Bangolan language

Bangolan (sɔ́ŋnə́ ŋgbáŋlɛ) is a Grassfields Bantu language of Cameroon.

Phonology

Consonants

• /b/ is [b] after nasals (e.g., [mbé] 'nail') and [p] elsewhere (e.g., [pà] 'bag').
• /d/ is [d] after nasals (e.g., [ndɔ́ŋ] 'horn'), [l]~[ɾ] between vowels or after syllable-final consonants (e.g., [túŋlə̀]~[túŋɾə̀] 'ear'), and [l] elsewhere (e.g., [lə̀ŋ] 'chair').
• /g/ is [g] after nasals (e.g., [ŋgùt] 'skin') and [ɣ] elsewhere (e.g., [ɣàtə́] 'divide').
• /t/ is [tʰ] before [u] in open syllables (e.g., [tʰú] 'dig (verb)') and [t] elsewhere (e.g., [túŋ] 'dig (verb)').
• /k/ is [ʔ] between vowels or syllable-finally (e.g., [nàʔ] 'cow') and [k] elsewhere (e.g., [kú] 'die (verb)').
• /z/ is [d͡ʒ] in labialized or palatalized syllables after nasal consonants (e.g., [nd͡ʒìŋ] 'darkness'), [ʒ] in labialized or palatalized syllables (e.g., [wǎʒwí] 'lion'), [d͡z] after nasal consonants (e.g., [nd͡zə̀] 'dream', and [z] elsewhere (e.g., [zí] 'face').
• /s/ is [ʃ] in labialized or palatalized syllables (e.g., [ʃíʃí] 'vein') and [s] elsewhere (e.g., [sáŋ] 'corn').
• /t͡s/ is [t͡ʃ] in labialized or palatalized syllables (e.g., [t͡ʃì] 'blood') and [t͡s] elsewhere (e.g., [t͡sɔ̀t] 'mouth').
• /ʔ,t,ŋ/ are the only syllable-final consonants.

Vowels

/ɨ/ does not occur in labialized or palatalized syllables, and /ə,u,o,ɔ/ do not occur in palatalized syllables. /e,o,ɨ/ cannot occur in closed syllables before /ŋ/.

Tone

Bangolan has lexical and grammatical tone. Lexical tone contrasts [nd͡zɔ̂ŋ] 'clitoris' with [nd͡zɔ̏ŋ] 'thorn', while grammatical tone contrasts [àwé] 'he has gone' with [àwē] 'he is going'.

There are three level tones (high [á], mid [ā], low [à]) and three contour tones (low-rising [ǎ], high-low falling [â], and low-falling [ȁ]). The mid tone is rare but contrasts with the high and low-falling tones.

Notes

• Njeck, Mathaus (2003a). (Report). Yaoundé: NACALCO – via SIL Global.
• Njeck, Mathaus Mbah (2003b). (Maîtrise thesis). Univeersity of Yaoundé I.