Kele language (Gabon) explained

See also: Kele language (disambiguation).

Kélé
Nativename:	Dikele
States:	Gabon, a few in Congo
Ethnicity:	Kele people
Date:	2000–2007
Ref:	e18
Familycolor:	Niger-Congo
Fam2:	Atlantic–Congo
Fam3:	Benue–Congo
Fam4:	Bantoid
Fam5:	Bantu (Zone B)
Fam6:	Kele languages (b. 20)
Lc1:	keb
Ld1:	West Kele, Bubi
Lc2:	nra
Ld2:	Ngom
Guthrie:	B.22

Kele is a Bantu language of Gabon. Dialects of the Kele language are scattered throughout Gabon.

• West Kele (Kili) is spoken by the Kele people, scattered in Middle Ogooué Province, Mimongo area.^[1]
• Ngom (Angom, Ungomo) is used with only minor differences by the Kola/Koya Pygmies. It is spoken on both sides of the border with the Republic of the Congo.
• Bubi (not the same as the Bubi language)
• Tombidi
• Mwesa

Phonology

Consonants^[2] !!Labial!Alveolar!Dorsal

Plosive	pronounced as /link/ pronounced as /link/	pronounced as /link/ pronounced as /link/	pronounced as /link/ pronounced as /link/
Fricative	pronounced as /link/ pronounced as /link/	pronounced as /link/ pronounced as /link/
Nasal	pronounced as /link/	pronounced as /link/	pronounced as /link/
Approximant	pronounced as /link/	pronounced as /link/	pronounced as /link/

Vowels!!Front!Central!Back

High	pronounced as /link/ pronounced as /link/		pronounced as /link/ pronounced as /link/
Mid-high	pronounced as /link/ pronounced as /link/		pronounced as /link/ pronounced as /link/
Mid-low	pronounced as /link/ pronounced as /link/		pronounced as /link/ pronounced as /link/
Low		pronounced as /link/ pronounced as /link/

Kele also has two tones;^[2] high and low.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Kélé A language of Gabon . Ethnologue . 2011-10-25.
2. Bingoumou . Justin . 2008 . Esquisse phonologique du ntumbidi parlé à Rébé . MA . Université Omar Bongo. Libreville.