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Ngwe language

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Grassfields language spoken in Cameroon Not to be confused with Hungworo language.
Ngwe
Native toCameroon
Native speakers73,000 (2001)
Language familyNiger–Congo?
Language codes
ISO 639-3nwe
Glottologngwe1238

Ngwe (Ŋwɛh, Nweh) is a Bamileke language spoken predominantly in Lebialem, Cameroon. As of 2001, Ngwe had 73,200 speakers, which was an increase from the numbers of previous censuses. Its closest relatives are Yemba and Ngiemboon.

Writing system

Ngwe Alphabet
a b c d e ə ɛ f g gh ' h i j k kh l
m n ŋ o ɔ p pf r s t ts u ʉ v w y z

Phonology

Vowels

It has at least thirteen vowels, /i y e ɛ æ ɐ ɑ ɔ o u ɯ ɤ ʌ/. /ɤ ʌ/ are centralised. /y/ sounds somewhat like or and has a tongue position similar to that of /ɑ/, but with the jaw raised and the lips very close together.

References

  1. Ngwe at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. The Languages of Cameroon Series. sfn error: no target: CITEREFThe_Languages_of_Cameroon_Series (help)
  3. ^ Ladefoged, Peter. A Phonetic Study of West African Languages: An Auditory-instrumental Survey. Cambridge University Press, 1968, pp. 33–36.

External links

Languages of Cameroon
Official languages
Major languages
Pidgins
Indigenous and Imnigrant languages
Sign languages
Immigrant languages
See also: General Alphabet of Cameroon Languages
Grassfields languages
Ring
Central
Southern
Western
Other
Eastern
Grassfields
Bamileke
Western
Eastern
Ngemba
Nkambe
Nun
Momo
Others


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