The Atlantic–Congo languages make up the largest demonstrated family of languages in Africa. They have characteristic noun class systems and form the core of the Niger–Congo family hypothesis. They comprise all of Niger–Congo apart from Mande, Dogon, Ijoid, Siamou, Kru, the Katla and Rashad languages (previously classified as Kordofanian), and perhaps some or all of the Ubangian languages. Hans Gunther Mukanovsky's "Western Nigritic" corresponded roughly to modern Atlantic–Congo.
| Atlantic–Congo | |
|---|---|
| Geographic distribution | Africa |
| Linguistic classification | Niger–Congo?
|
| Subdivisions |
|
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-5 | alv |
| ISO 639-3 | – |
| Glottolog | atla1278 |
 The Atlantic–Congo languages shown within the Niger–Congo language family. Non-Atlantic–Congo languages are greyscale. | |
In the infobox, the languages which appear to be the most divergent are placed at the top. The Atlantic branch is defined in the narrow sense (as Senegambian), while the former Atlantic branches Mel and the isolates Sua, Gola and Limba are split out as primary branches; they are mentioned next to each other because there is no published evidence to move them; Volta–Congo is intact apart from Senufo and Kru.
In addition, Güldemann (2018) lists Nalu and Rio Nunez as unclassified languages within Niger-Congo.
There are a few poorly attested languages, such as Bayot and Bung, which may prove to be additional branches.[citation needed]
Comparative vocabulary
Sample basic vocabulary for reconstructed proto-languages of different Atlantic-Congo branches:
| Branch | Language | eye | ear | nose | tooth | tongue | mouth | blood | bone | tree | water | eat | name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Western Nigritic" (roughly Atlantic–Congo) | Proto-"Western Nigritic" | *-nín-, *-nínu | *-thúi, *-thú- | *-míl-, *-míla | *-nín- (*-níghin-) | *-líma (*-líami); *-lélum- (*-lúm-) | *-níana; *-níuna (*-núa) | *-ghìá; *-kàl- | *-khwúpà | *-tí | *-lingi | *di- | *-ghínà |
| Benue-Congo | Proto-Benue-Congo | *-lito | *-tuŋi | *-zua | *-nini, *-nino; *-sana; *-gaŋgo | *-lemi; *-lake | *-zi; *-luŋ | *-kupe | *-titi; *-kwon | *-izi; *-ni | *-zina | ||
| Bantu | Proto-Bantu | *i=jíco | *kʊ=tʊ́i | *i=jʊ́lʊ | *i=jíno; *i=gego | *lʊ=lɪ́mi | *ka=nʊa; *mʊ=lomo | *ma=gilá; *=gil-a; *ma=gadí; *=gadí; *mʊ=lopa; *ma=ɲínga | *i=kúpa | *mʊ=tɪ́ | *ma=jíjɪ; *i=diba (HH?) | *=lɪ́ -a | *i=jína |
| Yoruboid | Proto-Yoruboid language | *é-jú | *é-tí | *ímṵ́ | *éŋḭ́ | Yor. ahá̰ | *ɛ́lṵ ? | *ɛ̀-gyɛ̀ | *égbṵ́gbṵ́ | Yor. igi | *ó-mḭ | *jɛṵ | *órú- ? |
| Gbe | Proto-Gbe | *-tó | *aɖú | *-ɖɛ́ | *-ɖũ; *-ɖũkpá | *-ʁʷũ | *-χʷú | *-tĩ́ | *-tsĩ | *ɖu | *yĩ́kɔ́ | ||
| Gur | Proto-Central Gur | *me (Oti-Volta, Gurunsi) | *ye (Gurunsi, Kurumfe) | *ñam, *ñim (Oti-Volta, Kurumfe) | *ʔob, *ʔo | *tɪ (Oti-Volta, Gurunsi) | *ni, *ne; *nã (Oti-Volta, Gurunsi) | *di | *yɪɗ, *yɪd (Oti-Volta, Gurunsi) | ||||
| Gbaya | Proto-Gbaya | *gbà.l̥í/l̥í | *zɛ̀rà | *zɔ̰̀p | *ɲín | *léɓé ~ lémbè | *nú | *tɔ̀k | *gbà̰là̰ | *l̥ì | *tè | *ɲɔŋ/l̥i | *l̥ín ~ l̥íŋ |
References
- Mukarovsky, Hans. A study of Western Nigritic. Wien: Institut für Ägyptologie und Afrikanistik, Universität Wien. OCLC 21527702.
- Blench, Roger. "Niger-Congo: an alternative view" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2023-04-05.
- Güldemann, Tom (2018). "Historical linguistics and genealogical language classification in Africa". In Güldemann, Tom (ed.). The Languages and Linguistics of Africa. The World of Linguistics series. Vol. 11. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. pp. 58–444. doi:10.1515/9783110421668-002. ISBN 978-3-11-042606-9. S2CID 133888593.
- Wolf, Paul de (1971). The Noun-Class System of Proto-Benue-Congo. doi:10.1515/9783110905311. ISBN 9783110905311.
- Schadeberg, Thilo C. (2003). "Historical linguistics". In Nurse, Derek; Philippson, Gérard (eds.). The Bantu Languages. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-700-71134-5.
- Aubry, N.; Friedman, H.; Pozdniakov, K. (2004). "Proto-Yoruba-Igala Swadesh list" (PDF). Langage, Langues et Cultures d’Afrique (LLACAN), Centre National de la Récherche Sciéntifique (CNRS). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-01-05.
- Capo, Hounkpati B.C. (1991). A Comparative Phonology of Gbe. doi:10.1515/9783110870534. ISBN 978-3-11-013392-9.
- Manessy, Gabriel (1979). Contribution à la classification généalogique des langues voltaïques. Peeters Publishers. ISBN 2852970635.
- Moñino, Yves (1988). Lexique comparatif des langues oubanguiennes. Laboratoire de langues et civilisations à tradition orale, Dép. "Langues et parole en Afrique centrale". ISBN 9782705303532.
The Atlantic Congo languages make up the largest demonstrated family of languages in Africa They have characteristic noun class systems and form the core of the Niger Congo family hypothesis They comprise all of Niger Congo apart from Mande Dogon Ijoid Siamou Kru the Katla and Rashad languages previously classified as Kordofanian and perhaps some or all of the Ubangian languages Hans Gunther Mukanovsky s Western Nigritic corresponded roughly to modern Atlantic Congo Atlantic CongoGeographic distributionAfricaLinguistic classificationNiger Congo Atlantic CongoSubdivisionsTalodi Heiban Kordofanian Senegambian Nalu Rio Nunez Mel Sua Gola Volta CongoLanguage codesISO 639 5 a href https iso639 3 sil org code alv class extiw title iso639 3 alv alv a ISO 639 3 Glottologatla1278The Atlantic Congo languages shown within the Niger Congo language family Non Atlantic Congo languages are greyscale In the infobox the languages which appear to be the most divergent are placed at the top The Atlantic branch is defined in the narrow sense as Senegambian while the former Atlantic branches Mel and the isolates Sua Gola and Limba are split out as primary branches they are mentioned next to each other because there is no published evidence to move them Volta Congo is intact apart from Senufo and Kru In addition Guldemann 2018 lists Nalu and Rio Nunez as unclassified languages within Niger Congo There are a few poorly attested languages such as Bayot and Bung which may prove to be additional branches citation needed Comparative vocabularySample basic vocabulary for reconstructed proto languages of different Atlantic Congo branches Branch Language eye ear nose tooth tongue mouth blood bone tree water eat name Western Nigritic roughly Atlantic Congo Proto Western Nigritic nin ninu thui thu mil mila nin nighin lima liami lelum lum niana niuna nua ghia kal khwupa ti lingi di ghinaBenue Congo Proto Benue Congo lito tuŋi zua nini nino sana gaŋgo lemi lake zi luŋ kupe titi kwon izi ni zinaBantu Proto Bantu i jico kʊ tʊ i i jʊ lʊ i jino i gego lʊ lɪ mi ka nʊa mʊ lomo ma gila gil a ma gadi gadi mʊ lopa ma ɲinga i kupa mʊ tɪ ma jijɪ i diba HH lɪ a i jinaYoruboid Proto Yoruboid language e ju e ti imṵ eŋḭ Yor aha ɛ lṵ ɛ gyɛ egbṵ gbṵ Yor igi o mḭ jɛṵ oru Gbe Proto Gbe to aɖu ɖɛ ɖũ ɖũkpa ʁʷũ xʷu tĩ tsĩ ɖu yĩ kɔ Gur Proto Central Gur me Oti Volta Gurunsi ye Gurunsi Kurumfe nam nim Oti Volta Kurumfe ʔob ʔo tɪ Oti Volta Gurunsi ni ne na Oti Volta Gurunsi di yɪɗ yɪd Oti Volta Gurunsi Gbaya Proto Gbaya gba l i l i zɛ ra zɔ p ɲin leɓe lembe nu tɔ k gba la l i te ɲɔŋ l i l in l iŋReferencesMukarovsky Hans A study of Western Nigritic Wien Institut fur Agyptologie und Afrikanistik Universitat Wien OCLC 21527702 Blench Roger Niger Congo an alternative view PDF Archived from the original PDF on 2023 04 05 Guldemann Tom 2018 Historical linguistics and genealogical language classification in Africa In Guldemann Tom ed The Languages and Linguistics of Africa The World of Linguistics series Vol 11 Berlin De Gruyter Mouton pp 58 444 doi 10 1515 9783110421668 002 ISBN 978 3 11 042606 9 S2CID 133888593 Wolf Paul de 1971 The Noun Class System of Proto Benue Congo doi 10 1515 9783110905311 ISBN 9783110905311 Schadeberg Thilo C 2003 Historical linguistics In Nurse Derek Philippson Gerard eds The Bantu Languages Routledge ISBN 978 0 700 71134 5 Aubry N Friedman H Pozdniakov K 2004 Proto Yoruba Igala Swadesh list PDF Langage Langues et Cultures d Afrique LLACAN Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique CNRS Archived from the original PDF on 2021 01 05 Capo Hounkpati B C 1991 A Comparative Phonology of Gbe doi 10 1515 9783110870534 ISBN 978 3 11 013392 9 Manessy Gabriel 1979 Contribution a la classification genealogique des langues voltaiques Peeters Publishers ISBN 2852970635 Monino Yves 1988 Lexique comparatif des langues oubanguiennes Laboratoire de langues et civilisations a tradition orale Dep Langues et parole en Afrique centrale ISBN 9782705303532 This article about Atlantic Congo languages is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte
