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Consonant
The Kalabari form (Kf) for Consonant
is given as [Kọnsonantị] and defined in Kalabari below:
◙ Kọnsonantị anịẹ tombọ
kẹlẹ amịna bịbị gbaịn
tẹ sịnar’ lẹta
Vowel
The Kalabari form (Kf) for Vowel is given as [Vọwẹlị] and defined in Kalabari below:
◙
Vọwẹlị anịẹ tombọ
amịna bịbị finji tẹ sịnar’ lẹta.
KALABARI CONSONANTS
There are 17 active consonants
in Kalabari:
b
(b), d (d), f, g, j, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, w, y
Letter Transcription
b
b as in boy
b
not in English
C, no c in Kalabari
d
d as in dog
d not in English
f
f as in fish
g
g as in gun
H
very rare in Kalabari (perhaps only in aham! = open your mouth! as said to a baby when being fed)
j
j as in jump
k
k as in keep
l
l as in love
m
m as in man
n
n as in nose
p
p as in peace
Q, no q in Kalabari
r
r as in redeemer
s
s as in saviour
t
t as in teacher
V,
very rare in Kalabari (perhaps only in vala
= sail)
w
w as in win
X, no x in Kalabari
y
y as in yam
Z,
no z in Kalabari
This diacritic mark (-) placed under b and d, gives
each of these consonants a pecuilar sound not found in the English language e.g
b as in:
bibi = mouth
beri = ear
bara = hand
etc
d as in:
diri = book
dosi = jump
dori = weeve
etc
KALABARI VOWELS
There are 9 vowels in Kalabari:
a (e
ẹ) (i ị) (o ọ) (u ụ)
Letter
Transcription
a
a as in ant e.g ►ama = city; aru = car, boat
e
ay as in day e.g ►ene
= rain; emi = be
ẹ
e as in
egg e.g ►ẹrẹ
= name; ẹkị = peel
i
ee as in deed e.g ►igu
= mountain
ị
i as in
think e.g
►ịnọ = sore; ịrụa
= sun
o
oh e.g ►oru = idol; onu = fence
ọ
aw as in law e.g ►ọwụ = heat;
ọlọ = cough
u
oo as in food e.g ►oru = idol; onu = fence
ụ u as
in noun e.g ►ịrụa = sun;
ịrụ = little
Vowel
Harmony:
The followings are wide vowels:
e i o u
The followings are narrow
vowels: ẹ
ị ọ ụ
Handwritten(cursive) form e
i o u
Long Vowels:
In the Kalabari language, long vowels
occur when:
(i) a vowel has to carry two tones:
laate
= it is time or time up!
Here the first 'a' is down-stepped and
the second 'a' rises.
( ii ) a vowel is lenghtened to stress grammer:
bo = to come boo = come (imperative)
dori = to weave dorii = weave (imperative)
Syllabic Nasals:
Syllabic nasals occur when 'm' and in some cases 'n' is written before labials
and labial - vellars.
NB:
A labial is a speech sound made
with the lips such as: m b p
v
A vellar is a speech sound made
by placing the back of the tongue against or near the back part of the mouth such as: k
g.
Examples of Syllabic Nasals are:
mbana =
plantain
mbiaka = corn, maize
mbe = short
form for brother
mgbe =
bone, oyster
ngọ = wealth
ngolo = whelk
ngei = one
ngia = game for kalabari boys
etc
KALABARI DIGRAHPS
Letter
Transcription
gb not in English, but as gbin
= throw, in Kalabari
kp not in English, but as kpo = group, in Kalabari
KALABARI DIPHTHONG
aị as
in kaịn = to pluck
ọị as in fọịtẹ
= roasted
oi as in igoin = poverty
ẹị as in pẹị
= eat (fish, meat)
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