Mangbetu languages


The Mangbetu–Asoa or Mangbetu languages of the Central Sudanic language family are a cluster of closely related languages spoken in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The languages are Mangbetu, spoken by perhaps a million people, and the smaller Lombi and Asoa.
Blench considers Lombi to be part of the Mangbetu dialect continuum. Asoa is spoken by Pygmies.
Proto-Mangbetu has been reconstructed by Demolin.

Comparative vocabulary

Mangbetu-Asua languages comparative lexicon:
GlossAsuaMangbetuNabuluLombiMakereMalele
beeángíyénɛ́ngágɪ̀nɛ́ngágɪ́zènɛ́ngágìnɛ́ngágɪ̀nɛ́ngágɪ̀
animalélíènérínélínérínérínérí
treekílílɛ̀yɛ̀nèkírènèkílènéhònèkílènéhò
mouthtíkpòènètíkpònètíkpònètínɛ̀kɔ́rɔ́nèkóró
armtɛ̂nɛ́tɛ́nɛ́tɛ́nɛ́tɛ́nɛ́tɛ́nɛ́tɛ́
goatàmɛ́mɛ̂nàmɛ́mɛ́nàmɛ́mɛ́nàmyɛ́myɛ́nàmɛ́mɛ́nàmɛ́mɛ́
dogísìyɛ̀nésìnésìnésìnésìnésì
hornlígánéígánéégánálígánáágánáɛ́gá
to cultivateɔ̀ʔànɔ̀ʔànɔ̀ʔànɔ̀ʔànɔ̀ʔànɔ̀ʔà
watergwòègwòègwòègwòègwòègwò
elephantʊ̀kɔ̀nɔ́kɔ̀nɔ́kɔ̀nɔ́kɔ̀nɔ́kɔ̀nɔ́kɔ̀
ironkídígwánéímbánèèmbàèdùmòòmànáámbánáɛ́mbá
arrowlíkámʊ́ɛ̀nɛ̀vàngànɛ̀vàngànɛ̀mbààngúnɛ̀vàngànɛ̀vàngà