Yaka language (Congo–Angola)

{{Short description|Bantu language spoken in Angola and DRC}} {{For|other languages with the name spoken in Congo|Yaka language (disambiguation)}} {{Infobox language |name=Yaka |altname=Iyaka |nativename=''Kiyaka'' |states=Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola |ethnicity=Yaka |speakers={{sigfig|912,780|1}} |date=2000 |ref=e18 |familycolor=Niger-Congo |fam2=Atlantic–Congo |fam3=Volta-Congo |fam4=Benue–Congo |fam5=Bantoid |fam6=Southern Bantoid |fam7=Bantu (Zone H) |fam8=Kongo-Yaka |fam9=Yaka languages |lc1=yaf |ld1=Kiyaka |lc2=noq |ld2=Ngoongo |lc3=ppp |ld3=Pelende (duplicate code) |lc4=lnz |ld4=Lonzo (duplicate code) |glotto=yaka1269 |glottorefname=Yaka-Pelende-Lonzo |guthrie=H.31 }}

'''Yaka''', also spelled '''Iaca''' and '''Iyaka''', is a Bantu language spoken in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola. There are two dialects, Yaka proper, which comprises 99% of speakers, and Ngoongo (distinguish West Ngongo language).<ref name="Guthrie" /> The alleged varieties Pelende and Lonzo are political rather than ethnolinguistic entities.<ref name=H>Hammarström (2015) Ethnologue 16/17/18th editions: a comprehensive review: online appendices</ref>

==Phonology==

=== Consonants === {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" ! colspan="2" | !Labial !Alveolar !Palatal !Velar !Glottal |- ! colspan="2" |Nasal | {{IPA link|m}} | {{IPA link|n}} | | | |- ! rowspan="4" |Plosive !voiceless | {{IPA link|p}} | {{IPA link|t}} | | {{IPA link|k}} | |- !aspirated | {{IPA link|pʰ}} | {{IPA link|tʰ}} | | {{IPA link|kʰ}} | |- !prenasal | {{IPA link|ᵐb}} | {{IPA link|ⁿd}} | | {{IPA link|ᵑɡ}} | |- !voiced | {{IPA link|b}} | | | | |- ! rowspan="2" |Affricate !voiceless | {{IPA link|p͡f}} |{{IPA link|t͡s}} | | | |- !prenasal | {{IPA link|ᶬb͡v}} |{{IPA link|ⁿd͡z}} | | | |- ! rowspan="2" |Fricative !voiceless | {{IPA link|f}} |{{IPA link|s}} | | | {{IPA link|h}} |- !voiced | {{IPA link|v}} |{{IPA link|z}} | | | |- ! colspan="2" |Approximant | {{IPA link|w}} | {{IPA link|l}} | {{IPA link|j}} | | |}

* The following consonants when preceding /w/ may also be labialized; /tʷ, kʷ, bʷ, ᵐbʷ, ⁿd͡zʷ, ᵑɡʷ, fʷ, sʷ, hʷ, vʷ, mʷ, nʷ, lʷ/. * The following consonants when preceding /j/ may also be palatalized; /tʲ, kʲ, bʲ, dʲ, t͡sʲ, sʲ, hʲ, zʲ, mʲ, nʲ/.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Kidima |first=Lukowa |title=Tone and accent in KiYaka |publisher=Ann Arbor: University of California at Los Angeles |year=1991}}</ref>

=== Vowels === {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" ! !Front !Central !Back |- !Close | {{IPAlink|i}} {{IPA link|iː}} | | {{IPAlink|u}} {{IPA link|uː}} |- !Mid | {{IPA link|e}} {{IPA link|eː}} | | {{IPA link|o}} {{IPA link|oː}} |- !Open | | {{IPAlink|a}} {{IPA link|aː}} | |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{Languages of the Democratic Republic of the Congo}} {{Narrow Bantu languages (Zones E–H)}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Yaka language (Congo-Angola)}} Category:Yaka languages Category:Languages of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Category:Languages of Angola