La diphtongaison dans les langues bantu B70-80 (Bandundu, RDC) : typologie et classification historique

Abstract

Cet article étudie un phénomène bien connu dans les langues du monde, mais rare dans les langues bantu. Ce fait, la diphtongaison, est pourtant répandu dans quelques langues bantu des groupes B70 et B80 parlées au sud-ouest de la RD Congo dans le district du Kwilu. L’article permet de comprendre clairement les différents conditionnements et les réalisations variables de ce phénomène. Certaines voyelles sont beaucoup plus productives de diphtongues que d’autres. Les divers types de diphtongues sont regroupés en trois grandes catégories selon l’aperture d’origine de la voyelle diphtonguée : la diphtongaison des voyelles mi-ouvertes (* e, * o), la diphtongaison des voyelles mi-fermées (* ɩ, * ʊ) et la diphtongaison de la voyelle ouverte et centrale (* a). Dans tous les cas, la diphtongaison entraîne la formation d’une semi-consonne qui précède la voyelle rompue. La diphtongaison la plus fréquente est attribuable à la longueur vocalique.

Phonetic and Phonological Research in Mai-Ndombe: A Few Preliminary Notes on Rhotics and Double-Articulations

“…This appears to hold true for Nunu as well. As was the case in Sakata, [ʁ] seems to be the reflex of a velar, and a certain degree of synchronic velar vs. (non-velar) rhotic alternation between the two varieties can still be detected; this occasionally extends to the apical (6.a-d): The items reported in 6.d are particularly interesting, as they probably derive from the Proto-Bantu form *jíntʊ ̀"woman", which must have undergone a process of sematic extension from "woman" to "human" to "man"; its acceptation of "man" is widespread in Mai-Ndombe (it is present in all Sakata varieties, and has been reported in Boma Yumu; see Bastin et al 1999;Koni Muluwa and Bostoen 2012), and the /nt/ > (/nt/ + TRILL) > TRILL change is one that deserves further scrutiny from the viewpoint of broader-scope cross-Bantu post-nasal trilling phenomena (cf. Shinagawa et al 2022 and the literature cited therein).…”

Climate-induced vegetation dynamics and the Bantu Expansion: Evidence from Bantu names for pioneer trees (Elaeis guineensis, Canarium schweinfurthii, and Musanga cecropioides)

“…If they provide Bantu names for wild species, these are often not properly identified botanically. Obtaining good comparative ethnobotanical language data thus requires dedicated interdisciplinary fieldwork (Koni Muluwa, 2010). Hence, the choice to focus in this article on the common Bantu names for M. cecropioides, E. guineensis, and C. schweinfurthii is not only inspired by the fact that these pioneer species are well represented in the Central African pollen record between 2500 and 2000 BP, but also by the fact that they are amongst those wild tree species for which most lexical data are available in current-day Bantu languages.…”

Umlaut in the Bantu B80 Languages of the Kwilu (DRC)

“…The vowel affected by umlaut may undergo additional palatal diphthongization, but this is not systematic. Moreover, diphthongization is also observed in these languages with instances of ɛ not being the outcome of umlaut (Koni Muluwa & Bostoen ).…”

“…Firstly, it occurs in languages, such as Nsong, Mpiin, and Mbuun, where unconditioned mid‐open vowels (not resulting from umlaut) are not normally subject to diphthongization. Secondly, the mid‐open front vowel is preceded here by the labiovelar glide w , still reflecting its original status as a back vowel, and not by the palatal glide y , as is usually the case when an unconditioned mid‐open front vowel undergoes diphthongization (Koni Muluwa & Bostoen ).…”

“…In languages such as Nsong, Mpiin, Mbuun and Ngong, the number of possible phonological oppositions in the first stem syllable increased solely through the emergence of diphthongs as a side effect of umlaut. As discussed above, diphthongization is a sound shift that is generally prolific in these languages, including in contexts where umlaut does not take place (Koni Muluwa & Bostoen ). Consequently, the addition of diphthongs to the phoneme inventory of these languages cannot uniquely be attributed to umlaut.…”