Central Teke language

Teke language of Congo

Central Teke
Native to	Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Native speakers	(45,000 Ngungwel cited 1988)^[1] 20,000 Boo (2000)^[1]
Language family	Niger–Congo? Atlantic–Congo Benue–Congo Southern Bantoid Bantu (Zone B) Teke (B.70) Central Teke
Dialects	Ngungwel Mpu (Mpumpu) Boo (Eboo) Ndzindziu
Language codes
ISO 639-3	Variously: `ngz` – Ngungwel `ebo` – Boo `nzu` – Nzikou
Glottolog	`ngun1278`
Guthrie code	`B.72,74`^[2]

Central Teke is a member of the Teke languages dialect continuum of the Congolese plateau. Central Teke dialects are Ngungwel and Mpu (Mpumpum), Boo (Boma, Eboo – cf. Boma language), and Nzikou (Njyunjyu/Ndzindziu).^[3] They are spoken in the Malebo Pool region of the Republic of Congo, with an unknown number of Boo speakers in DRC.

Phonology

Consonants

		Labial	Alveolar	Palatal	Velar	Glottal
Plosive	voiceless	p	t		k
	voiced	b	d		ɡ
	prenasal vl.	ᵐp	ⁿt		ᵑk
	prenasal vd.	ᵐb	ⁿd		ᵑɡ
Affricate	voiceless	p͡f	t͡s
	voiced	b͡v	d͡z
	prenasal vl.	ᵐp͡f	ⁿt͡s
	prenasal vd.	ᵐb͡v	ⁿd͡z
Fricative		f	s	ʃ		h
Nasal		m	n	ɲ	ŋ
Lateral			l
Approximant		ɥ		j	w

/h/ is only heard in the Nzikou dialect.

Vowels

	Front	Central	Back
Close	i ĩ		u ũ
Close	ɪ ɪ̃		ʊ ʊ̃
Close-mid	e		o
Open-mid	ɛ ɛ̃		ɔ ɔ̃
Open		a ã

/u/ when preceding a palatal /j/ is heard as [ʉ], and when preceding a /w/ is heard as [y].^[4]

References

^ ^a ^b Ngungwel at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)
Boo at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)
Nzikou at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)
^ Jouni Filip Maho, 2009. New Updated Guthrie List Online
^ Hammarström (2015) Ethnologue 16/17/18th editions: a comprehensive review: online appendices
^ Raharimanantsoa, Ruth (2012). Aspects of phonology in Eboo-Nzikou. Göteborgs Universitet.

Narrow Bantu languages (Zones A–B) (by Guthrie classification)

Zone A

A10	A11[101] Londo A12[101] Barue A13 Balong A14 Bonkeng A15 Mbo [A141 Bafo A151 Nkongho
A20	A21 Bomboko A22 Baakpe A23 Su A24 Duala A25 Oli A26 Pongo A27 Mulimba [A221 Bubia A231 Kole
A30	A31a North Bobe A31b Southwest Bobe A31c Southeast Bobe A32a Banoo A32b Bapoko A33a Yasa A33b Kombe A34 Benga
A40	A41 Lombi A42 Bankon A43a Mbene A43b North Kogo A43c South Kogo A44 Banen A45 Nyokon A46 Mandi [A441 Aling'a A461 Bonek A462 Yambeta
A50	A51 Fa’ A52 Kaalong A53 Kpa A54 Ngayaba [A501 Hijuk
A60	A61[601] Ngoro A62 Yambasa A63 Mangisa A64[601] Bacenga A65 Bati [A621 Baca A622 Gunu A623 Mbule
A70	A71 Eton A72a Ewondo A72b Mvele A72c Bakja A72d Yangafek A73a Bëbëlë A73b Gbïgbïl A74 Bulu A75 Fang [A751 South-West Fang
A80	A81 Mvumbo A82 So A83 Makaa A84 Njem A85a Konabem A85b Bekwil A86a Medjime A86b Mpompo A86c Mpiemo A87 Bomwali [A801 Gyele A802 Ukwedjo A803 Shiwe A831 Byep A832 Bekol A841 Bajue A842 Koonzime
A90	A91 Kwakum A92a Pol A92b Pomo A93 Kako

Zone B

B10	B11a Mpongwe B11b Rongo B11c Galwa B11d Dyumba B11e Nkomi
B20	B21 Sekiyani B22a West Kele B22b Ngom B22c Bubi B23 Mbangwe B24 Wumbvu B25 Kota [B201 Ndasa B202 Sighu B203 Sama B204 Ndambomo B205 Metombola B221 Molengue B251 Shake B252 Mahongwe
B30	B31 Tsogo B32 Kande [B301 Viya B302 Himbaka B303 Bongwe B304 Pinzi B305 Vove
B40	B41 Sira B42 Sangu B43 Punu B44 Lumbu [B401 Bwisi B402 Varama B403 Vungu B404 Ngubi B411 Bwali
B50	B51 Duma B52 Nzebi B53 Tsaangi [B501 Wanzi B502 Mwele B503 Vili
B60	B61 Mbete B62 Mbaama B63 Nduumo [B602 Kaning'i B603 Yangho (spurious)
B70	B71a Tege-Kali B71b Njiningi B72a Ngungwele B72b Mpumpu B73a Tsaayi B73b Laali B73c Yaa B73d Kwe B74a Ndzindziu B74b Boma B75 Bali B76a Musieno B76b Ngee B77a Kukwa B77b Fumu B78 Wuumu [B701 Tsitsege
B80	B81 Tiene B82 Boma B83 Mfinu B84a[84] Mpuon B84b[84] Mpuun B85a Mbiem B85b East Yans B85c Yeei B85d Ntsuo B85e Mpur B86 Di B87[84] Mbuun [B821 Mpe B822 Nunu B861 Ngul (Ngwi) B862 Lwel B863 Mpiin B864 West Ngongo B865 Nzadi

Italics indicate extinct languages.
Languages between parentheses are varieties of the language on their left.

The Guthrie classification is geographic and its groupings do not imply a relationship between the languages within them.

Narrow Bantu languages by Guthrie classification zone templates: Template:Narrow Bantu languages (Zones A–B); Template:Narrow Bantu languages (Zones C–D); Template:Narrow Bantu languages (Zones E–H); Template:Narrow Bantu languages (Zones J–M); Template:Narrow Bantu languages (Zones N–S)