Cerma language
language
Cerma (Kirma) is a Gur language of Burkina Faso. It is spoken by the Gouin people (sometimes called Ciramba or Gouin (Gwe, Gwen)).
Phonology
Consonants
Although /w/ is phonetically a labial-velar consonant, Lauber includes it in the dorsal/laryngeal column because its distribution is more like /k/ or /h/ than the labials or labial-velars.
Lauber excludes /l̪/, /r̪/, and //N// from the continuant section because their distributions are different.
/l̪/ is nasalized [l̃] "in a nasal context" and a voiceless alveolar lateral [l̥] at the end of an utterance.
/r̪/ is a nasal tap [ɾ̪̃] "in a nasal context" and a voiceless tap [ɾ̥] at the end of an utterance.
The archiphoneme //N// has the following allophones:
[m] before /b/, /p/, and /m/
[ɱ] before /f/ and /v/
[n̪] before /t̪/, /d̪/, /s̪/, and /n̪/
[ɲ] before /ɟ/, /c/, and front vowels
[ŋ] before /k/, /g/, /h/, /w/, and the central and back vowels
[ŋ͡m] before /k͡p/ and /g͡b/
/Nj/ also becomes [ɲ].
Hürlimann and Pike (1985) note that the palatals are affricates, using the symbols ⟨č⟩ and ⟨j⟩.
Vowels
Lauber treats nasalization as a feature of the syllable, not the vowel.
In closed syllables, /i, u/ become near-close [ɪ, ʊ].
The public source identifies “Cerma language” as language. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Cerma and language.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Cerma language”, the useful work is to connect “language” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Named sources, stable identifiers and responsible institutions provide the strongest route from overview to verifiable evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 31, 2024. The linked authority identifier is Q35074. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1985.
Overview language is designed for orientation and should not be treated as a substitute for the evidence cited beneath it. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Cerma language”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Cerma language primary sources, Cerma language archive and Cerma research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Cerma language”?
- Which cited source is closest to the event, object or claim?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Cerma language” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.