Lobi (also Miwa and Lobiri) is a Gur language of Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast and Ghana.

Lobi
Lobiri
RegionBurkina Faso, Ivory Coast; immigrants in Ghana
EthnicityLobi
Native speakers
(440,000 cited 1991–1993)[1]
Dialects
  • Moru
Language codes
ISO 639-3lob
Glottologlobi1245
Majority areas of northern Lobi dialects, in light yellow, on a map of Burkina Faso.

Phonology

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Consonants[2]
Labial Alveolar Palatal Velar Labiovelar Glottal
Plosive p b t d c ɟ k g kp gb ʔ
Aspirated
Fricative f v s h
Nasal m n ɲ ŋm
Approximant r, l j w
Glottalized ˀb ˀl ˀj ˀw
Vowels[2]
Front Central Back
High i ĩ ĩː u ũ ũː
Near-high ɪ ɪː ɪ̃ ɪ̃ː ʊ ʊː ʊ̃ ʊ̃ː
Mid-high e ẽː o õ õː
Mid-low ɛ ɛː ɛ̃ ɛ̃ː ɔ ɔː ɔ̃ ɔ̃ː
Low a ã ãː

Additionally, Lobi distinguishes between high tone and low tone. Falling and rising tones can be found on long vowels.[2]

References

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  1. ^ Lobi at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. ^ a b c Maïmouna Le Men, Fané (2007). Parlons Lobiri (in French). Paris: L'Harmattan.