Moloko language
Moloko | |
---|---|
Məlokwo | |
Native to | Far North Province |
Native speakers | (8,500 cited 1992)[1] |
| |
Language codes | |
ISO 639-3 | mlw |
Glottolog | molo1266 |
ELP | Baka (Far North Region, Cameroon) |
Moloko (Məlokwo) is an
The highly endangered Baka is either a dialect or a closely related language.[2]
The Melokwo (8,500 speakers)[1] traditionally inhabit the Moloko massif, an inselberg isolated in the plain, east of the Mandara Mountains, between the Mayo-Mangafé River and Mayo-Ranéo River. They live in the village of Mokyo and the surrounding areas of Makalingay canton, Tokombéré arrondissement, Mayo-Sava department.[3]
According to local oral history, the Moloko communities are made up of three distinct ethnic groups, rather than a singular one. During the
Moloko language use, language contact, and multilingualism
A small number of Moloko speakers
Phonology
Vowels
There exists one underlying vowel in Moloko, /a/, with four surface realizations. The insertion, or epenthesis, of a schwa, /ə/, is required to break up clusters of consonants lacking a vowel. This epenthetic sound accounts for an additional six possible surface realizations.[5]
The status of the epenthetic, as to whether it should be considered its own vowel, is contested. Some analyses consider the epenthetic to be its own unique vowel, thus making Moloko a two-vowel system.[5]
The phonetic realization of both phonemes can vary depending on a number of factors: roundedness, labialization (roundedness), palatalization, or closeness to certain consonants. Each phoneme and its corresponding allophones are listed below.[5]
- /a/
- [a] (No variation)
- [ɔ] (Rounded)
- [ɛ] (Palatalized)
- [a] (When adjacent to [j])
- [a] (When adjacent to [w])
- [œ] (When adjacent to an inherent labialized velar or /j/)
- /ə/
- [ə] (No variation)
- [ʊ] (Rounded)
- [ɪ] (Palatalized)
- [i] (When adjacent to [j])
- [u] (When adjacent to [w])
- [ø] (When adjacent to an inherent labialized velar or /j/)
Consonants
Despite only having one vowel phoneme, there are 32 consonants in Moloko
Labial | Alveolar | Palatal | Velar/Glottal | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
plain | sib. | plain | lab. | ||||
Nasal | m | n | (ŋ) | ||||
Plosive/ Affricate |
voiceless | p | t | ts | (tʃ) | k | kʷ |
voiced | b | d | dz | (dʒ) | g | gʷ | |
prenasal. | ᵐb | ⁿd | ⁿz | (ⁿʒ) | ᵑg | ᵑgʷ | |
implosive | ɓ | ɗ | |||||
Fricative | voiceless | f | ɬ | s | (ʃ) | ||
voiced | v | ɮ | z | (ʒ) | h
|
hʷ | |
Approximant | l | j | w | ||||
Flap | ⱱ | ɾ |
Allophones are noted in parentheses, the alveolar sibilants /s z ts dz ⁿz/ can be realized postalveolar sibilants [ʃ ʒ tʃ dʒ ⁿʒ], the alveolar nasal /n/ is realized as velar [ŋ] word-finally. The glottal fricative /h/ may be realized as velar [x] but the labialized fricative /hʷ/ does not appear to be realized as velar [xʷ]
Morphology
Noun Morphology
Moloko nouns are placed at the head of a noun phrase.[5] No case markers are found in Moloko’s morphology. Instead, case markers are indicated through word order and the use of markings in verbs and adpositions (prepositions and postpositions).[5]
Some characteristics of Moloko nouns are:
- Nouns can be pluralized using =ahaj. [5]
- Possessive pronouns may be used.[5]
- Nouns are able to be counted.[5]
- The derivational morpheme ga modifies a noun into an adjective.[5]
Proper nouns in Moloko are commonly compounding, but may also be morphologically simple.[5] People's names often have something to do with the circumstances or events around the time when they were born.[5] A certain person’s name could be a noun, verb, compound, prepositional phrase, or even an entire clause.[5] The names of twins are even determined based on their birth order.[5]
Verb Morphology
Verbs in Moloko are formed through a partially
Verbs have a spatial frame of reference in addition to a temporal frame of reference. Both of these can be defined by the speaker through changing the vowel realization, changing tone, or using verbal extensions.[5]
Further reading
- Friesen, Dianne (2017). A Grammar of Moloko. Berlin: Language Science Press. ISBN 978-3-946234-63-0.
- Boyd, Ginger (2002). Initial analysis of the pitch system of Moloko nouns. WALS Congress, Buea, Cameroon, West African Linguistics Society
References
- ^ a b c Moloko at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
- ^ a b "Baka: a highly endangered language or northern Cameroon" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-04-10. Retrieved 2021-04-05.
- ISBN 9789956796069.
- ISBN 978-3-946234-63-0.
- ^ ISBN 978-3-946234-63-0.