The Jeliya catalogue uses Gĩkũyũ / Kikuyu. Glottolog indexes the corresponding language as Kikuyu (kiku1240). Its ISO 639-3 code is kik. [1]
Draft — awaiting native-speaker review
Gĩkũyũ is spoken in Kenya and by diaspora communities. Vowel contrasts and tone are important.
Opening retained from the existing catalogue; awaiting editorial and speaker review.The Jeliya catalogue uses Gĩkũyũ / Kikuyu. Glottolog indexes the corresponding language as Kikuyu (kiku1240). Its ISO 639-3 code is kik. [1]
Glottolog associates this record with the following country codes: KE. Catalogue locations do not enumerate diaspora or second-language use. [1]
No dated, scope-checked speaker estimate has been approved for this page.
The catalogue classification follows this sequence: Atlantic-Congo → Volta-Congo → Benue-Congo → Bantoid → Southern Bantoid → Narrow Bantu → East Bantu → Northeast Savanna Bantu → Central Kenya Bantu → Gikuyu-Temi. [1]
The Glottolog bibliography includes a linguistic description attributed to Héméry, A. 1902 and a more recent one attributed to Bennett, Patrick R. and Biersteker, Ann [Joyce] and Gikonyo, Waithira [Lucy] and Hershberg, Susan and Kamande, Joel and Harford [Perez], Carolyn and Swearingen, Martha 1985. These are publication dates, not language origins. [1]
Retain ĩ and ũ; they are not optional accents. Standard spelling does not show all tonal information.
Existing linguistic-map notes are planning material, not newly verified facts. A named reviewer and reference are still needed.Seven vowel qualities represented by i ĩ e a o ũ u; meaningful vowel length and tonal contrasts. Consonant realisations and tone patterns require recordings.
Existing linguistic-map notes are planning material, not newly verified facts. A named reviewer and reference are still needed.A PHOIBLE record links published sound-inventory descriptions for this language. Inventory analysis can differ by variety and study; example words, letter values and a learner-facing pronunciation table still require a checked reference and speaker recordings. [5]
A reviewed alphabet, sound-by-sound IPA guide and reference recordings are still needed.
Awaiting a cited, language-specific contribution and speaker review.
SVO with noun classes, concord and complex verbal tense/aspect morphology.
Existing linguistic-map notes are planning material, not newly verified facts. A named reviewer and reference are still needed.A language-specific Grambank record is linked for comparison of grammatical features and their underlying references. Feature coding is an analytical resource; it is not a beginner explanation, a complete grammar or a substitute for a teacher’s review. [3]
Gĩkũyũ with a named regional variety
Existing linguistic-map notes are planning material, not newly verified facts. A named reviewer and reference are still needed.Named child varieties in this record include Gichugu, Mathira, Ndia, Northern Gikuyu, Southern Gikuyu. These labels do not select Jeliya’s teaching variety. [1]
An entry separates the headword, part of speech, senses and cited examples. A variant is another documented form; a synonym is a different word with a related meaning. Derived expressions can have their own entry. Follow source links and variety tags before using a form.
Search the everyday spelling and check tone-marked forms. ɛ, ɔ, ɲ and ŋ are letters, not removable accents. Search tolerance does not mean two spellings are the same word. Save an entry to keep its stable identity in your wordbook.
Open the dictionaryAwaiting a cited, language-specific contribution and speaker review.
Editorial adaptation: Jeliya
Language reviewer: awaiting appointment
Last revision: 10/12/2026
Harald Hammarström, Robert Forkel, Martin Haspelmath and Sebastian Bank
CC BY 4.0
Source checked: 10/12/2026Bennett, Patrick R. and Biersteker, Ann [Joyce] and Gikonyo, Waithira [Lucy] and Hershberg, Susan and Kamande, Joel and Harford [Perez], Carolyn and Swearingen, Martha 1985
Source checked: 10/12/2026