Bena language explained

Bena language should not be confused with Bena language (Adamawa).

Bena
Nativename:	Ekibena
States:	Tanzania
Ethnicity:	Bena
Date:	2009
Ref:	e26
Familycolor:	Niger-Congo
Fam2:	Atlantic–Congo
Fam3:	Benue–Congo
Fam4:	Bantoid
Fam5:	Bantu
Fam6:	Northeast Bantu
Fam7:	Bena–Kinga (G60)
Dia1:	Bena
Dia2:	Benamanga
Lc1:	bez
Ld1:	Bena
Lc2:	egm
Ld2:	Benemanga (include Kidugala and Lupembe dialects)
Glotto:	bena1262
Glottorefname:	Bena (Tanzania)
Lingua:	99-AUS-ub incl. varieties 99-AUS-uba...-ubg
Guthrie:	G.63

Bena is a Bantu language spoken by the Bena people of the Iringa region of Tanzania.

Phonology

Voiceless sounds almost always occur as aspirated stops; [{{IPAlink|pʰ}}, {{IPAlink|tʰ}}, {{IPAlink|kʰ}}].

/pronounced as /ink// can be realized as [{{IPAlink|ʋ}}] intervocalically.
[{{IPAlink|ɖ}}] can occur as an allophone of /pronounced as /ink// before long non high vowels.
[{{IPAlink|x}}] can occur as an allophone of /pronounced as /ink//, /pronounced as /ink// in the Maswamu dialect.
[{{IPAlink|cç}}, {{IPAlink|tʃ}}] can occur as allophones of /pronounced as /ink//, in the Twangabita dialect.
[{{IPAlink|ⁿz}}] can occur as an allophone of /pronounced as /ink//.
[{{IPAlink|ɟ}}] can occur as an allophone of /pronounced as /ink// in the Maswamu dialect.
[{{IPAlink|β}}, {{IPAlink|ʋ}}] can occur as allophones of /pronounced as /ink// among some speakers.
Prenasalised stops may be devoiced when occurring word-finally (ex. /pronounced as /ink// ~ [ᵐb̥]).

	Front	Central	Back
High	pronounced as /ink/ pronounced as /ink/		pronounced as /ink/ pronounced as /ink/
Mid	pronounced as /ink/ pronounced as /ink/		pronounced as /ink/ pronounced as /ink/
Low		pronounced as /ink/ pronounced as /ink/

/pronounced as /ink/, pronounced as /ink// before non-rounded vowels are recognized as glides [{{IPAlink|j}}, {{IPAlink|w}}].

Morrison . Michelle Elizabeth . A Reference Grammar of Bena . 2011 . Doctor of Philosophy . Rice University . 1911/70359 . free .