Njebi language explained

Njebi
Nativename:Yinjebi
States:Gabon, Republic of Congo
Ethnicity:Banjabi, Bongo
Date:2000–2007
Ref:e18
Familycolor:Niger-Congo
Fam2:Atlantic–Congo
Fam3:Benue–Congo
Fam4:Bantoid
Fam5:Bantu (Zone B)
Fam6:Nzebi languages (B.50)
Iso3:nzb
Glotto:njeb1242
Glottorefname:Njebi
Guthrie:B.52

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

Phonology

Consonants

LabialAlveolarPalatalVelar
Plosivevoicelesspronounced as /link/pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link/
voicedpronounced as /link/pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link/
prenasalpronounced as /link/pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link/
Affricatepronounced as /link/pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link/
Fricativevoicelesspronounced as /link/pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link/
voicedpronounced as /link/pronounced as /link/(pronounced as /link/)
prenasalpronounced as /link/pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link/
Nasalpronounced as /link/pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link/
Rhoticpronounced as /link/
Lateralpronounced as /link/
Approximantpronounced as /link/pronounced as /link/

Vowels

FrontCentralBack
Closepronounced as /link/ pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link/ pronounced as /link/
Close-midpronounced as /link/ pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link/ pronounced as /link/
Open-midpronounced as /link/ pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link/ pronounced as /link/
Openpronounced as /link/ pronounced as /link/
Vowel sounds may also be heard as tense in different positions.

Example

Gabonese singer SeBa's writes and sings her songs in the Njebi language.[2]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Marchal-Nasse, Colette . De la phonologie à la morphologie du nzèbi, langue bantoue (B52) du Gabon . Université Libre de Bruxelles . 1989 .
  2. Web site: Musique : "Kundu", le retour de SeBa. Andy Steen dit. 2016-11-21. Gabonreview.com Actualité du Gabon . fr-FR. 2020-02-07.