Where are Nilo-Saharan languages spoken?

These languages are spoken

– in Eastern Africa, mainly along the Lower Nile (Sudan and Ethiopia) and all the way to Tanzania and Kenya ;

– in the centre, in the Democratic Republic of Congo and along the Chari River (Central African Republic and Chad) ;

– to the West, in Benin and Nigeria ;

– in the North-West, in an area going from Algeria to Mali.

Total number of speakers (estimates)

Approximately 11 million according to SIL’s website ethnologue.com

Classification:

Nilo-Saharian languages tree (click to enlarge)

This group has, today 175 languages.

Saharan languages

Zaghaw (alternative name: Beria), Kanembu, Kanuri, Dazaga, Tedaga.

Fur Languages

Amdang, Fur

Central Sudanic

Kunama, Berta

Central Eastern Branch or Lendu-Mangbetu

Lendu

Bendi, Lendu, Ngiti

Mangbetu

Asoa, Lombi, Mangbetu

Mangbetu-Efe

Efe, Lese, Mamvu, Mangbutu, Mvuba, Ndo

Moru-Madi

Aringa, Avokaya, Keliko, Logo, Lugbara, Omi, Moru, Ma’di, Southern Ma’di , Olu’bo

Central Western Branch or Bongo-Kresh

Bongo-Bagirmi

Bongo, Baka, Mo’da, Morokodo, Nyamusa-Molo, Beli, Jur Modo, Mittu, Furu, Gula, Yulu, Bagirmi, Berakou, Disa, Gula, Jaya, Kenga, Morom, Naba, Sara Kaba Démé, Sara Kaba Náà, Kulfa, Sara Dunjo, Sara Kaba, Bedjond, Dagba, Gor, Gulay, Horo, Kaba, Laka, Mango, Mbay, Ngam, Ngambay, Sar, Lutos, Vale, Birri, Fongoro, Sinyar,

Kresh

Aja, Gbaya

Eastern Sudanic (see above)

Eastern Branch

Eastern Jebel

Aka, Kelo, Molo, Gaam

Daju

Logorik, Shatt, Baygo, Dar Daju Daju, Dar Fur Daju, Dar Sila Daju, Njalgulgule

Temein

Temein, Tese

Surmic

Majang, Kwegu, Me’en, Mursi, Suri, Didinga, Narim, Murle, Tennet, Kacipo-Balesi

Nilotic

Eastern Nilotic

Bari, Kakwa, Mandari, Dongotono, Lango, Lokoya, Lopit, Otuho, Maasai, Ngasa, Samburu, Teso, Karamojong, Nyangatom, Toposa, Turkana

Southern Nilotic

Kupsabiny, Sabaot, Kipsigis, Markweeta, Terik, Aramanik, Keiyo, Kisankasa, Mediak, Mosiro, Nandi, Tugen, Okiek, Pökoot, Datooga, Omotik.

Western Nilotic

Dinka, Nuer, Anuak, Belanda Bor, Shilluk, Thuri, Päri, Adhola, Kumam, Alur, Acholi, Lango , Dholuo, Lwoo, Burun, Kenjeje (alternative names: Yaali), Masalit, Subarkhal, Runga-Kibet, Maba, Marfa, Karanga, Jumjum, Mabaan.

Western Branch

Nyimang

Afitti, Ama,

Tama

Mararit, Assangori.

Nara

Nara

Nubian

Birked, Kenuzi-Dongola, Ghulfan, Kadaru, Dair, Dilling, El Hugeirat, Karko, Wali, Nobiin, Midob.

Kuliak Languages

Ik

Ngangea-So

Nyang’i

Soo

Comments on the classification

We have based our classification on the work of Greenberg, reviewed by Bender, which is regarded as conventional. However, we have used Dimmendaal’s work for Koman and Songhay, which he leaves out of the Nilo-Saharan group. Also, contrary to Bender, Dimmendaal does not treat Kadu as a Nilo-Saharan subgroup, but instead as an independent language family (isolate).

Dimmendaal (to appear) considers that the Kuliak languages are of the primary branch of the Nilo-Saharan. These languages are otherwise generally classified in the eastern branch of the eastern Sudanic languages.

It should be noted that internal and external classifications of this group are subject to controversy, the very existence of the group being sometimes questioned.

Are Nilo-Saharan languages endangered ?

This section will be developed subsequently.

Ethnographic elements

This section will be developed subsequently.

Linguistic details

This section will be developed subsequently.

Sources

Gerrit Dimmendaal, 2008. “Language Ecology and Linguistic Diversity on the African Continent“, Language and Linguistics Compass 2/5:842.

Dimmendaal, Gerrit J. 2007. “Eastern Sudanic and the Wadi Howar and Wadi el Milk Diaspora”. Sprache und Geschichte in Afrika 18: 37-67.

Dimmendaal, Gerrit J. Dimmendaal. To appear. “Nilo-Saharan and its limits”. In Jean-Marie Hombert and Gerard Philippson (eds.), The Genetic Classification of African Languages Revisited.

Joseph H. Greenberg. 1963. The Languages of Africa, International journal of American linguistics,

Bender, Lionel. 2000. “Nilo-Saharan” in African Languages – An Introduction, Bernd Heine and Derek Nurse (eds), Cambridge University Press