Bola language (Austronesian)

Bola, or Bakovi, is an Oceanic language of West New Britain in Papua New Guinea. The Harua (Xarua) dialect developed on a palm plantation.

Bola
Bakovi
Native to	Papua New Guinea
Native speakers	(14,000 cited 2000 census)[1]
Language family	Austronesian Malayo-Polynesian Oceanic Western Oceanic Meso-Melanesian Willaumez Bola
Language codes
ISO 639-3	bnp
Glottolog	bola1250
ELP	Bola

Phonology

Phonology of the Bola language:^[2]

Consonant sounds

	Labial	Alveolar	Velar
Nasal	m	n	ŋ
Plosive	p b	t d	k g
Fricative	β	(s)	ɣ
Rhotic		r
Lateral		l

/t/ is realized as /s, ʃ/ only when occurring in front of /i/. The voiced stops /b d ɡ/ can often sound prenasalized [ᵐb ⁿd ᵑɡ] among various speakers. /ɣ/ can be pronounced as a glottal fricative [h] among younger speakers.

Vowel sounds

	Front	Central	Back
High	i		u
Mid	ɛ		ɔ
Low		ɑ

/i/ before vowel sounds /ɑ ɛ ɔ u/ is pronounced as a glide sound [j].^[3]