Baba language

The Baba language, Supapyak’, is a Grassfields Bantu language of Cameroon.

Baba
Papiak
Supapyak’
RegionCameroon
EthnicityPapiak
Native speakers
25,000 (2005)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3bbw
Glottologbaba1264

Phonology

Baba has a (C)V(C) syllable structure, with syllabic nasals. The only phonemes that can occur in the final position are /p, m, ŋ, ʔ, r/ and /x/. There are no vowel-initial roots but they can form morphemes.[2]

Baba Consonant Phonemes[2]
Labial Coronal Palatal Velar Labial-velar Glottal
Plosive voiceless p t k k͡p ʔ
voiced ɡ͡b
Nasal m n ɲ ŋ ŋ͡m
Trill r
Fricative voiceless f s ʃ x
voiced v ɣ
Approximant l j
Affricate t͡s t͡ʃ

Between nasals and vowels, voiceless stops become voiced; a noticeable exception is /ɡ͡b/, which is its own separate phoneme. There are also some additional phonological processes that create the allophones of [r~d͡z], [l~d], [j~d͡ʒ], and [ɣ~g~w].[2]

Baba Vowel Phonemes[2]
Front Central Back
Close i ɨ u
Mid e ə o
Open a

Vowels are also punctuated with contrastive high and low tones.[2]

References

  1. Baba at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. Pepandze, Nashipu Julius (2008-06-01). "A generative account of consonant alternations in Baba 1". Studies in African Linguistics. 37 (1): 94–99. doi:10.32473/sal.v37i1.107300. ISSN 2154-428X.



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