Njebi (or Nzebi, Njabi, Ndzabi, Yinjebi, etc.) is a Bantu language spoken in Gabon and the Republic of Congo.

Njebi
Yinjebi
Native toGabon, Republic of Congo
EthnicityBanjabi, Bongo
Native speakers
140,000 (2000–2007)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3nzb
Glottolognjeb1242
B.52[2]
Map of Gabon, with Njebi language area in gray

Phonology

edit

Consonants

edit
Labial Alveolar Palatal Velar
Plosive voiceless p t k
voiced b d ɡ
prenasal ᵐb ⁿd ᵑɡ
Affricate p͡f t͡s t͡ʃ
Fricative voiceless f s ʃ
voiced β z (ʒ)
prenasal ᶬv ⁿz ⁿʒ
Nasal m n ɲ
Rhotic r
Lateral l
Approximant w j
  • /z/ is heard as [ʒ] when before /i/.
  • /ɡ/ can be pronounced as [ɣ] or [x] in free variation.
  • /b/ can be heard as an implosive [ɓ] in free variation in initial position.[3]

Vowels

edit
Front Central Back
Close i u
Close-mid e ə o
Open-mid ɛ ɛː ɔ ɔː
Open a

Vowel sounds may also be heard as tense in different positions.

Example

edit

Gabonese singer SeBa's writes and sings her songs in the Njebi language.[4]

References

edit
  1. ^ Njebi at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. ^ Jouni Filip Maho, 2009. New Updated Guthrie List Online
  3. ^ Marchal-Nasse, Colette (1989). De la phonologie à la morphologie du nzèbi, langue bantoue (B52) du Gabon. Université Libre de Bruxelles.
  4. ^ Andy Steen dit (2016-11-21). "Musique : "Kundu", le retour de SeBa". Gabonreview.com | Actualité du Gabon | (in French). Retrieved 2020-02-07.