The Nuer language (Thok Naath) ("people's language") is a Nilotic language of the Western Nilotic group. It is spoken by the Nuer people of South Sudan and in western Ethiopia (region of Gambela). The language is very similar to Dinka and Atuot. The language is written with a Latin-based alphabet. There are several dialects of Nuer, although all share one written standard. For example, final , is pronounced in the Jikany dialect but is dropped in other dialects despite being indicated in the Nuer orthography used by all. Phonology A phonological analysis has yet to be done. The following consonants may therefore not all be distinct. Voicing is not distinctive at the end of a stem, regardless of whether it's at the end of a word or utterance. Consonant clusters due to suffixes tend to be simplified. Dental consonants are written th dh nh in the practical orthography. is written ɣ. Vowels may be long or short, modal or breathy voiced. The latter are written with an underscore in the practical orthography, except for u and ä , where there is no modal-voiced vowel to contrast. is rare. (Curly brackets indicate the set of æ vowels.) Final is always breathy voiced. There does not appear to be a distinction between short a and ə. Breathy is pronounced or . Faust & Grossman did not find strong evidence for lexical or grammatical tone, with a few exceptions such as the 1sg suffix and the plural suffix , which have a rising tone. Dialects Ethnologue lists the following dialects of Nuer. Eastern Jikany (Jekaing, Jikain) Abigar Western Jikany Cien Lou Nyuong Thiang Bul Chol Gawaar Laak Jagei (geai koay) Leek Dok Haak Nuer communities There are different dialects spoken by Nuer groups living in various locations in South Sudan. Some of the Nuer people live in Western Ethiopia. They are called Jikany Nuer. The Nuer of the Upper Nile State are also called Jikany, and those in Jonglei State Lou, Gawaar, Thiang and Laak. There are also seven counties inhabited by the other groups of Nuer in the western part of the Upper Nile Province currently known as Unity State Bentiu. These counties include: Guit County: Inhabited by Jikany kuec cieng community in the eastern Bentiu Mayom County: Inhabited by Bul Chol Geah community in the western part of the state Rubkona County: Inhabited by Leek community in the northern Bentiu Koch