Limba language

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. 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.

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:

A. Person Class Definite article (follows the noun): wo; pronoun ("he, she, it" as subject): wunde, wun
 * Examples:
 * Wukọnọ wo - a Kono person;
 * sapiri wo - crowbar;
 * kaň wo - the sun

B. People Class Def. art.: be; pronoun: bende, ben
 * Examples:
 * Bikọnọ be - Kono people;
 * sapiriň be - crowbars;
 *  bia be - people, ancestors

C. Language Class Def. art.: ha; pronoun: -?- (presumably this is neuter according to class, and so on through the neuter classes)
 * Examples:
 * Hukọnọ ha - the Kono language;
 * hutori ha - toe

D. Country Class Def. art.: ka
 * Examples:
 * Kakọnọ ka - Konoland

E. Bodkins Class Def. art.: ta
 * Examples:
 * tatọli ta - bodkins;
 * tatori ta - toe

F. Cascade Class Def. art.: ko
 * Examples:
 * kutintọ ko - cascade;
 * kekeň ko - country;
 * kutiň ko - dog

G. Dogs Class, plurals of F. Def. art.: ňa
 * Examples:
 * ňatintọ ňa - cascades;
 * ňakeň ňa - countries
 * ňatiň ňa - dogs

H. Arrival Class Def. art.: ma
 * Examples:
 * matebeň ma - calm (noun);
 * matalaň ma - arrival;
 * masandiň ma - needle

I. Needles Class, plurals of H. Def. art.: ma
 * Examples:
 * masandi ma - needles;
 * matubucuciň ma - signs;
 * mendeň ma - days, sleeps

J. Yam Class Def. art.: ki
 * Examples:
 * ndamba ki - yam;
 * nbēn ki (the b is a "smothered b") - bracelet;
 * nkala ki - vine

K. Bracelets Class, plurals of J. Def. art.: ki
 * Examples:
 * ndambeň ki - yams;
 * nbēni ki ("smothered b" as above) - bracelets;
 * nbuliň ki (also with "smothered b") - windpipes

L. Meat Class Def. art.: ba
 * Examples:
 * piňkari ba - gun, musket;
 * bọňa ba (bọňa has "smothered b", as above) - path, way;
 * bara ba - meat, flesh

M. Boxes Class, plurals of L. Def. art.: ba
 * Examples:
 * piňkariň ba - guns, muskets;
 * bọňeň ba (bọňeň also has "smothered b") - paths, ways;
 * kankaren ba - boxes, trunks

N. Yarn Class Def. art.: mu
 * Examples:
 * mulufu mu - woof, yarn;
 * muceňi mu - suffering;
 * mufukeki mu - fan

O. Waves Class Def. art.: mu
 * Examples:
 * muňkuliň mu - waves;
 * mudọňiň mu - habitations

P. Kusini-fruits Class Def. art.: bu
 * Examples:
 * busini bu - fruits of the kusini tree

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