Mangbai language

From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia

Mangbai
Native toCameroon, Chad
Native speakers
14,000 (2002–2011)[1]
Niger–Congo?
Language codes
ISO 639-3mcs
Glottologmamb1294
ELPMambai

Mangbai (Mamgbay, Mambai) is an Mbum language of northern Cameroon and southern Chad.

Distribution

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In Cameroon, Mambay is spoken along the Mayo-Kebi River near the Chadian border, in the Djaloumé region (northern end of Bibemi commune, Bénoué department), where there is a massif called Hosséré Mambay. It is also spoken in the extreme southeast of Figuil commune, Mayo-Louti department. In Cameroon and Chad, there is a total of about 2,500 speakers, many of whom also speak Mundang.

Phonology

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Consonants[2]

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Labial Alveolar Palatal Velar Labial-velar Glottal
Stop voiceless p t k kp ʔ
voiced b d ɡ gb
implosive ɓ ɗ
Fricative voiceless f s h
voiced v z
Nasal plain m n ŋ
glottalized ˀm ˀn ˀŋ
Flap/Trill ⱱ̟ r
Approximant plain l j w
glottalized ˀj ˀw

Vowels

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Oral vowels
Front Central Back
short long short long short long
High i iː u uː
Mid e eː o oː
Low a aː

/e, o/ are heard as [ɛ, ɔ] when in closed syllables.

Nasal vowels
Front Central Back
short long short long short long
High ĩ ĩː ũ ũː
Low ã ãː

Glottalized

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Oral vowels
Front Central Back
High iˀ uˀ
Mid eˀ oˀ
Low aˀ
Nasal vowels
Front Central Back
High ĩˀ ũˀ
Low ãˀ

Pharyngealized

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Oral vowels
Front Central Back
Mid eˤ oˤ
Low aˤ
Nasal vowels
Front Central Back
High ĩˤ ũˤ
Low ãˤ

References

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  1. ^ Mangbai at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. ^ Anonby, Erik John (2008). "Phonology and Morphology of Mambay (Niger-Congo, Adamawa)". scholar.google.com. Retrieved 2023-09-18.
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