Southern Bantoid languages
Encyclopedia
In the classification of African languages
, Southern Bantoid (or South Bantoid), also known as Wide Bantu or Bin, is a branch of the Bantoid languages
of the Niger–Congo
phylum. Southern Bantoid, which includes the well known and numerous (Narrow) Bantu
family, comprises 643 languages as counted by Ethnologue
, though many of those are mutually intelligible.
Southern Bantoid was first introduced in Williamson (1989, based on work presented in Blench [1987]) in a proposal that divided Bantoid in North and South Bantoid. The uniformity of the North Bantoid group was subsequently called into question, but the work did establish Southern Bantoid as a valid genetic unit, something that has not happened for (Narrow) Bantu itself.
According to Williamson and Blench (2000:34–5), Southern Bantoid is divided into the various Narrow Bantu languages, Jarawan
, Tivoid
, Beboid
, Mamfe
(Nyang), Grassfields
, and Ekoid
families. Blench (2010) suggests that Tivoid, Momo (ex-Grassfields), and Beboid may form a group, perhaps with the uncertain languages Esimbi and Buru:
Eborna
has been claimed as a Southern Bantu language, but may be spurious.
African languages
There are over 2100 and by some counts over 3000 languages spoken natively in Africa in several major language families:*Afro-Asiatic spread throughout the Middle East, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, and parts of the Sahel...
, Southern Bantoid (or South Bantoid), also known as Wide Bantu or Bin, is a branch of the Bantoid languages
Bantoid languages
In the classification of African languages, Bantoid is a branch of the Benue–Congo subfamily of the Niger–Congo phylum. The term 'Bantoid' was first used by Krause in 1895 for languages that showed resemblances in vocabulary to Bantu...
of the Niger–Congo
Niger–Congo languages
The Niger–Congo languages constitute one of the world's major language families, and Africa's largest in terms of geographical area, number of speakers, and number of distinct languages. They may constitute the world's largest language family in terms of distinct languages, although this question...
phylum. Southern Bantoid, which includes the well known and numerous (Narrow) Bantu
Bantu languages
The Bantu languages constitute a traditional sub-branch of the Niger–Congo languages. There are about 250 Bantu languages by the criterion of mutual intelligibility, though the distinction between language and dialect is often unclear, and Ethnologue counts 535 languages...
family, comprises 643 languages as counted by Ethnologue
Ethnologue
Ethnologue: Languages of the World is a web and print publication of SIL International , a Christian linguistic service organization, which studies lesser-known languages, to provide the speakers with Bibles in their native language and support their efforts in language development.The Ethnologue...
, though many of those are mutually intelligible.
Southern Bantoid was first introduced in Williamson (1989, based on work presented in Blench [1987]) in a proposal that divided Bantoid in North and South Bantoid. The uniformity of the North Bantoid group was subsequently called into question, but the work did establish Southern Bantoid as a valid genetic unit, something that has not happened for (Narrow) Bantu itself.
According to Williamson and Blench (2000:34–5), Southern Bantoid is divided into the various Narrow Bantu languages, Jarawan
Jarawan languages
Jarawan is a dialect cluster that is closely related to, or perhaps a branch of, the Bantu languages. Blench says that it almost certainly belongs with the A.60 languages, which are part of Mbam.-Languages:...
, Tivoid
Tivoid languages
The Tivoid languages are a group of African languages, a sub-family of the Southern Bantoid group, spoken in parts of Nigeria and Cameroon.The majority are threatened with extinction. The largest of these languages by far is the Tiv language for which the group is named, with some 2 million speakers...
, Beboid
Beboid languages
The Beboid languages constitute a branch, or branches, of Southern Bantoid, and are spoken principally in southwest Cameroon, although two languages are spoken over the border in Nigeria...
, Mamfe
Mamfe languages
The Mamfe languages, or Nyang:form a branch of Southern Bantoid spoken in southwest Cameroon. They are clearly related to each other, though they are not close.-References:* Blench, Roger, 2011. . Bantu IV, Humboldt University, Berlin....
(Nyang), Grassfields
Grassfields languages
The Grassfields or Grassfields Bantu languages, spoken in the Western grassfields of Cameroon, are a branch of Benue–Congo and a sister group to the Bantu languages...
, and Ekoid
Ekoid languages
The Ekoid languages are a dialect cluster, such as Ekajuk and Ejagham , spoken principally in southeastern Nigeria and in adjacent regions of Cameroon. They have long been associated with the Bantu languages, without their status being precisely defined...
families. Blench (2010) suggests that Tivoid, Momo (ex-Grassfields), and Beboid may form a group, perhaps with the uncertain languages Esimbi and Buru:
- ? BendiBendi languagesThe Bendi languages are a small group of Nigerian Benue–Congo languages of uncertain affiliation. Once counted among the Cross River languages, they may actually be a branch of Bantoid....
- Tivoid–Beboid: TivoidTivoid languagesThe Tivoid languages are a group of African languages, a sub-family of the Southern Bantoid group, spoken in parts of Nigeria and Cameroon.The majority are threatened with extinction. The largest of these languages by far is the Tiv language for which the group is named, with some 2 million speakers...
, Esimbi, East Beboid, ? MomoMomo languagesThe Momo languages are a branch of the Grassfields languages spoken in the Western grassfields of Cameroon.The languages are:Ethnologue 16 adds Manka, but that is a Southwest Grassfields language....
, ? BuruBuru language (Nigeria)Buru is a Bantoid language of uncertain classification spoken in a single village in Nigeria....
, ? MenchumMenchum languageMenchum, or Befang, is a divergent Bantoid language of Cameroon. It may be a Grassfields language or closer to Tivoid.Befang is the local town, and also the name of the Menchum dialect spoken there.... - FuruFuru languagesThe Furu languages are a proposed group of poorly attested extinct or nearly extinct and otherwise unclassified Bantoid languages of Cameroon. Suggested membership of the Furu languages are:Word lists for these languages were compiled by Michel Dieu, but after his death they were apparently lost...
(with Beboid?) - MamfeMamfe languagesThe Mamfe languages, or Nyang:form a branch of Southern Bantoid spoken in southwest Cameroon. They are clearly related to each other, though they are not close.-References:* Blench, Roger, 2011. . Bantu IV, Humboldt University, Berlin....
- Ekoid–Mbe: EkoidEkoid languagesThe Ekoid languages are a dialect cluster, such as Ekajuk and Ejagham , spoken principally in southeastern Nigeria and in adjacent regions of Cameroon. They have long been associated with the Bantu languages, without their status being precisely defined...
, MbeMbe languageMbe is a language spoken by the Mbube people of the Ogoja, Cross River State, region of Nigeria, numbering about 14,300 people in 1973. As the closest relative of the Ekoid family of the Southern Bantoid languages, Mbe is fairly close to the Bantu languages. It is tonal and has a typical... - West Beboid (not a valid clade?)
- Bantu: GrassfieldsGrassfields languagesThe Grassfields or Grassfields Bantu languages, spoken in the Western grassfields of Cameroon, are a branch of Benue–Congo and a sister group to the Bantu languages...
(? MomoMomo languagesThe Momo languages are a branch of the Grassfields languages spoken in the Western grassfields of Cameroon.The languages are:Ethnologue 16 adds Manka, but that is a Southwest Grassfields language....
), JarawanJarawan languagesJarawan is a dialect cluster that is closely related to, or perhaps a branch of, the Bantu languages. Blench says that it almost certainly belongs with the A.60 languages, which are part of Mbam.-Languages:...
–MbamMbam languagesThe Mbam languages are a group of erstwhile zone-A Bantu languages which some lexicostatistical studies suggest are not actually Bantu, but related Southern Bantoid languages. Janssens posited that they are all of Guthrie's zone A.60 languages, half of his A.40 languages, and perhaps Bube...
, Narrow Bantu
Eborna
Eborna language
Borna, or Eborna, is a dubious Southern Bantoid language reportedly spoken in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It may not exist, but only be another name for Boma....
has been claimed as a Southern Bantu language, but may be spurious.