Naba language

Last updated
Naba
Tar Melbene
Native to Chad
Region Batha, Chari-Baguirmi prefectures
Ethnicity Lisi
Native speakers
510,000 (2019) [1]
Dialects
  • Bilala
  • Kuka
  • Mendogo
Latin
Language codes
ISO 639-3 mne
Glottolog naba1253

Naba is a Nilo-Saharan language spoken by approximately 500,000 people in Chad. [1] Those who speak this language are called Lisi, a collective name for three closely associated ethnic groups, the Bilala, the Kuka and the Medogo, that represent the three dialects in which Naba is subdivided. They live mainly in the Batha Prefecture, but the Kuka are also in Chari-Baguirmi. Ethnologue estimates the lexical similarity among the three dialects to be no less than 99%. [1] Arabic is often spoken as a second language. [1]

Contents

Phonology

Consonants

Labial Alveolar Palatal Velar Glottal
Plosive/
Affricate
plain(p)btdkɡ
prenasal ᵐbⁿdⁿdʒᵑɡ
implosive ɓɗ
Fricative fszh
Nasal mnɲŋ
Rhotic r/ɻ
Approximant wlj

Vowels

Front Central Back
Close iu
Mid eo
Open a

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Naba at Ethnologue (27th ed., 2024) Closed Access logo transparent.svg
  2. Scherrer, Elaine Marie (2022). A phonological description of Naba. Afrika und Übersee 95. pp. 76–134.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link) CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)