[2] In a smaller view the Otoro is a segment of the "central branch“[3] from the so-called Koalib-Moro Group of the languages which are spoken in the Nuba Mountains.

The Otoro language is spoken within the geographical regions encompassing Kuartal, Zayd and Kauda in Sudan.

[3] The precise number of Otoro speakers is unknown, though current evaluates suggest it to be exceeding 17,000 people.

[1] Every illustration provided in this article will be depicted in community orthography, using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA).

The three Otoro varieties utilize a system of thirteen vowels rendered in a narrow phonectc transcription: i, ɪ, e, ɛ, a, ɑ, ɔ, o̜, o, u, ʊ, ö, ə.

[7] Consonant combinations In Otoro, the language employs compounds involving the semi-vowel 'w' along with dentals, liquids and nasals.

[3] Personal names, kinship terms, and pronouns employ collective suffixes for the purpose of pluralization.

In each noun-class of Otoro, every noun is assigned at least two prefixes, distinctly indicating whether the word is in its singular or plural form.

In the chart below the concord prefixes which come with verbs and qualificatives agreeing to the noun are also shown due to their similar configuration.

Kwara Translation Living Things"[14] 1.a (suffix) gwu- li- -ŋa lɛlɛ gwutoɽo litoɽo baba babaŋa Chiefs Otoro Person Otoro Persons Father Fathers baba gwi My father jidi Arad tree li-     ŋwu- ŋwamɔn livuða ŋwuvuða Fingers Wild fig Wild figs li-  ŋwu- ŋwɔiny ŋwɛnɔ Those eggs k-      c- jado kivið civið Knives Sword Swords k-    c- jilöð jɔla Long hoes th-      c- jimu thar car Scorpions Rope Ropes th-   c- juŋo jɔla Long snakes th-      d- de thole dole Arms Hyena Hyenas th-      d- de di dɔla My arms are long nyimiɽɔ nirɛ nyirɛ ŋavirɛ yavirɛ Cows Spear Spears Cat Cats nyaɽɛ nyirithɔ The boys dance Deep Things"[20] niði gömo nomo Pots Cave Caves niði nigirinu The pots are broken A "Liquids"[21] B "Abstract Nouns"[21] ŋ- ŋila ŋəro ŋiɽainy Oil    (A) Work  (B) Illness (B) Noun"[22] ð- ðɛliŋa ðiritha Singing Dancing ð- group) j- jurið indro jindro Gazelles Drum Drums w- b- m- c- j- g- ð- wuo bur marɔmɔthɔ cu jaba gɛrɛð ðirɔn Help Beam of light gunshot Bowels Chest Butter Wind gw- gw- gw- j- j- g- ð- [25] Noun-class 1 This class encompasses human beings, tribal names and a few animals.

[14] Example: friend in Kwara                           mað(singular)         limað(plural)[27] The subgroup ˈ1aˈ depicts a few personal names, kinship terms and loan-words for occupation or office.

[16] For example, the doleib palm: gidɛ(Singular)     jidɛ(plural)[15] concord prefix example: A tall doleib palm            gidɛ gwɔl(a) elɔ[16] Noun-class 3 This class depicts things found in sets or large quantities, such as stars, salt, or fruit.

[16] Noun-class 4 This class represents commonplace items, utensils, tools, weapons and a subset of “human defects”.

[17] Notably, the pattern within this class exhibit inconsistency, with certain words lacking either the singular or plural form.

Example:  hunter        gina(singular)            - twins           -                                 jagul(plural)[17] Noun-class 5 This class predominantly consists of large or potentially harmful animals, reptiles etc.

[28] Additionally, language names usually placed in this class, according to Stevenson, and commonly start with the prefix ˈð-ˈ.

Furthermore, there are no diminutives formed from nouns in other classes, instead Otoro utilizes the adjective for ˈsmallˈ which is '-iti/-ɔga', to convey such meanings.

Infinitives, primarily ending in the back vowels 'a,' 'o,' or 'ɔ,' are put into this class due to their construction from nominal formations which necessitates concords with qualificatives akin to other nouns.

These nouns exhibit consonants such as 'b,' 'c,' or 'g,' or initiate with vowels, akin to class 11, but notably lack a plural form.

[24] “Anomalous Forms”[30] Despite the presence of various patterns and exception within the noun-classes, certain nouns defy the categorization based on the grouping above.

Dog which is male)[31] To express variations in size, the Otoro language relies on adjectival stems.

tongue of fire)[33] In the absence of a dedicated term for a particular concept, expressing the agent of the action or occupation involves the use of a relative construction.

Furthermore, it can be employed to describe attributes,[34] indicating adverbial manner, and forming nouns governed by postposition that specifically do not require a concord.

[37] Example of the different functions: -Object of transitive or dative verbs Call your father                             orniðɔ babaŋ gwua[34] -Describing an attribute This man has a long beard                         gwiji kwɛnɔ guboðɔ lɔija (lit.

speaking by lying) -Noun governed by postposition that do not require a concord Come near the house                                ila duno githɔ[35] The noun-class system remains consistent across all three major Otoro varieties.

This includes the accusative endings and other features concerning nouns, despite minor distinctions in the Kwijur and Orombe variety.

[38] However a consistent feature across all three Otoro varieties involves nouns remaining in the nominative form, thereby do not require any suffix.

Despite the considerable variation in final vowels across all stems, there is a common pattern observed in the majority of verbs, as illustrated by the word 'beat' below.

Although that pattern exists, the second and third persons in singular may add 'ŋ-' when prefixed, in instance 'ŋadhira' meaning 'you may sleep'.

[53] subject person addressed) [53] Those accusatives are used with postposition with the other forms, used after preposition 'li (l-)' meaning 'to', 'from' and 'than', as alternatives.