking, it was common that letter R is written after “e” or “i” in a word. It can be seen in words as Kiriri and Leero. 

There is no evidence however by articulation that sound <r> becomes distinct when heralded by letter “e” or “I”. If anything this is a Luganda rule on L and R application whose language handbook had been written as early as 1911. The handbook may have partly informed Lulogooli writing. 

The “L” before and after a, o, u and “r” after e, i would complicate morphological process of combining morphemes to root words. For example the verb kulaama (to curse). The root verb is laam.a. The noun is Ki+laama = Kilaamo. It’d challenge the “r” after i rule if it were followed. 

Even then there has not been consistency in the use of L and R but possibly an aim to accommodate both. 2Today’ can be written as “Leelo” or “Leero”. 

As earlier hinted, Ululogooli does not have conventional [L] letter in its words. Had there been [L] it would have brought a conflict between letters L and R in writing and reading. By writing L and reading <r>, all is well.

But due to borrowing, letter [L], read <l>, has started being common. Example borrowed word is Ileseni (for Lesson). These are special cases where L is read <l> and not <r> in Lulogooli.

The relationship between sound <r> of Lulogooli and sound <l> is best seen in direct speech when two successive Lv1+Lv2 syllables are shortened. They result into long <l:> sound written as [l’l] as in the examples below. 

Take word malala <marara>. When shortened, it becomes mal’la, read as <mal:a>. Other example word is kolela <korera> that becomes kol’la <kol:a>.

The above birthes the linguistical formula L1v1+L2v2 = L’lv2. The formula can be read as <ra+ra = l:a>. This is common in direct speech because it is an informal and can cut short. But in formal speech, the word is not shortened.  

To avoid inconsistency of L and R that mainly birthers the confusion of the two, Ululogooli Lessons prioritises L for soft sound <r> throught except where a word is borrowed and letter [L] in it is read <l>. 

For R, to act best as rolled trill sound, shall be used only on onomatopoeic sounds as Krrrr or zerrrr. And where a word has been borrowed from another language e.g “Karibu” for “welcome” from Kiswahili, the [R] is maintained. 

Exercise

1. In your notebook, Find and write any word of Lulogooli that was once written with letters Ts or Dz

2. Read aloud these words and note any differences: Bulabu & Vulavu, Vulabu & Bulavu. 

3. Write down syllables of letter L and read them aloud. They are La, Le Li, Lo and Lu. Remember to read as soft sound <ra, re, ri, ro, ru>.