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Benabena language

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Kainantu–Gorokan language of Papua New Guinea
Benabena
Native toPapua New Guinea
RegionGoroka District, Eastern Highlands Province
Native speakers(45,000 cited 2000 census)
Language familyTrans–New Guinea
Language codes
ISO 639-3bef
Glottologbena1264

Benabena (Bena) is a Papuan language spoken in the Goroka District of Eastern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea.

Phonology

Vowels

Front Back
Close i u
Mid e o
Open a
  • Vowel sounds /i, e, a, o, u/ can also be heard as in word-initial or word-medial positions.

Consonants

Bilabial Labio-
dental
Alveolar Retroflex Palatal Velar Glottal
Nasal m n
Stop p t k ʔ
Fricative β f s ʝ ɣ h
Approximant ɭ
  • /p, t, k/ can be heard as aspirated in syllable-initial position, and can be heard as unreleased as when preceding a consonant.
  • /β/ can be heard as a stop in word-initial position, and also may rarely fluctuate with a glide .
  • /ʝ/ can be heard as a glide in stressed syllable word-initial position and can be heard as in word-initial unstressed syllable position.
  • /s/ can be heard as before high vowels /i, u/.
  • /ɣ/ can be heard as in free variation among speakers.
  • /ɭ/ can be heard as a tap in free variation.

References

  1. Benabena at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022) Closed access icon
  2. Young, Rosemary & Robert (1961). The phonemes of Bena-Bena (a routine statement).

External links

Kainantu–Goroka languages
Goroka
Gahuku
Kamono–Yagaria
Others
Kainantu
Tairora
Gauwa
Other
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