{"id":85,"date":"2014-05-08T20:20:16","date_gmt":"2014-05-08T20:20:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/scholarblogs.emory.edu\/bemba\/?page_id=85"},"modified":"2014-12-02T03:21:06","modified_gmt":"2014-12-02T03:21:06","slug":"phonology","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/scholarblogs.emory.edu\/bemba\/phonology\/","title":{"rendered":"Bemba Phonology"},"content":{"rendered":"

Phonology<\/strong> is the study of the sound systems of languages.\u00a0 Some languages have only 6 consonants (the Indo-Pacific language of Rotokas) and some languages have 95 (the Khoisan language !Xu, spoken in Southern Africa).\u00a0 Some languages have a 3 vowel system and others have a 12 vowel system.\u00a0 Most are between these extremes.<\/p>\n

Bemba<\/strong> has 5 vowels and 19 consonants. \u00a0This section of the BOP contains a few clickable links to audio clips<\/span> demonstrating phonological features of the Bemba language. \u00a0Look for the red text, followed by blue links!<\/span><\/strong>. \u00a0The linguistic analysis and material featured here was developed by Debra Spitulnik Vidali and Mubanga E. Kashoki. How to cite this page<\/a>. \u00a0More background on iciBemba can be found on this website<\/a> and in this article<\/a>.<\/p>\n

There are three consonant sounds in Bemba which do not occur in Standard American English. The voiced bilabial fricative [\u00df] sounds like a cross between [b] and [w]. This sound occurs in two contexts, word initially (for example in bwangu<\/em> ‘fast’) and between vowels (as in abantu<\/em> ‘people’). In all other contexts, the character b<\/em> is pronounced [b]. You can hear<\/span> this voiced bilabial fricative [\u00df] as the first two consonant sounds in the word abaBemba<\/a><\/em> ‘Bemba people’ and as the second consonant in the related word iciBemba<\/a><\/em> ‘Bemba language\/customs’. Note that the orthography here is not meant to represent the [\u00df] sound. An uppercase B is used to spell these words because it signals the proper noun status of the word Bemba.<\/p>\n

Another difference from Standard American English appears in the sound represented with l<\/em>. This is an alveolar lateral flap in Bemba, rather than the English approximant. The characters ny<\/em> in Bemba orthography represent a palatal nasal [\u00f1], as in the Spanish pe\u00f1a<\/em> or the French gn<\/em> in agneau<\/em>. The velar nasal [ng’] exists in Standard American English – for example in singer<\/em> — but it does not occur at the onset of syllables as it does in Bemba. \u00a0You can hear this sound<\/span> in:<\/span> \u00a0ing’ng’anga<\/em><\/a> ‘traditional healer, doctor’ and ing’ng’anda<\/em><\/a> ‘house’. \u00a0The\u00a0ng’<\/em> is used to represent the velar nasal. \u00a0A hooked n [\u03b7]\u00a0is also used in some orthographic systems.<\/p>\n

There is a contrastive semantic distinction between short and long vowels (the doubling of vowels represents vowel length) as in: uku-pama<\/em><\/a> ‘to be brave’ and uku-paama<\/em><\/a> ‘to hide’.\u00a0Can you hear the difference? <\/span>Other minimal pairs that are distinguished just by vowel length include: uku-pepa<\/em><\/a> ‘to pray’ and uku-peepa<\/em><\/a> ‘to smoke’; uku-shika<\/em> ‘to be deep’ and uku-shiika<\/em> ‘to bury’; uku-sela<\/em> ‘to move’ and uku-seela<\/em> ‘to dangle’.<\/p>\n

In addition, there is a small number of words in Bemba which are distinguished from each other just by differences in tone marking. One example is:<\/span> ul\u00fapw\u00e1<\/em><\/a> ‘family’ and \u00falupw\u00e1<\/em><\/a> ‘eggplant’. The first word has high tones on the second and third vowels. The second word has high tones on the first and the third vowels. \u00a0Can you hear the difference?<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nBilabial<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nLabiodental<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nAlveolar<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nAlveopalatal<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nPalatal<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nVelar<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Stops<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0 Voiceless<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\np<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\nt<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\nk<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0 Voiced<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n(b)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n(d)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\ng<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fricatives<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0 Voiceless<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\nf<\/span><\/td>\ns<\/span><\/td>\n(S)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0 Voiced<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n\u00df<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Affricates<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0 Voiceless<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\ntS<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0 Voiced<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\ndZ<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nasals<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nm<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\nn<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n\u00f1<\/span><\/td>\nng’<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Laterals<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\nl<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Approximates<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong>(semivowels)<\/span><\/td>\nw<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\ny<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

The sounds [b], [d], and [S] (represented above in parentheses) are allophones of the phonemes \/p\/, \/l\/, and \/s\/ respectively. The consonant [b] occurs only when preceded by the homorganic nasal [m] as in mbweele<\/em> ‘should I return?’ (derived from N<\/em>– (1st pers. sg.), –bwel<\/em>– (verb root), –e<\/em> (Subjunctive); where N<\/em>– becomes m<\/em>– in homorganic harmony with the following b<\/em>). The consonant [d] occurs only when preceded by the homorganic nasal [n], as in ndeeya<\/em> ‘I shall go’ (derived from N<\/em>– (1st pers. sg.), –lee<\/em>– (tense\/aspect), –ya<\/em> (verb root)). The alveopalatal [S] occurs before [i]. In addition, the consonants [dZ] and [g] never occur word initially or between vowels; they are always preceded by a homorganic nasal in nasal clusters represented orthographically as nj<\/em> and ng<\/em> (e.g. njeba;<\/em> ‘tell me’ and ngupa<\/em> ‘marry me’).<\/p>\n

Vowels<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nFront\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>(unrounded)<\/span><\/td>\nCentral\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>(unrounded)<\/span><\/td>\nBack\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>(rounded)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
High<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\ni\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 ii<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\nu\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 uu<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Mid<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\ne\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 ee<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\no\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 oo<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Low<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\na\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 aa<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Syllable Structure<\/strong><\/p>\n

As with many other Bantu languages, syllables in Bemba are characteristically open and are of four main types: V, CV, NCV, and NCGV (where V = vowel (long or short), C = consonant, N = nasal, G = glide (w or y)). These types are illustrated by isa<\/em> (i-sa<\/em>) ‘come!’, soma<\/em> (so-ma<\/em>) ‘read!’, yamba<\/em> (ya-mba<\/em>) ‘begin!’ and impwa<\/em> (i-mpwa<\/em>) ‘eggplants’.<\/p>\n

For more on Bemba grammar, click\u00a0here<\/a>. \u00a0Also see our Resources links<\/a>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

<\/a>How to cite this page: \u00a0<\/strong>Vidali, Debra Spitulnik and Mubanga E. Kashoki. 2014. “Bemba Phonology.” Bemba Online Project. Published November 29, 2014: http:\/\/scholarblogs.emory.edu\/bemba\/?p=85<\/p>\n

Visit the Bemba Online Project<\/strong> on Facebook<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

BOP Home<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Phonology is the study of the sound systems of languages.\u00a0 Some languages have only 6 consonants (the Indo-Pacific language of Rotokas) and some languages have 95 (the Khoisan language !Xu, spoken in Southern Africa).\u00a0 Some languages have a 3 vowel … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1939,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-85","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nBemba Phonology - Bemba Online Project<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/scholarblogs.emory.edu\/bemba\/phonology\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Bemba Phonology - Bemba Online Project\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Phonology is the study of the sound systems of languages.\u00a0 Some languages have only 6 consonants (the Indo-Pacific language of Rotokas) and some languages have 95 (the Khoisan language !Xu, spoken in Southern Africa).\u00a0 Some languages have a 3 vowel … Continue reading →\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/scholarblogs.emory.edu\/bemba\/phonology\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Bemba Online Project\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2014-12-02T03:21:06+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/scholarblogs.emory.edu\\\/bemba\\\/phonology\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/scholarblogs.emory.edu\\\/bemba\\\/phonology\\\/\",\"name\":\"Bemba Phonology - 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