Bena language
Bena is a Bantu language spoken by the Bena people of the Iringa region of Tanzania.Phonology
Consonants
Voiceless sounds almost always occur as aspirated stops; .
- /v/ can be realized as intervocalically.
- can occur as an allophone of /d/ before long non high vowels.
- can occur as an allophone of /k/, /h/ in the Maswamu dialect.
- can occur as allophones of /ts/, in the Twangabita dialect.
- can occur as an allophone of /ⁿs/.
- can occur as an allophone of /j/ in the Maswamu dialect.
- can occur as allophones of /w/ among some speakers.
- Prenasalised stops may be devoiced when occurring word-finally.
Vowels
- /i, u/ before non-rounded vowels are recognized as glides .
