Ngwe language
{{Short description|Grassfields language spoken in Cameroon}}
{{distinguish|Hungworo language}}
{{Infobox language
|name=Ngwe
|nativename=
|states=Cameroon
|region=
|speakers={{sigfig|73200|2}}
|date=2001
|ref=e18
|familycolor=Niger-Congo
|fam2=Atlantic–Congo
|fam3=Volta-Congo
|fam4=Benue–Congo
|fam5=Bantoid
|fam6=Southern Bantoid
|fam7=Grassfields
|fam8=Eastern Grassfields
|fam9=Mbam-Nkam
|fam10=Bamiléké
|fam11=West Bamileke
|fam12=Bamboutos
|iso3=nwe
|glotto=ngwe1238
|glottorefname=Ngwe
}}
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
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Ngwe Alphabet {{sfn|The Languages of Cameroon Series}} | 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, {{IPA|/i y e ɛ æ ɐ ɑ ɔ o u ɯ ɤ ʌ/}}.Ladefoged, Peter. [https://books.google.com/books?id=yRGP5-gzxYUC&q=ngwe&pg=PR7 A Phonetic Study of West African Languages: An Auditory-instrumental Survey]. Cambridge University Press, 1968, pp. 33–36. /ɤ ʌ/ are centralised. /y/ sounds somewhat like [ø] or [œ] and has a tongue position similar to that of /ɑ/, but with the jaw raised and the lips very close together.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- Ayotte, Michael & Ayotte, Charlene. 2002. "[https://web.archive.org/web/20160313074814/http://www-01.sil.org/silesr/2003/silesr2003-004.pdf Sociolinguistic Language Survey of Ngwe.]" SIL International
{{Languages of Cameroon}}
{{Grassfields Bantu languages}}
Category:Languages of Cameroon
{{Cameroon-lang-stub}}
{{gras-lang-stub}}