| Central Banda | |
| States: | Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan |
| Speakers: | 580,000 |
| Date: | 1984–1996 |
| Ref: | e18 |
| Familycolor: | Niger-Congo |
| Fam1: | Niger–Congo? |
| Fam2: | Atlantic–Congo |
| Fam3: | Volta–Congo |
| Fam4: | Savanna? |
| Fam5: | Ubangian |
| Fam6: | Banda |
| Fam7: | Central |
| Lc1: | liy |
| Ld1: | Banda-Bambari |
| Lc2: | bpd |
| Ld2: | Banda-Banda |
| Lc3: | bqk |
| Ld3: | Banda-Mbrès |
| Lc4: | bfl |
| Ld4: | Banda-Ndélé |
| Lc5: | tor |
| Ld5: | Togbo-Vara Banda |
| Lc6: | bjo |
| Ld6: | Mid-Southern Banda |
| Lc7: | gox |
| Ld7: | Gobu |
| Lc8: | kuw |
| Ld8: | Kpagua |
| Lc9: | mnh |
| Ld9: | Mono |
| Lc10: | nue |
| Ld10: | Ngundu |
| Glotto: | cent2022 |
| Glottorefname: | Central Core Bandaic |
Central Banda is a dialect continuum of the Banda languages spoken by around one million people, primarily in the Central African Republic. The varieties may be mutually intelligible, especially the Mid-Southern–Gobu–Kpagua–Mono–Ngundu cluster. The other varieties are Bambari, Banda-Banda, Mbrès, Ndélé, and Togbo-Vara Banda.
The following is the Banda-Tangbago dialect:
| Labial | Alveolar | Post- alveolar | Palatal | Velar | Labial- velar | Glottal | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plosive/ Affricate | voiceless | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | ||
| voiced | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | ||||
| prenasal | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | ||||
| Fricative | voiceless | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | ||||
| voiced | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | ||||||
| prenasal | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | |||||||
| Nasal | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | ||||||
| Tap/Flap | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | |||||||
| Lateral | pronounced as /link/ | ||||||||
| Approximant | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | |||||||
| Front | Central | Back | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Close | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | |
| Close-mid | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | |
| Open-mid | pronounced as /link/ | |||
| Open | pronounced as /link/ |
Vowel tones are: rising /ǎ/, falling /â/, mid /ā/, low /à/, and high /á/.[1] [2]
Central Banda language varieties listed by Moñino (1988):
Nougayrol (1989) also lists Kɔ̀nɔ́, Manja, Ndòkà, Njùlúgù, and Sàra Dìnjo.
Demographics of Central Banda language varieties as synthesized from Moñino (1988)[3] and Nougayrol (1989):[4]
| Language | Villages | Population | Clans | Notes | Countries | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bàndà-Bàndà | ||||||
| Bàndà-Kpaya | (only in South Sudan) | |||||
| Bàndà-Ndele | ||||||
| Bèrèyà | ||||||
| Bòngò | ||||||
| Búkà | ||||||
| Burú | Kúyàrà | 25 | Màtià | Kpata road; near Gbàyà of Krakə̀mâl; also in Bahr el Ghazal, migrated during the Zubayr era (ca. 1930) | (only in South Sudan) | |
| Dabùrù | Ndagra | 20 | Kɔ̀tɔ̀, Ngòmbe, Ngulú (Kpata), Ndubu (Kpata and Ndagra) | Kpata road | ||
| Dabùrù | Kpàtà | 380 | Kpata road | |||
| Dabùrù | Miskin | 30 | recent satellite of Jamsinda | |||
| Dùkpù | (also in South Sudan) | |||||
| Gài | Zòkùtùɲálà | Tulu | Haraz road | |||
| Gài | Batéle ́ | Tulu | Ndélé | |||
| Galabò | ||||||
| Gbàgà | Mia Fɔ̀ndɔ̀ | 90 | Gbə̀lè, Gùməli, Mabiri, Vidi, Yàkpà | |||
| Gbàgà | Kàká | some | ||||
| Gbàgà | Kòv̂òngò Mia | 70 | Vidi, Yúdà | |||
| Gbàgà | Ngú Sua | 60 | Kupi, Mbízà, Ngìàlúgù/Ngèlúgù/Njùlúgù, Vóndò | |||
| Gbàgà | Gbàkó Lìkpà | 65 | Vidi | |||
| Gbàgà | Bangora̱ | 155 | Dámbasí/Dámbacé, Kòlògbò, làngbà | |||
| Gbàgà | Dàngàvo | 50 | Kòlògbò, Yàkpà | |||
| Gbàgà | Yambala Màgùndà | 80 | Mɔnɔ, Vàngà | |||
| Gbàgà | Vátá | 170 | Banga, Manja, poro, Tàngbàgò, Tògbò, Yàngbà | |||
| Gbàgà | Vavú | ? | ||||
| Gbàgà | Bu Mbàlà | 45, with Gbaya | Banga, Dákpá, Mòngò, Vidi | |||
| Gbàgà | Bàmingi 1, 2 | 650 | Gbàyà, Gùməli, Ngìàlúgù/Ngèlúgù/Njùlúgù, Sìmi/Cìmi, Vidi | |||
| Gbàgà | Yangú Gàlá | 30 | Báláwà | with the Mbele | ||
| Gbàgà | Yambala Kùdùvèlé | 90 | Dámbasí/Dámbacé, Kpòʔòrò, Ngìàlúgù/Ngèlúgù/Njùlúgù, Sìmi/Cìmi, Wádà, Wójò, Yúdà | |||
| Gbàgà | Jamsinda | some | Golongoso road | |||
| Gbambiya | ||||||
| Gbàyà | Krakə̀mâ 1 | 210 | Àbátà, Lòngbò, Tulu, Yàma | Kpata road | ||
| Gbàyà | Krakə̀mâ 2 | 80 | Gbòngó, Gbókóló, ɲamô | |||
| Gbàyà | Ngú Yambrì | 40 | ɲamô | |||
| Gbàyà | Bu Mbàlà | Lìwu | some families; on Gangui road, on the outskirts of Gbaga | |||
| Gbòngó | Takara | 170 | 7 - Danbùrù, Gbàngárà, Ndì, Ngàmbeà, Ngulú, Wɔlɔ́, Yàndè | Kpata road | ||
| Govo | Ndélé | ? | ||||
| Gòv̂òrò | (only in South Sudan) | |||||
| Gubú | (also in DR Congo) | |||||
| Hàì | ||||||
| Jòtò | ||||||
| Júnguru | Batéle 2 (Ndélé) and Idòngó | originally from Kpula, and were subjects of Zubayr | (also in South Sudan) | |||
| Kâ | ||||||
| Kɔ̀nɔ́ | Batéle 2 (Ndélé) | some families | ||||
| Kpágùà | (also in DR Congo) | |||||
| Lìndá | Lìndá 1 | Ngbɔ̀lɔ̀ngɔ̀jɔ̀ | ||||
| Lìndá | Lìndá 2 | Mbìà | ||||
| Lìndá | formerly Kùcù Kakú | |||||
| Lìndá | some in Ndele | Ngàò | ||||
| Manja | Batéle 1 (Ndélé cluster) | 180 | Bòkèngè, Bìsènge | some families in Kubu and Jamsinda (Golongoso road) | ||
| Mbanja | (only in DR Congo) | |||||
| Mbanza | (also in DR Congo) | |||||
| Mbàtá | Zòkùtùɲálà | 340 | 250 | Haraz road | ||
| Mbàtá | Ndélé | 1 neighborhood | ||||
| Mbele | Yangú Doro | 40 | ||||
| Mbele | Yangú Líká | 30 | Ngìndì | |||
| Mbele | Yangú Gàlá | Mbrua | some families living with the Muruba | |||
| Mbele | Yambala Kùdùvèlé | some families living with the Muruba | ||||
| Mbele | Jamsinda | Mbrua | some families (on Golongoso road) | |||
| Mùrùbà | Dungu Yangú | 105 | Yagua | with the Ngao | ||
| Mùrùbà | Biʃi Ngú 1 | 75 | Kàgárà | with the Ngapo | ||
| Mùrùbà | Gbà Lə́bà | 100 | Gbanga | |||
| Mùrùbà | Yangú Ngav̂ala | 30 | Gbózu Yavóró, Kàdá | |||
| Mùrùbà | Kàgà Nzê | 45 | Kpèyí | |||
| Mùrùbà | Ngú Mburu | 25 | Ngbə̀lɛ́lɛ́ | |||
| Mùrùbà | Mbí Ngú | 45 | Gbanga | |||
| Mùrùbà | Muruba | 250 | Bongo | 2 neighborhoods | ||
| Mùrùbà | Sajara | 130 | Gàràwá, Kpèyí, Ngbalá, Sògbòrò | 2 neighborhoods | ||
| Mùrùbà | Kassaï | Gbanga, Kpèyí, Wàndè | some families | |||
| Mùrùbà | Kro Pálíá | some families | ||||
| Mùrùbà | Jamsinda | some families | ||||
| Mùrùbà | Kubu | some families; Golongoso road | ||||
| Nbìyì | ||||||
| Ndi | ||||||
| Ndòkà Njùlúgù | Ádùm Mindu | 250 | Bangui road | |||
| Ndòkpà | ||||||
| Ngàjà | Ndélé | some families | ||||
| Ngàò | Yangú Brinjì | 155 | Sàngàsà | |||
| Ngàò | Ngú Jáká | 200 | Kàbà | Kpata road | ||
| Ngàò | Mbólò 1 | 295 | Gbúlú | |||
| Ngàò | Mbólò 2 | 25 | Gòv̂òrò | |||
| Ngàò | Mbólò 3 | 260 | Lìwà | |||
| Ngàò | Mbólò 4 | 60 | Gbòngó | |||
| Ngàò | Gbə̀tì ə́njo | 35 | Dòdòrò | |||
| Ngàò | Kə́lə́ Bítì | 145 | Dòdòrò | |||
| Ngàò | Vùngbá | 55 | Dòdòrò | |||
| Ngàò | Yàfò | 30 | Jùmə̀là | Bangoran road | ||
| Ngàò | Kàká | 120 | Ndákpá | |||
| Ngàò | Dungu Yangú | 105 | Dòdòrò | with the Muruba | ||
| Ngàò | Ngàò Ndákpá | 55 | Nivu (?) | |||
| Ngàò | Kassaï | some families | ||||
| Ngàò | Kro Pálíá | some families | ||||
| Ngápó | Gbà Njípri | 33 | Gbàrə̀ | Bangoran road | ||
| Ngápó | Gbà Lə́bà | 100 | Dìgàò, Zàgò | Bangui road; with the Muruba | ||
| Ngápó | Kassaï | |||||
| Ngápó | Ndélé | |||||
| Ngbalá | Ndyiri | Gbà Lábà | 7 villages and clans | |||
| Ngbalá | Ídòngó | Dèngè | ||||
| Ngbalá | Ngú Gua (Gbɔ̀kɔ́) | |||||
| Ngbalá | Yangú Bə̀ (Wá Ngato) | |||||
| Ngbalá | Ngú Mbrì (Wàkà) | |||||
| Ngbalá | Ngú Tàgbà (Ngèlè) | |||||
| Ngbalá | Bangora̱ Gudèrè (Mɔ̀ʔɔ́) | |||||
| Ngòlà | Ndele | |||||
| Ngòlà | Jamsinda | Golongoso road | ||||
| Ngùndù | ||||||
| Sàbángà | Gbə̀tì ə́ Njo | Vəjà | Bangoran road | |||
| Sàbángà | Yangú Gàlá | Bangui road | ||||
| Sàra Dìnjo | ɲango (Bangui road) | 130 | some Sàra Ngàma from Chad also joined recently | |||
| Southern Gbàgà | ||||||
| Tàngbàgò | Ngú Sua Torofay | 450 total | Gbòngó, Gài | Bangoran road | (also in South Sudan) | |
| Tàngbàgò | Tolísiò | Àngbé | Bangoran road | |||
| Tàngbàgò | Biʃi Ngú 2 | Bílí | Bangui road | |||
| Tàngbàgò | Sa Kùmbá | Mbákàná | Bangui road | |||
| Tàngbàgò | Dungu Yangú | Mbákàná | some families | |||
| Tògbò | (also in South Sudan) | |||||
| Tulu | Dèò | 35 | Gèndè, Manja, Ngàyà, Ngàò | Kpata road | ||
| Tulu | Wî Fran | 185 | Kagba, Ngulú | |||
| Tulu | Batéle 3 | 200 | Gèndè, Kagba, Ngulú, Ngbenda, Ngàjà | |||
| Tulu | Kro Pálíá | Ndélé | ||||
| Vàrà | (also in South Sudan) | |||||
| Vídìrì (Mvédèrè) | (also in South Sudan) | |||||
| Wádà | Kubu | Golongoso road; originally from Ouadda region, in Ndélé | (also in South Sudan) | |||
| Wádà | Batéle 2 | Ndélé | ||||
| Wasá | Batéle 2 | Ndélé | some families | (also in South Sudan) | ||
| Wùndù | (only in South Sudan) | |||||
| Yakpà | (also in DR Congo) | |||||
| Yàngere |