Kwaʼ language

Kwaʼ
RegionCameroon
EthnicityBamileke
Native speakers
(1,000 cited 2000)
Language codes
ISO 639-3bko
Glottologkwaa1265

Kwaʼ (Bakwa) is a minor Bamileke language of Cameroon.

Phonology

Consonants

Consonants
BilabialLabio-dentalAlveolarPost-alveolarPalatalVelarGlottalLabial-velar
Plosivevoiceless tkʔ
voiced bdg
prenasalized ᵐbⁿdᶮdʒᵑg
Nasal mnɲŋ
Affricatevoiceless pftʃkx
voiced bvdʒ
Fricativevoiceless fsh
voiced vɣ
Lateral l
Approximant jw

This analysis differs from that of Tientcheu Tchameni (2008), who did not find /ʔ/, /pf/, /bv/, or /ɣ/. In contrast, Tientcheu Tchameni (2008) found /p/, /gɣ/, /ɰ/, /kf/, and /x/, which Talla Sandeu did not.

Vowels

Vowels
FrontCentralBack
[-round][+round]
shortlongshortlongshortlongshortlong
Close iʉʉːuuː
Close-mid eeːøøːəəː
Open-mid ɛɔɔː
Open aaː

Tientcheu Tchameni (2008) did not include /ə/ or /əː/ but did include /ɨ/, /o/, and /ɛː/.

Tones

Talla Sandeu (2020) and Tientcheu Tchameni (2008) agree on the number and characteristics of the tones. There are three simple tones (high, mid, and low) and two complex tones (rising and falling). Syllabic nasals can only carry simple tones, e.g., [m̀fū] 'leaf'.

Notes

  1. ↑ Kwaʼ at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. ↑ Talla Sandeu 2020, pp. 29–30.
  3. ↑ Talla Sandeu 2020, p. 25, citing Tientcheu Tchameni 2008
  4. 1 2 Talla Sandeu 2020, p. 30.
  5. ↑ Talla Sandeu 2020, p. 20, citing Tientcheu Tchameni 2008, p. 40
  6. ↑ Talla Sandeu 2020, pp. 21, 29.
  7. ↑ Talla Sandeu 2020, p. 29.

References