Nyong (Daganyonga), also known as Mubako and Bali-Kumbat,[3] is a Leko language spoken in two well-separated enclaves in Cameroon and Nigeria. Cameroonian speakers consider themselves to be ethnically Chamba.
| Nyong | |
|---|---|
| Mumbake | |
| Nyɔŋ Nyanga | |
| Native to | Nigeria, Cameroon |
| Region | Adamawa State |
Native speakers | 30,000 in Cameroon (2008 census)[1] |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | muo |
| Glottolog | nyon1241 |
| Person | Nyɔŋvena[2] |
|---|---|
| People | Nyɔŋnepa (Nyongnepa) |
| Language | Nyɔŋ Nyanga |
Nyong is linguistically distinct from nearby languages. It is instead more similar to the Chamba language which is spoken to the north. Nyong and Chamba have 85% lexical similarity.[4]
Distribution
editEthnologue (22nd ed.) lists the following Nyong villages and locations.
- Cameroon
- Mezam division, Santa subdivision: Baligham village
- Ngo-Ketunjia division, Balikumbat subdivision: Baligashu, Baligansin, and Balikumbat villages on Ndop plain
- Nigeria
- Adamawa State: Mayo Belwa LGA
- Taraba State: Zing LGA. 6 villages.
Phonology
editThe vowels of Nyong are /i/, /u/, /e/, /o/, /ə/ /ɛ/, /ɔ/, and /a/. Length contrast exists in all vowels except /ə/ and /o/, which are always short. There are five tones: high, mid, low, rising, and falling.[5]
| Labial | Dental/Alveolar | Palatal | Velar | Labiovelar | Glottal | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nasal | m | n | ɲ | ŋ | ||
| Stop | p, b | t, d | k, g | |||
| Affricate | nd | ŋɡ | kp, gb | |||
| Approximant | l | j | w | |||
| Fricative | f, v | s, z | h |
References
edit- ^ Nyong at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
- ^ Blench, Roger (2019). An Atlas of Nigerian Languages (4th ed.). Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.
- ^ "Mubako". Ethnologue. Retrieved 2020-09-27.
- ^ Griffin, Margaret A. (1994). A rapid appraisal survey of Mubako (ALCAM 300 Samba leekɔ).
- ^ a b Kouonang, Alice (1983). Esquisse phonologique du parler bali-kumbat.