Benabena (Bena) is a Papuan language spoken in the Goroka District of Eastern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea.

Phonology

Vowels

• Vowel sounds /i, e, a, o, u/ can also be heard as [ɪ, ɛ, ʌ, ɔ, ʊ] in word-initial or word-medial positions.

Consonants

• /p, t, k/ can be heard as aspirated [pʰ, tʰ, kʰ] in syllable-initial position, and can be heard as unreleased as [p̚, t̚, k̚] when preceding a consonant.
• /β/ can be heard as a stop [b] in word-initial position, and also may rarely fluctuate with a glide [w].
• /ʝ/ can be heard as a glide [j] in stressed syllable word-initial position and can be heard as [z] in word-initial unstressed syllable position.
• /s/ can be heard as [ʃ] before high vowels /i, u/.
• /ɣ/ can be heard as [ɡ] in free variation among speakers.
• /ɭ/ can be heard as a tap [ɽ] in free variation.^[2]