phonological description of Naba

Naba, also known as Bilala, is a Nilo-Saharan (Sara-Bagirmi) language of Chad with about 410,000 speakers from three ethnic groups. This paper gives basic description the Naba phonological system, using segmental phonology and lexical approaches. Topics covered include phonemic inventory, syllable structure phonotactic restrictions, tone system its interaction other processes, main post-lexical processes. A special focus given to important role sonority hierarchy in groups affricates non-sibilant fricatives stops single obstruent category, while nasals, liquids, approximants comprise sonorant category. The distinction key for structure, sandhi, number both It proposed that two sibilant /s/ /z/ exist separate level between sonorant, evidence why they cannot be classed either group.