Ngangam or Dye[2] (Gangam) is a language of the Gurma people spoken in Togo and Benin.

Ngangam
Gangam
Native toTogo, Benin
EthnicityGurma, Dye
Native speakers
200,000 (2012–2021)[1]
Official status
Recognised minority
language in
Language codes
ISO 639-3gng
Glottologngan1299

Phonology

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Consonants

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Consonants[3]
Labial Alveolar Palatal Velar Labial-
velar
Glottal
Plosive/Affricate voiceless p t t͡ʃ k kp (ʔ)
voiced b d d͡ʒ g gb
Nasal m n ɲ ŋ ŋm
Fricative f s (h)
Approximant l j w
  • Reimer uses ⟨c, ɟ, y⟩ in place of /t͡ʃ, d͡ʒ, j/.[4]
  • /p, b, t, d, k/ are usually aspirated before close vowels.[5]

Vowels

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Vowels[6]
Front Back
Close i u
Close-mid e o
Open-mid ɛ ɔ
Open a
  • Ngangam has three vowel lengths—short, long weak, and long strong. The long weak vowels shorten in some cases, while the long strong vowels are always realized as long.[6]

Tones

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Ngangam has three phonemic tones: high, mid, and low.[4]

Notes

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  1. ^ Ngangam at Ethnologue (26th ed., 2023)  
  2. ^ Reimer 2022, p. iii.
  3. ^ Reimer 2022, p. 2.
  4. ^ a b Reimer 2022, p. 3.
  5. ^ Reimer 2022, p. 157.
  6. ^ a b Reimer 2022, p. 1.

References

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  • Reimer, A. Jeanette (2022). The Segmental Phonology and Tonology of Dye (Gangam) and its Verb Classification System. SIL e-Books. Vol. 80. SIL International. ISSN 1934-2470. Archived from the original on 3 September 2024. Retrieved 3 September 2024.

Further reading

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  • Bakpa, Mimboabe (2014). Etude du ngbem, parler gangam de Koumongou: Description et analyse comparative. Beiträge zur Afrikaforschung (in French). Vol. 54. Münster: LIT. ISBN 9783643122612.
  • Higdon, Lee M. (2001). An overview of Gangam grammar. Lomé: SIL Togo. ISBN 9782951361621. OCLC 63129036.
  • Higdon, Lee M. (1998). "The line of importance in Gangam narrative discourse". Cahiers Voltaïques / Gur Papers. 3: 45–53.
  • Higdon, Lee M. (1996). Tense, aspect, and modality in Gangam narrative and hortatory discourse (MA thesis). Arlington, TX: University of Texas.
  • Reimer, A. Jeanette (1983). "Etude préliminaire sur le système des genres nominaux en gangam". In Nicole, Jacques (ed.). Etudes linguistiques préliminaires en quelques langues du Togo. Lomé, Togo: SIL International. pp. 81–97.