Vute language


Vute is a Mambiloid language of Cameroon and Gabon, with a thousand speakers in Nigeria. The orthography was standardized on March 9, 1979. Noted dialect clusters are eastern, central, and Doume.

Phonology

Consonants

s in Vute are numerous and include pulmonic and implosive airstreams. Labialization is phonemic in many consonants, some of which is dialectal.

Tones

Source:
There are more phonemic tones than are marked in orthography, such as mid-high rising tone and mid tone being both unmarked for example. Phonologically conditioned downstep is unmarked.
Tone CategoryIPAOrthographyExampleGloss
high tone˦á, áátímblood
mid tone˧a, aaməblouse
low tone˨à, ààtɨ̀mnɨto drown
mid-high˧˥a, aátɨmantelope
low-high*˩˥àɓùngrass
high-low˥˩â, áàbɨ̂ŋround, complete
high-mid˥˧â, áamîngood
high-low-high˥˩˦âásîímrainy season

*Only in eastern dialects, on short vowels. All other dialects merge this class with low tone.

Vowels

Sources: