Beli language (South Sudan)

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’Bëlï
Jur ’Bëlï
Native toSouth Sudan
Native speakers
65,000 (2009)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3blm
Glottologbeli1257
ELPBeli (Sudan)

’Bëlï, or Jur ’Bëlï, is a Central Sudanic language spoken by the Beli and Sopi people of South Sudan.

Phonology[]

Consonants[]

Stirtz (2014) lists the following consonant phonemes:[2]

Labial Dental Palatal Velar Labiovelar Glottal
Voiceless plosives p t̪ c k k͡p
Voiced plosives b d̪ ɟ g g͡b
Implosives ɓ ɗ ʄ
Prenasalised plosives mb nd̪ nɟ ŋg ŋ͡mg͡b
Nasals m n ɲ ŋ ŋ͡m
Fricative h
Approximates ɾ, l j w

Vowels[]

According to Stirtz (2014),[2] ’Bëlï has nine vowel phonemes that can be divided into [+/- ATR] sets. The vowel [ə] is an allophone that does not occur in roots without other [+ATR] vowels:

[-ATR] [+ATR]
ɪ i
ʊ u
ɛ e
ɔ o
a (ə)

References[]

  1. ^ ’Bëlï at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. ^ a b Stirtz, Timothy M. 2014. 'Bëlï Phonology, Tone and Orthography. (SIL Electronic Working Papers 2014-002.) SIL International. 34pp.


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