Central Sudanic languages

Central Sudanic is a family of about sixty languages that have been included in the proposed Nilo-Saharan language family. Central Sudanic languages are spoken in the Central African Republic, Chad, South Sudan, Uganda, Congo (DRC), Nigeria and Cameroon. They include the pygmy languages Efé and Asoa.

Central Sudanic
Geographic
distribution		CAR, Chad, South Sudan, Uganda, Congo (DRC), Nigeria and Cameroon
Native speakers
ca. 15 million[1]
Linguistic classificationNilo-Saharan?
  • Central Sudanic
Proto-languageProto-Central Sudanic
Subdivisions
ISO 639-5csu
Glottologcent2225
Central Sudanic languages in Africa

Blench (2011) suggests that Central Sudanic influenced the development of the noun-class system characteristic of the Atlantic–Congo languages.

Classification

Half a dozen groups of Central Sudanic languages are generally accepted as valid. They are customarily divided into East and West branches.

Blench (2023)

Blench cites the following classification:[2]

Central Sudanic 
 Eastern 
(Lendu–Mangbetu) 

Mangbutu–Lese (5)

Mangbetu–Asua (2–3)

Lendu–Ngiti (2–3)

Moru–Madi (10)

Birri (1)

 West 
(Bongo–Kresh) 

Bongo–Bagirmi (40 languages)

Kresh (2)

? Sinyar–Formona

Sinyar–Formona is sparsely documented and its placement in the western branch is "provisional".

Starostin (2016)

Starostin (2016)[3] finds support for Eastern Central Sudanic (Lendu, Mangbetu, Lugbara, etc., concentrated in the northeast corner of DR Congo) but not for the western division, which would include Bongo–Bagirmi and Kresh scattered across Chad, the CAR, and South Sudan.

Central Sudanic 
 Eastern 
(Lendu–Mangbetu) 

Mangbetu (2–3)

Mangbutu–Lese (5)

Lendu (2–3)

Moru–Madi (10)

Bongo–Bagirmi (40 languages)

 Birri–Kresh 

Birri (1)

Kresh (2)

Starostin (2011) notes that the poorly attested language Mimi of Decorse is suggestive of Central Sudanic, though he provisionally treats it as an isolate. Boyeldieu (2010) states that the inclusion of Kresh has yet to be demonstrated, but Starostin (2016) finds good support, with Birri being its closest relative.

Bender (1992)

Lionel Bender (1992) classifies the Central Sudanic languages as follows, with Central Sudanic bifurcating into a Peripheral branch and a Central branch.[4]

Central Sudanic

Numerals

Comparison of numerals in individual languages:[5]

ClassificationLanguage12345678910
LenduLenduɗì / di (by Rev. N.M. Mpanzu)arɔ / aroɡ͡bɔ / ɡboθɔ / thombə / mbuaza / azaàrʊ̀-ɡ͡bɔ / aruɡboàrʊ̀ / aruɗrɛ-ði / dredhiɗrɛ / dree
LenduNgitiaɪdíɔyɔɪ̀ɓʊɪ̀fɔimboazaàrʊ̀ɓʊ̀àrʊ̀àrʊ̀ɡyèɪdíɪdrɛ
MangbetuMangbetukanasóóndrwé / sóóndrúsɔ́tasɔ́sʉatɔ́zɛrɛna / sɔ́zɛrɛnatɛ́nɡwɛkana / ɛ́tɛanatónórwe / tónórubɔɡɨnaténdeléɡítɛ́ɛ́vhɛ́
Mangbutu-EfeEfeédíɛ̀ɡbɛ̄tsínàtsītɔ̀tsībútsínà tsínà (3 + 3)tsínà tsītɔ̀ (3 + 4)tsītɔ̀ tsītɔ̀ (4 + 4)tsītɔ̀ tsībú (4 + 5)ádíbȍsí
Mangbutu-EfeMvubaeɗìàkpeɛ̀tsɪràɛ̀tsɪrɔ̀ɛ̀tsɪᵐbúmàⁿzàlàlòɗulàlɔ̀àᵐbʊ̀tsɪhʊwaàᵐʊ̀tsí
Moru-MadiMoruàlʊ̄rìnāsūnd͡ʒīnd͡ʒī drì àlʊ̄ (5+ 1)nd͡ʒī drì rì (5+ 2)nd͡ʒī drì nā (5+ 3)nd͡ʒī drì sū (5+ 4)ɓùtè
Moru-Madi, CentralAvokayaàlōrìnāsūnjīnjī-kázíyánjī-drì-là-rì (5 + 2)njī-drì-là-nā (5 + 3)njī-drì-là-sū (5 + 4)mūdrí (hands joined)
Moru-Madi, CentralKaliko (Keliko)àlōìrìnāsūtàuázyáázîríàròórōmèmūdrí (hands joined)
Moru-Madi, CentralLogoàlorìnasunzikázínzi-drì-rì (5 + 2)nzi-drì-na (5 + 3)nzi-drì-su (5 + 4)mudrí (hands joined)
Moru-Madi, CentralLugbara (Lugbarati)àlʊ̄ìrɪ̀nāsūtòwɪ́ázɪ́áázɪ́ìrɪ̀àròóròmɪ̀mōdrɪ́
Moru-Madi, CentralOmi (Omiti)àlōìrɪ̀nāsūtòwúázɪ́áázɪ́ɪ̀rɪ̀àròórōmɪ̀mūdrɪ́
Moru-Madi, SouthernMa'di (1)àlʊ̄(è)rì(ī)nā(ī)sūtòúázɨ́átûdērìàrɔ̀drítʃàlʊ̄mūdrí
Moru-Madi, SouthernMa'di (2)àlʊ̄èrì ~ rììnā ~ nāìsū ~ sūtòúázɨ́átûdērìàrɔ̀drítʃàlʊ̄mūdrí
Moru-Madi, SouthernOlu'boàlʊ̄rìnāsūtòúázɨ́átûdērìàrɔ̀tɔ́rɔ̄mɛ̀mūdúrí
Bongo-Bagirmi, Bongo-Baka, BakaBakaké̘ɗòɡ͡bʀ͡ʙɛ̀ɔ̀tàɛ̀sɔ̀ìɲììɲi dɔ̀à kéɽí (5, on it 1)ìɲi dɔ̀à ɡ͡bʀ͡ʙɛ̀ (5, on it 2)ìɲi dɔ̀à ɔ̀tà (5, on it 3)ìɲi dɔ̀à ɛ̀sɔ̀ (5, on it 4)sɔ̀kɔ́
Bongo-Bagirmi, Bongo-Baka, BongoBongokɔ̀tʊ́ŋɡɔ̀rmʊ̀tːàʔɛ́wmúìdɔ̀kɔtʊ́ (5 + 1)dɔ́ŋɡɔr (5 + 2)dɔ̀mʊ́tːà (5 + 3)dɔ̀mʔɛ́w (5 + 4)kɪ̀ː
Bongo-Bagirmi, Bongo-Baka, Morokodo-BeliJur Mödökɔ̀tɔ́rḯyö́mòtásòwɔ́mùyí̈mòdɔ́ɔ́kɔ̀tɔ́ (5 + 1)mòdɔ́mòrḯyö́ (5 + 2)mòdɔ́ɔ́mòtá (5 + 3)mòdɔ́mòsòwɔ́ (5 + 4)ɓùtë́
Bongo-Bagirmi, KaraYulukȁal(ə̏)jōoy(ə̄)mȍotȁȕsȍmȕumȉtə̏ kȁal(ə̏) {? / one}mȉtə̏ jōoy(ə̄) {? / two}mȉtə̏ mȍotȁ {? / three}mȉtə̏ ȕsȍ ~ mȉȕsȍ {? / four}kpúu
Bongo-Bagirmi, Sara-Bagirmi, BagirmiBagirmi (Bʼarma)kɛ́ɗɛ̀sapimtásómímìkátʃílímartadosodòk kemɛ́
Bongo-Bagirmi, Sara-Bagirmi, BagirmiKengakàlāŋdìómɔ̀tɔ́sɔ̄ːmīːmɛ̀cɛ́cīlímārtájɛ́rnàŋsīk
Bongo-Bagirmi, Sara-Bagirmi, BagirmiNaba (Bilala)fèné /pènèrìyómɔ̀tɔ́ / mátàsɔ́móymíʃà / máʃàsī̄lírātárɔ̄fósí
Bongo-Bagirmi, Sara-Bagirmi, Sara, Sara ProperBébotkáreɟómɨ̀tésɔ́ːmḭ́ːmɛ̰hɛsɨríɟiɟó (10 -2)ɟikáre (10 -1)dɔ̀ɡɨ
Bongo-Bagirmi, Sara-Bagirmi, Sara, Sara ProperBedjondkárējōómə̀tásɔ́mímêhḛ́sīríjī jōó (10 -2)jī kárē (10 -1)dɔ̀ɡə̀
Bongo-Bagirmi, Sara-Bagirmi, Sara, Sara ProperGulaykérējōómùtœ́sɔ́mímèhé̯sìrísɔ́sɔ́ (4 + 4)jī kérē (10 - 1)dɔ̀ɡə̀ / kùtə̀
Bongo-Bagirmi, Sara-Bagirmi, Sara, Sara ProperKaba (Kabba) (1)kaárajooàmoètaàsóàmïùmïìsaànsirïùjijooà (4 + 4)jikaàra (10 - 1)dóèkuè
Bongo-Bagirmi, Sara-Bagirmi, Sara, Sara ProperKaba (Kabba) (2)káɾādʒōómòtásɔ́mĩ́mĩ̀sã́nsīɾídʒīdʒōó (4 + 4)dʒīkáɾā (10 - 1)dɔ̀kù
Bongo-Bagirmi, Sara-Bagirmi, Sara, Sara ProperMangokárējōómɨ̀tə́sɔ́mímèhẽ́sīríjī̄-nàɲ-jōó (10 - 2)jī̄-nàɲ-kárē (10 - 1)dɔ̀ɡɨ̀
Bongo-Bagirmi, Sara-Bagirmi, Sara, Sara ProperMbaykə́rājōómə̀tásɔ̄ɔ́mḭ̄́ḭkə́-bɔ̀y-dètə́tènə̀-mə̀tá (5 + 1)jī-jōó (10 - 2)jī-kə́rā (10 - 1)kə̀lá
Bongo-Bagirmi, Sara-Bagirmi, Sara, Sara ProperNgamkóɡīídīyómə̀tásɔ́mímêhḛ́sīrísɔ́sɔ́ (4 + 4)ndōhókùtə̀
Bongo-Bagirmi, Sara-Bagirmi, Sara, Sara ProperNgambay (Sara Ngambai)kàrājōómùndásɔ́mímìsã́ / màhã́sīríjī̄-này-jōó (10 - 2)jī̄-này-kárā (10 - 1)dɔ̀ɡə̀
Bongo-Bagirmi, Sara-Bagirmi, Sara, Sara ProperSar (Sara)kóɡīíjōómə̀tásɔ́mímèhé̯sìrísɔ́sɔ́ (4 + 4)ndōkókùtə̀
Bongo-Bagirmi, Sara-Bagirmi, Sara, Sara Proper, Sara KabaKaba Demeɗíyájómùtɔ́sɔ̀ɔ́mìímìi kàlí (5 + 1)mìí já jó (5 + 2)sàlānjādɔ̀ kámdɔ̀ɡɔ̀ / kùtù
Bongo-Bagirmi, Sara-Bagirmi, Sara, Sara Proper, Sara KabaKaba Nakárē / hàréjōómùtásɔ̀ɔ́mìímàhámìtə́kə́jə́sàlīnjādàhábúdɔ̀ɡɔ̀
Bongo-Bagirmi, Sara-Bagirmi, Sara, ValeLutosɗóízíòmútàsómímí zò ɗóí (5 + 1)kál m͡bákàɗɛ̀ (8 - 1)m͡bákàɗɛ́kál ɓú (10 - 1)ɓú
Bongo-Bagirmi, Sara-Bagirmi, Sara, ValeValekīɗádíyòmùtásɔ́mímíkìdí kīɗá (5 + 1)míkìdí díyò (5 + 1)ɗɔ̄ɗɔ̄sɔ́ (2 x 4) ??kàmnànɡà kīɗá (10 - 1)ɓúfú
Bongo-Bagirmi, SinyarSinyarkàllàróòmùʈʈàùssàmòymìccàmòorsòmàartàmànɖéyʈìyà
KreshKresh (Gbaya)ɓälãrǒmótötösösösálãsálã lẽmbẽ ɓälã (5 + 1)sálã lẽmbẽ rǒmó (5 + 2)sálã lẽmbẽ tötö (5 + 3)sálã lẽmbẽ sösö (5 + 4)kpú

See also

References
  1. "Nilo-Saharan; Ethnologue".
  2. Blench, Roger. 2023. In defence of Nilo-Saharan.
  3. George Starostin (2016) The Nilo-Saharan hypothesis tested through lexicostatistics: current state of affairs
  4. Bender, Lionel M. 1992. "Central Sudanic segmental and lexical reconstruction." Afrikanistische Arbeitspapiere 29: 5-61.
  5. Chan, Eugene (2019). "The Nilo-Saharan Language Phylum". Numeral Systems of the World's Languages.

Sources
For a list of words relating to Central Sudanic languages, see the Central Sudanic languages category of words in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
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