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(Top) 1 Phonology 1.1 Consonants 1.2 Vowels 2 References

Bena language

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Bena
Ekibena
Native to	Tanzania
Ethnicity	Bena
Native speakers	590,000 (2009)^[1]
Language family	Niger–Congo? Atlantic–Congo Benue–Congo Bantoid Bantu Northeast Bantu Bena–Kinga (G60) Bena
Dialects	Bena Benamanga
Language codes
ISO 639-3	Either: `bez` – Bena `egm` – Benemanga (include Kidugala and Lupembe dialects)
Glottolog	`bena1262`
Guthrie code	`G.63`^[2]
Linguasphere	`99-AUS-ub incl. varieties 99-AUS-uba...-ubg`

Bena is a Bantu language spoken by the Bena people of the Iringa region of Tanzania.

Phonology[edit]

Consonants[edit]

		Labial	Alveolar	Palatal	Velar	Glottal
Nasal		m	n	ɲ	ŋ
Plosive	voiceless	p	t		k
	voiced	b	d		ɡ
	prenasal	ᵐb	ⁿd		ᵑɡ
Affricate			ts
Fricative	voiceless	f	s			h
	voiced	v
	prenasal		ⁿs
Approximant			l	j	w

Voiceless sounds almost always occur as aspirated stops; [pʰ, tʰ, kʰ].

/v/ can be realized as [ʋ] intervocalically.
[ɖ] can occur as an allophone of /d/ before long non high vowels.
[x] can occur as an allophone of /k/, /h/ in the Maswamu dialect.
[cç, tʃ] can occur as allophones of /ts/, in the Twangabita dialect.
[ⁿz] can occur as an allophone of /ⁿs/.
[ɟ] can occur as an allophone of /j/ in the Maswamu dialect.
[β, ʋ] can occur as allophones of /w/ among some speakers.
Prenasalised stops may be devoiced when occurring word-finally (ex. /ᵐb/ ~ [ᵐb̥]).

Vowels[edit]

	Front	Central	Back
High	i iː		u uː
Mid	ɛ eː		o oː
Low		a aː

/i, u/ before non-rounded vowels are recognized as glides [j, w].^[3]

References[edit]

^ BenaatEthnologue (26th ed., 2023)
Benemanga (include Kidugala and Lupembe dialects)atEthnologue (26th ed., 2023)

^ Jouni Filip Maho, 2009. New Updated Guthrie List Online

^ Morrison (2011)

Morrison, Michelle Elizabeth (2011). A Reference Grammar of Bena (Doctor of Philosophy thesis). Rice University. hdl:1911/70359.

Languages of Tanzania

Official languages

Indigenous
languages

Bantu

Northeast
Bantu

Bena–Kinga	Bena Hehe Kinga Kisi Manda Pangwa Sangu Vwanji
Chaga	Central Kilimanjaro Mochi Gweno Rombo Rusa West Kilimanjaro
Great Lakes	Ha Hangaza Ikizu Ikoma Jita Kabwa Kara Kerewe Kuria Kwaya Ngoreme Nyambo Suba-Simbiti Sumbwa Vinza Zanaki Zinza
Kikuyu–Kamba	Sonjo
Northeast Coast	Digo Doe Gogo Kagulu Kami Kutu Kwere Luguru Ngulu Sagara Shambala Vidunda Zaramo
Takama	Holoholo Iramba Isanzu Kimbu Nyamwezi Sukuma Turu

Other Bantu

Isolates/unclassified

Sign languages

7 school sign languages

Narrow Bantu languages (Zones E–H) (byGuthrie classification)

Zone E

[J]E10	[J]E11 Nyoro [J]E12 Tooro [J]E13 Nyankore [J]E14 Ciga [J]E15 Ganda [J]E16 Soga [J]E17 Gwere [J]E18 Nyala [JE101 Gungu JE102 Talinga-Bwisi JE103 Ruli JE121 Hema
[J]E20	[J]E21 Nyambo [J]E22 Ziba [J]E23 Dzindza [J]E24 Kerebe [J]E25 Jita [JE221 Rashi JE251 Kwaya JE252 Kara JE253 Ruri
[J]E30	[J]E31a Gisu [J]E31b Kisu [J]E31c Bukusu [J]E32a Hanga [J]E32b Tsotso [J]E33 Nyore [J]E34 Saamia [J]E35 Nyuli [JE341 Xaayo JE342 Marachi JE343 Songa
[J]E40	[J]E41 Logooli [J]E42 Gusii [J]E43 Koria [J]E44 Zanaki [J]E45 Nata E46 Sonjo [JE401 Nguruimi JE402 Ikizu JE403 Suba/Suba-Simbiti JE404 Shashi JE405 Kabwa JE406 Singa JE407 Ware JE411 Idaxo JE412 Isuxa JE413 Tiriki JE431 Simbiti JE432 Hacha JE433 Surwa JE434 Sweta
E50	E51 Kikuyu E52 Embu E53 Meru E54 Saraka E55 Kamba E56 Daiso [E531 Mwimbi-Muthambi E541 Cuka
E60	E61[621a] Rwo E62a[621b,622a] Hai E62b[622c] Wunjo E62c[623] Rombo E63 Rusa E64 Kahe E65 Gweno
E70	E71 Pokomo E72a Gyriama E72b Kauma E72c Conyi E72d Duruma E72e Rabai E73 Digo E74a Dabida E74b[741] Sagala [E701 Elwana E731 Segeju E732 Degere E74 Taita

Zone F

F10

F11 Tongwe
F12 Bende

[J]F20

[J]F21 Sukuma
[J]F22 Nyamwezi
[J]F23 Sumbwa
[J]F24 Kimbu
[J]F25 Bungu

F30

F31 Nilamba
F32 Remi
F33 Langi
F34 Mbugwe

Zone G

G10	G11 Gogo G12 Kaguru
G20	G21 Tubeta G22 Asu G23 Shambala G24 Bondei [G221 Mbugu
G30	G31 Zigula G32 Ngwele G33 Zaramo G34 Ngulu G35 Ruguru G36 Kami G37 Kutu G38 Vidunda G39 Sagala [G301 Doe G311 Mushungulu
G40	G41 Tikuu G42a Amu G42b Mvita G42c Mrima G42d Unguja G43a Phemba G43b Tumbatu G43c Hadimu G44a Ngazija G44b Njuani [G402 Makwe G403 Mwani G404 Sidi G411 Socotra Swahili G412 Mwiini
G50	G51 Pogolo G52 Ndamba
G60	G61 Sango G62 Hehe G63 Bena G64 Pangwa G65 Kinga G66 Wanji G67 Kisi [G651 Magoma

Zone H

H10	H11 Beembe H12 Vili H13 Kunyi H14 Ndingi H15 Mboka H16a South Kongo H16b Central Kongo H16c Yombe H16d Fiote H16e Bwende H16f Laadi H16g East Kongo H16h Southeast Kongo [H111 Hangala H112 Kamba-Doondo H131 Suundi
H20	H21a Kimbundu H21b Mbamba H22 Sama H23 Bolo H24 Songo
H30	H31 Yaka H32 Suku H33 [L12b] Hungu H34 Mbangala H35 Sinji [H321 Soonde
H40	H41 Mbala H42 Hunganna

Italics indicate extinct languages.
Languages between parentheses are varieties of the language on their left.

The Guthrie classification is geographic and its groupings do not imply a relationship between the languages within them.

Narrow Bantu languages by Guthrie classification zone templates: Template:Narrow Bantu languages (Zones A–B); Template:Narrow Bantu languages (Zones C–D); Template:Narrow Bantu languages (Zones E–H); Template:Narrow Bantu languages (Zones J–M); Template:Narrow Bantu languages (Zones N–S)

This Bantu language-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

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