Kpelle language

The Kpelle /kəˈpɛlə/[2] language (endonym: "Kpɛlɛɛ"[3]) is spoken by the Kpelle people of Liberia, Guinea and Ivory Coast and is part of the Mande language family. Guinean Kpelle (also known as Guerze in French), spoken by half a million people, is concentrated primarily, but not exclusively, in the southeastern forest regions of Guinea bordering Liberia, Ivory Coast, and Sierra Leone. Half a million Liberians speak Liberian Kpelle, which is taught in Liberian schools.

Kpelle
Kpɛlɛwoo
RegionLiberia, Guinea, Ivory Coast
EthnicityKpelle people
Native speakers
(1.3 million cited 1991–2012)[1]
Kpelle syllabary, African reference alphabet
Language codes
ISO 639-2kpe
ISO 639-3kpe – inclusive code
Individual codes:
gkp – Guinea Kpelle
xpe – Liberia Kpelle
knu – Kono
Glottologkpel1252

Sample

The Lord's Prayer in Kpelle:[4]

Kunâŋ gáa ŋele sui,
Tɔɔ ku iláai siɣe a maa waa.
Tɔɔ Ikâloŋ-laai é pá,
Tɔɔ ínîa-mɛni é kέ,
Nɔii ma ɓɛ yɛ̂ɛ berei gáa la Ɣâla-taai.
I kukɔ sâa a kuɣele-kuu tɔnɔ-tɔnɔ mii-sɛŋ;
I ipôlu fe kutɔ̂ŋ-karaa-ŋai dîa,
Yɛ̂ɛ berei kwa kupôlu fè la kuɓarâai ditɔ̂ŋ-karaa-ŋai dîai;
Tɔɔ kutúɛ kufe pili yee-laa-maa su,
Kέlɛ, i kukúla mɛni nyɔ́mɔɔ su.

Phonology

Consonants
Labial Alveolar Palatal Velar Labial-Velar
Plosive plain p t k k͡p
voiced b d ɡ ɡ͡b
Implosive ɓ
Fricative plain f s
voiced v z ɣ
Trill r
Lateral l
Nasal m n ŋ
Approximant j w

Vowels
Front Central Back
Close i u
Close-mid e o
Open-mid ɛ ɔ
Open a

[5]

References
  1. Kpelle at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
    Guinea Kpelle at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
    Liberia Kpelle at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
    Kono at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. Laurie Bauer, 2007, The Linguistics Student’s Handbook, Edinburgh
  3. "Kpɛlɛɛ Kɔlɔi 2" [Kpelle reader #2]. 2nd ed. Totota: Kpelle Literacy Center, 1959, 1.
  4. Matthew 6:9-13 in the Gbanaŋ-woo-kɛɛ ninai ["Kpelle New Testament"]. Monrovia: Bible Society in Liberia and United Bible Societies, 1992. Online link.
  5. Thach, Sharon V.; Dwyer, David J. (1981). Kpelle: A Reference Handbook of Phonetics, Grammar, Lexicon, and Learning Procedures (PDF).


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