Adja language

The Aja language is a Gbe language spoken by the Aja people of Benin, Togo, Ghana, Nigeria and Gabon. In Gabon, they are mostly migrants.

Aja
Adja
Native toBenin, Togo, Ghana, Nigeria, Gabon
EthnicityAja people
Native speakers
550,000 (2006–2012)[1]
Official status
Recognised minority
language in
Language codes
ISO 639-3ajg
Glottologajab1235
The distribution of the major Gbe dialect areas (after Capo 1988, 1991)

it is closely related to other Gbe languages such as Ewe, Mina, Fon, and Phla Phera.

Phonology

Consonants

Labial Alveolar Retroflex Post-alv./
Palatal
Velar Labial-
velar
Uvular
Nasal [m] [n] [ɲ] ŋ
Plosive/
Affricate
voiceless p t t͡ʃ k k͡p
voiced b d ɖ d͡ʒ ɡ ɡ͡b
Fricative voiceless f s ʃ χ
voiced v z ɣ ʁ
Approximant l ~ [r] j w
  • Voiced consonants /b, ɖ, j/ are heard as nasal sonorant sounds [m, n, ɲ] when followed by a nasal vowel.
  • /l/ is heard as a rhotic trill [r] when after alveolar, retroflex or post-alveolar consonants.
  • Sounds /s/ and /z/ are heard as post-alveolar [ʃ], [ʒ] when preceding /i/.
  • Approximant sounds /l, w/ may also be nasalized as [, ] when preceding or following nasal vowels.
  • Some linguists have also attested the nasal sound [ɲ], and labialized uvular sounds, [χʷ] and [ʁʷ], as separate phonemes.[2]

Vowels

Oral vowels
Front Central Back
Close i u
Close-mid e o
Open-mid ɛ ɔ
Open a
  • /u/ when before /i/ is heard as a labio-palatal [ɥ]. It is then nasalized as [ɥ̃] when in nasal position.[2]
Nasal vowels
Front Central Back
Close ĩ ũ
Open-mid ɛ̃ ɔ̃
Open ã

Comparison

Aja

Agbetɔwo pleŋu vanɔ gbɛmɛ ko vovoɖeka gbeswɛgbeswɛ, sɔto amɛnyinyi ko acɛwo gomɛ; wo xɔnɔ susunywin ko jimɛnywi so esexwe. Wo ɖo a wa nɔvi ɖaɖa wowo nɔnɔwo gbɔ.

Ewe

This text is written in the Ewe language: "Wodzi amegbetɔwo katã ablɔɖeviwoe eye wodzena bubu kple gomekpɔkpɔ sɔsɔe. Susu kple dzitsinya le wo dometɔ ɖesiaɖe si eyata wodze be woanɔ anyi le ɖekawɔwɔ blibo me.ne"

In English, it roughly translates to: "Wodzi has bought some shoes, clothes, and a bag. Come and see them at her house, and if you like them, you can buy them at a discount."

This text is written in the Ewe language: "Agbetɔwo pleŋu vanɔ gbɛmɛ ko vovoɖeka gbeswɛgbeswɛ, sɔto amɛnyinyi ko acɛwo gomɛ; wo xɔnɔ susunywin ko jimɛnywi so esexwe. Wo ɖo a wa nɔvi ɖaɖa wowo nɔnɔwo gbɔ."

In English, it roughly translates to: "You are like a fruit tree planted in fertile soil, and therefore bears good fruit; your words are sweet to the ears. Your ways are pleasant and admirable."

References

  1. Aja at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. Morley, Eric A. (2011). A Grammar of Ajagbe.


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