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Bantu language spoken in DR Congo
Songe, also known as Songye, Kisonge, Lusonge, Yembe, and Northeast Luba, is a Bantu language spoken by the Songye people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Ethnologue notes that Songe is "related" to Mbagani, which they do not include in their database. Maho (2009) labels as "Mbagani (Binji)" one of the two geographic areas Ethnologue assigns to Songe, but says that it is closer to Lwalu; he says that it is a different language, Binji, that is close to Songe.
Phonology
Vowels
A five vowel system with vowel length is present:
Front | Central | Back | |
---|---|---|---|
Close | i iː | u uː | |
Mid | e eː | o oː | |
Open | a aː |
Consonants
Labial | Alveolar | Post-alv./ Palatal |
Velar | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nasal | m | n | ɲ | ŋ | |
Plosive/ Affricate |
voiceless | p | t | tʃ | k |
vl. prenasal | ᵐp | ⁿt | ⁿtʃ | ᵑk | |
voiced | b | d | ɡ | ||
vd. prenasal | ᵐb | ⁿd | ᵑɡ | ||
Fricative | voiceless | f | s | ʃ | |
vl. prenasal | ᶬf | ⁿs | ⁿʃ | ||
voiced | v | z | ʒ | ||
vd. prenasal | ᶬv | ⁿz | ⁿʒ | ||
Approximant | l | j | w |
- Palatalization [ʲ] and labialization [ʷ] is also present among consonant sounds.[3]
References
- ^ Songe at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
- ^ Jouni Filip Maho, 2009. New Updated Guthrie List Online
- ^ Stappers, Leo (1964). Morfologie van het Songye. Leuven: Katholieke Universiteit.
Nilo-Saharan |
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Niger-Congo |
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Unclassified |
Official language | |
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National languages | |
Indigenous languages (by province) | |
Sign languages |
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Note: The Guthrie classification is geographic and its groupings do not imply a relationship between the languages within them. |
National | |
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Other |
Categories
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Annuals36
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Bulbs, Corms & Tubers41
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Ferns27
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Fruits3
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Garden Plants23
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Grasses26
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Herb17
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Insects1
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Mammals1
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Midwest Native Plants0
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Northeast Native Plants112
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Perennials123
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Rose1
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Shrubs47
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Trees112
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Tropical Plants53
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Upland Birds5
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Vines18
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Viola Tricolor1
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Water Gardening & Plants9
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Waterfowl0
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Wetland Birds0
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Wetland Plants4
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Wildbirds172
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Wildflowers1
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Woodland Plants29
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