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 Atlantic–Congo family. 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.
Distribution Ethnologue lists the following two varieties of Limba, spoken in Guinea and Sierra Leone.
East Limba is spoken in Ouré-Kaba, Guinea.
West-Central Limba is spoken in northern Sierra Leone. It is spoken in the Little Scarcies River area in east Bombali District and northeast Kambia District, as well as north of Makeni.
Phonology 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. Consonants LabialDentalAlveolarPalatalVelarLabio-velarGlottalPlosivevoicelesspt̪tkvoicedbd(ɡ)ɡ͡bNasalmnŋFricative(f)shApproximantljwTrillr
Sounds /f/ and /ɡ/ are heard across dialects.
Vowels FrontCentralBackHighiuHigh-mideoLow-midɛɔLowa
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: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. This information is based on the Biriwa and Safroko dialects.
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 Definite article: be; pronoun: bende, ben
C. Language class Examples: Hukọnọ ha - the Kono language; - toe Definite article: ha; pronoun: -?- (presumably this is neuter according to class, and so on through the neuter classes)
D. Country class Examples: Kakọnọ ka - Konoland Definite article: ka
E. Bodkins class Examples: - bodkins; - toe Definite article: ta
F. Cascade class Examples: kutintọ ko - cascade; kekeň ko - country; kutiň ko - dog Definite article: ko
G. Dogs class, plurals of F. Examples: ňatintọ ňa - cascades; ňakeň ňa - countries ňatiň ňa - dogs Definite article: ňa
H. Arrival class Examples: matebeň ma - calm (noun); matalaň ma - arrival; masandiň ma - needle Definite article: ma
I. Needles class, plurals of H. Examples: masandi ma - needles; matubucuciň ma - signs; mendeň ma - days, sleeps Definite article: ma
J. Yam class Examples: ndamba ki - yam; nbēn ki (the b is a "smothered b") - bracelet; nkala ki - vine Definite article: 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 Definite article: ki
L. Meat class Examples: piňkari ba - gun, musket; bọňa ba (bọňa has "smothered b", as above) - path, way; bara ba - meat, flesh Definite article: 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 Definite article: ba
N. Yarn class Examples: - woof, yarn; - suffering; - fan Definite article: mu
O. Waves class Examples: muňkuliň mu - waves; mudọňiň mu - habitations Definite article: mu
P. Kusini-fruits class Examples: busini bu - fruits of the kusini tree Definite article: 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: Examples: Alukorana - the Qur'an (Arabic); disa - fringe, shawl; duba - ink (from Mandingo); kameci - late, brown rice
References
Further reading Clarke, Mary Lane. 1922 . 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