Mimi of Decorse


Mimi of Decorse, also known as Mimi of Gaudefroy-Demombynes and Mimi-D, is a language of Chad that is attested only in a word list labelled "Mimi" that was collected ca. 1900 by G. J. Decorse and published by Gaudefroy-Demombynes. Joseph Greenberg classified it as a Maban language, like the rather remote Maban relative Mimi of Nachtigal. However, George Starostin rejects this classification, arguing that similarities to Maban are due to contact with locally dominant Maba, and provisionally regards it as a language isolate, though it is suggestive of Central Sudanic.
The more stable of Mimi-D and Mimi-N's attested vocabulary is as follows:
glossMimi-DMimi-N
twomelsøn
eyedyokal
firesou
stonemuguru
handsilrai
whatɲeta
diedafaya
drinkandʒiab
dogɲuk
moon
claw/nailfer
bloodari
onedegul-un
toothɲainziːk
eatɲyam
hairsuf fuːl
waterengisun
nosefirhur
mouthɲyomil
earfeɾkuyi
birdkabal-a
bonekadʒi
sunsey
treesu
killkuduma
footrepzaŋ
hornkamin
meatɲyuneŋ
eggdʒulut
blackliwuk
headbokidʒ-i
nightlem
fishgonas
seeyakoe