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Central Teke language

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(Redirected from Northeast Teke language)
Central Teke
Native toCongo, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Native speakers
(45,000 Ngungwel cited 1988)[1]
20,000 Boo (2000)[1]
Dialects
  • Ngungwel
  • Mpu (Mpumpu)
  • Boo (Eboo)
  • Ndzindziu
Language codes
ISO 639-3Variously:
ngz – Ngungwel
ebo – Boo
nzu – Nzikou
Glottologngun1278
B.72,74[2]

Central Teke is a member of the Teke languages dialect continuum of the Congolese plateau. Central Teke dialects are Ngungwel and Mpu (Mpumpum), Boo (Boma, Eboocf. Boma language), and Nzikou (Njyunjyu/Ndzindziu).[3] They are spoken in the Malebo Pool region of the Republic of Congo, with an unknown number of Boo speakers in DRC.

Phonology

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Consonants

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Labial Alveolar Palatal Velar Glottal
Plosive voiceless p t k
voiced b d ɡ
prenasal vl. ᵐp ⁿt ᵑk
prenasal vd. ᵐb ⁿd ᵑɡ
Affricate voiceless p͡f t͡s
voiced b͡v d͡z
prenasal vl. ᵐp͡f ⁿt͡s
prenasal vd. ᵐb͡v ⁿd͡z
Fricative f s ʃ h
Nasal m n ɲ ŋ
Lateral l
Approximant ɥ j w
  • /h/ is only heard in the Nzikou dialect.

Vowels

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Front Central Back
Close i ĩ u ũ
ɪ ɪ̃ ʊ ʊ̃
Close-mid e o
Open-mid ɛ ɛ̃ ɔ ɔ̃
Open a ã
  • /u/ when preceding a palatal /j/ is heard as [ʉ], and when preceding a /w/ is heard as [y].[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b Ngungwel at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022) Closed access icon
    Boo at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022) Closed access icon
    Nzikou at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022) Closed access icon
  2. ^ Jouni Filip Maho, 2009. New Updated Guthrie List Online
  3. ^ Hammarström (2015) Ethnologue 16/17/18th editions: a comprehensive review: online appendices
  4. ^ Raharimanantsoa, Ruth (2012). Aspects of phonology in Eboo-Nzikou. Göteborgs Universitet.