Oceanic language in Papua New Guinea
| Bola | |
|---|---|
| Bakovi | |
| Native to | Papua New Guinea |
Native speakers | 14,000 (2000 census)[1] |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | bnp |
| Glottolog | bola1250 |
| ELP | Bola |
Bola, or Bakovi, is an Oceanic language of West New Britain in Papua New Guinea. The Harua (Xarua) dialect developed on a palm plantation.
Phonology[edit]
Phonology of the Bola language:[2]
| Labial | Alveolar | Velar | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nasal | m | n | ŋ |
| Plosive | p b | t d | k g |
| Fricative | β | (s) | ɣ |
| Rhotic | r | ||
| Lateral | l |
/t/ is realized as /s, ʃ/ only when occurring in front of /i/. The voiced stops /b d ɡ/ can often sound prenasalized [ᵐb ⁿd ᵑɡ] among various speakers. /ɣ/ can be pronounced as a glottal fricative [h] among younger speakers.
| Front | Central | Back | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High | i | u | |
| Mid | ɛ | ɔ | |
| Low | ɑ |
/i/ before vowel sounds /ɑ ɛ ɔ u/ is pronounced as a glide sound [j].[3]
References[edit]
- ^ Bola at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
- ^ Wiebe, Brent (August 2004). "Bola (Bola-Bakovi) Language [BNP] East New Britain & West New Britain Province" (PDF). Organised Phonology Data.
- ^ van den Berg & Wiebe (2019)
Further reading[edit]
- van den Berg, René; Wiebe, Brent (2019), Bola Grammar Sketch (PDF), Data Papers on Papua New Guinea Languages, 63, Ukarumpa: Summer Institute of Linguistics, ISBN 9980-0-4482-9
External links[edit]
- Organised Phonology Data
- Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Ruth, Jonah, and the New Testament in the Bola language of Papua New Guinea
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