Adamawa–Ubangi languages

The Adamawa - Ubangi languages ​​form a sub- unit of the North Volta - Congo languages ​​, which in turn belong to the Niger -Congo language family. The approximately 160 languages ​​are from seven to eight million people speaking in an area extending from north-west Nigeria, Northern Cameroon, the southern Chad, Central African Republic, northern Gabon and the two Congo states up in the southwest of South Sudan extends.

The name is derived from the Adamawa highlands and the river Ubangi.

Main languages

Sango is a creole language based on the Ubangi language Ngbandi, as the common language of the Central African Republic, it is used by up to 5 million speakers. Other major languages ​​Zande, Ngbaka, Gbaya, Mumuye, Mundang and Tupuri.

Classification

Adamawa - Ubangi consists of two separate sub-groups - Adamawa and Ubangi - that form within the North Volta - Congo genetic subunit of 160 languages ​​with about eight million speakers, including two million Adamawa and five to six million Ubangi - speaker. Joseph Greenberg (1949 ) summarized Adamawa and Ubangi first to a genetic unit together ( initially under the name Adamawa -east) and positioned it as a sub-unit of the Central Niger - Congo.

The distribution of this unit in Adamawa and Ubangi can be linguistically justified by some differences: phonologically by a different syllable structure ( Adamawa languages ​​tend towards closed syllables, which are rare in the Ubangi languages), lexically by specific for one or the other group characteristic lexemes ( Boyd 1989). However, Bennett looks (1983 ) more of a language continuum across both sub-groups, which would appear problematic a clear separation between " Adamawa " and " Ubangi ", especially since the lexicostatistical deviations within both groups are very high.

The following classification largely follows Boyd (1989) and Willing Small Höfer ( 1996), all the individual languages ​​listed. The basis of classification is the below web link.

Adamawa languages

• Adamawa (89 languages ​​with two million speakers ) Leko - Nimbari Leko: Samba Leko (50 thousand), Mumbake (20 thousand), Wom (5 thousand), Kolbila ( 2.5 thousand )
• Duru Dii: Duru (Dii ) (50 thousand), Duupa (5 thousand), Pape ( 7 thousand), Saa (4 thousand)
• Duli †
• Voko - Doyayo: cutin (20 thousand), Doyayo (20 thousand), Gimme (3 thousand), Gimnime (3 thousand); Vere (Mom Jango ) (90 thousand), coma (25 thousand); Voko ( 2.5 thousand)
• Mumuye YanDang Mumuye: Mumuye (400 thousand), Teme (4 thousand), Waka (5 thousand)
• YanDang: YanDang (65 thousand), Kpasam (15 thousand), Kugama (5 thousand), Bali (2 thousand)

• Mbum Central: Kare (100 thousand), Pana (80 thousand), Karang (20 thousand), Nzambay (30 thousand); Kuo (15 thousand)
• North: Tupuri (220 thousand), Mundang (200 thousand), Mambai ( 2.5 thousand ); Mono ( one thousand), Dama, Ndai (almost †)
• South: Mbum (50 thousand)
• Otherwise: Laka ( Godogodo ) (5 thousand), Dek, Pam; To ( ritual speech)

• Waja -Chambertin Awak: Awak (6 thousand), Kamo (20 thousand)
• Waja Tula: Waja (60 thousand), Tula (30 thousand), Bangwinji (6 thousand)
• Cham - Mona: Dijim - Bwilim ( Cham - Mwana ) (25 thousand), Lotsu -piri (15 thousand)
• Dadija: Dadija (30 thousand)

Ubangische languages

• Ubangi (89 languages ​​with 5.5 million speakers ) Gbaya Central: Gbaya - Bossangoa (180 thousand), Gbaya - Bozoum (35 thousand); Gbanu (100 thousand), Bokoto (25 thousand)
• East: Ngbaka ( 1 million), Manza (250 thousand), Ali (35 thousand), Bofi (25 thousand), Bonjo
• Northwest: Gbaya ( Northwest Gbaya ) (300 thousand)
• Southwest: Southwest Gbaya (180 thousand), Bangadu (3 thousand)
• Suma (50 thousand)

• Banda Central: Bambari (180 thousand), Banda (ins ) (100 thousand), Mono ( 70 thousand), Mbres (45 thousand), Ndele (35 thousand); Mid -south Banda (100 thousand), Gobu (10 thousand), Kpagua (4 thousand), Ngundu; Togbo - Vara (25 thousand); Yangere (25 thousand)
• South Central: Ngbugu ( South Central Banda ) (150 thousand), Langbashe (50 thousand)
• West Central Banda (10 thousand)
• South Banda: Mbanza (200 thousand)
• Southwest: Ngbundu (20 thousand)

• Sere: Ndogo (20 thousand), Sere ( 2.5 thousand ), Tagbu, Belanda Viri (20 thousand), Bai (3 thousand); Feroge (1 thousand), Mangayat (400); Indri (700) Togoyo †
• Ngbaka - Mba East: Mayogo (100 thousand), Bangba (10 thousand), Mundu (25 thousand)
• West: Ngbaka Ma'bo (150 thousand), Gilima (12 thousand); Gbanziri (15 thousand), Buraka (3 thousand); Monzombo (15 thousand), Kpala (3 thousand), Yango (3 thousand); Baka (30 thousand), Gundi (10 thousand), Ganzi (2 thousand), Ngombe (2 thousand), Bomassa
• Mba - Amadi: Mba (20 thousand) Dongo (5 thousand), ndunga (3 thousand); Amadi (Ma ) (5 thousand)

• Zande Nzakara: Zande ( 1.2 million), Nzakara (50 thousand), Kpatili (5 thousand), Geme (600)
• Barambu - Pambia: Barambu (25 thousand), Pambia (20 thousand)

Some Pygmy peoples of the equatorial rain forest also speak Ubangi languages ​​, the Babinga, Bamassa, Bayaka, Ganzi, and Gundi Mbakka. To and La'bi are secret ritual languages ​​for male initiation cults.

Linguistic characteristics

The Adamawa languages ​​are so far poorly explored, the great Ubangi languages ​​slightly better. The noun class system is reduced, it will Klassensuffixe used concordance is partially available, in some languages, traces of the class system are still preserved. Verbal extensions are not very common, usual, they are for Iterative, Benefaktive and causatives. The normal word order is SVO, prepositions, it will only be used. The definite noun stands in front of his attributes, ie before the genitive attribute, adjective attribute, numerals and demonstrative in the Ubangi languages ​​, the adjective can stand before his nouns.