Central Kilimanjaro language
Bantu language of Tanzania
Central Kilimanjaro, or Central Chaga, is a Bantu language of Tanzania spoken by the Chaga people.
Dialects
There are several dialects:
Moshi (Old Moshi, Mochi, Kimochi)
Uru
Mbokomu
Wuunjo (Wunjo, Vunjo, Kivunjo), including Kiruwa, Kilema, Mamba, Moramu (Marangu), Mwika
Moshi is the language of the Chaga cultural capital, Moshi, and the prestige dialect of the Chaga languages.
Phonology
Vowels
In orthography, long vowels are written double. However, while older works suggest vowel length contrast may have formerly been phonemic, more recent works suggest the distinction has been partially or completely neutralized, unlike in West Kilimanjaro.
Consonants
Consonants /k, ŋɡ, l/ become palatalized to [kʲ, ŋɡʲ, lʲ] when occurring before the front vowels /i, e/.
/w/ appears as a fricative [β] when before the front vowels /i, e/.
/b/ and /ɡ/ are restricted to loans. /l̠ʲ/ is native and contrasts with the [ʎ] allophone of /l̪/ but is rare.
/t n l/ are dental, /d/ et al. are alveolar.
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