every syllable is assigned a tone: there are five word-tone patterns in the language. Vowels may carry two tones to accomplish this. The labiodental nasal A phonemic labiodental nasal, , has only been reported from this one language. It is "accompanied by strong protrusion of both lips", being before and before and , perhaps because labialization is constrained by the spread front vowels; it does not occur before back (rounded) vowels. However, there is some doubt that a true stop can be made by this gesture due to gaps between the incisors, which are filed to points by the Teke people and would allow air to flow during the occlusion; this is particularly pertinent considering that one of the words with this consonant, , means a 'gap between filed incisors'. Because of these factors, Teke might be better characterized as a labiodental nasal approximant ( in IPA), rather than a nasal occlusive. Given its rarity, it is worth providing some minimal pairs with other consonants: ɱíì eyes, míì urine, pfìí small opening kì-mààlà to complete the rest, kì-ɱààlà to laugh at ɱé they (class 4), bvé they (class 8), fè bulb, mfê the cold kì-ɱànàmà to rejoice, kì-bvànàmà to shake with fear ɱáá gap between filed incisors, mbváá interval ɱáanà baby, mà-mbvàànì to meet Notes References Teke languages