The Limba language, Hulimba, is a
Niger-Congo language of
Sierra Leone and
Guinea. It is not closely related to other languages and appears to form its own branch of the
Niger–Congo family.[3] Dialects include Tonko, Sela, Kamuke (or Ke), Wara-wara, Keleng, Biriwa, and Safroko. The eastern variety, spoken primarily in
Guinea, is quite distinct. Limba has a system of
noun classes, marked by an old, eroded set of prefixes augmented by a newer set of
enclitics.
Like neighboring
Temne, Limba has an unusual contrast among its consonants. It distinguishes
dental and
alveolar, but the dental consonants are
apical and the alveolar consonants are
laminal, the opposite of the general pattern.[4]
Grammar
Noun classes
Noun classes are distinguished by the form of the definite article (class particle) which follows the noun, and sometimes also by a prefix. Roughly, the following classes can be deduced from the examples given by Mary Lane Clarke:[5]
A. Person Class
Examples:
Wukọnọ wo - a Kono person;
sapiri wo - crowbar;
kaň wo - the sun
Definite article (follows the noun): wo; pronoun ("he, she, it" as subject): wunde, wun
B. People Class
Examples:
Bikọnọ be - Kono people;
sapiriň be - crowbars;
bia be - people, ancestors
Def. art.: be; pronoun: bende, ben
C. Language Class
Examples:
Hukọnọ ha - the Kono language;
hutori ha - toe
Def. art.: ha; pronoun: -?- (presumably this is neuter according to class, and so on through the neuter classes)
D. Country Class
Examples:
Kakọnọ ka - Konoland
Def. art.: ka
E. Bodkins Class
Examples:
tatọli ta - bodkins;
tatori ta - toe
Def. art.: ta
F. Cascade Class
Examples:
kutintọ ko - cascade;
kekeň ko - country;
kutiň ko - dog
Def. art.: ko
G. Dogs Class, plurals of F.
Examples:
ňatintọ ňa - cascades;
ňakeň ňa - countries
ňatiň ňa - dogs
Def. art.: ňa
H. Arrival Class
Examples:
matebeň ma - calm (noun);
matalaň ma - arrival;
masandiň ma - needle
Def. art.: ma
I. Needles Class, plurals of H.
Examples:
masandi ma - needles;
matubucuciň ma - signs;
mendeň ma - days, sleeps
Def. art.: ma
J. Yam Class
Examples:
ndamba ki - yam;
nbēn ki (the b is a "smothered b") - bracelet;
nkala ki - vine
Def. art.: ki
K. Bracelets Class, plurals of J.
Examples:
ndambeň ki - yams;
nbēni ki ("smothered b" as above) - bracelets;
nbuliň ki (also with "smothered b") - windpipes
Def. art.: ki
L. Meat Class
Examples:
piňkari ba - gun, musket;
bọňa ba (bọňa has "smothered b", as above) - path, way;
bara ba - meat, flesh
Def. art.: ba
M. Boxes Class, plurals of L.
Examples:
piňkariň ba - guns, muskets;
bọňeň ba (bọňeň also has "smothered b") - paths, ways;
kankaren ba - boxes, trunks
Def. art.: ba
N. Yarn Class
Examples:
mulufu mu - woof, yarn;
muceňi mu - suffering;
mufukeki mu - fan
Def. art.: mu
O. Waves Class
Examples:
muňkuliň mu - waves;
mudọňiň mu - habitations
Def. art.: mu
P. Kusini-fruits Class
Examples:
busini bu - fruits of the kusini tree
Def. art.: bu
Q. A class with definite article wu
Examples: - ? -
Other nouns, including nouns of quantity, etc., take no article. It may be that they are classless:
^Güldemann, Tom (2018). "Historical linguistics and genealogical language classification in Africa". In Güldemann, Tom (ed.). The Languages and Linguistics of Africa. The World of Linguistics series. Vol. 11. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. pp. 58–444.
doi:
10.1515/9783110421668-002.
ISBN978-3-11-042606-9.
S2CID133888593.
^Mary Lane Clarke, A Limba–English Dictionary, or, Tampeň ta ka Taluň ta ka Hulimba ha in Huiňkilisi ha, Houghton, New York, 1922, reprinted 1971 by Gregg International Publishers, Farnborough, England. [page needed] This information is based on the Biriwa and Safroko dialects.
Further reading
Clarke, Mary Lane. 1922 [1971]. A Limba-English Dictionary or Tampeṅ Ta Ka Taluṅ Ta Ka Hulimba Ha In Huiṅkilisi Ha. Westmead, Farnborough: Gregg International Publishers Limited. (1971 reprint of 1922 book published by Houghton.)
Guillaume Segerer & Florian Lionnet 2010.
"'Isolates' in 'Atlantic'". Language Isolates in Africa workshop, Lyon, Dec. 4