Mel languages

The Mel languages are a branch of Niger–Congo languages spoken in Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. The most populous is Temne, with about two million speakers; Kissi is next, with half a million.

Mel
Southern (West) Atlantic [reduced]
Geographic
distribution		Guinea-Bissau through Liberia
Linguistic classificationNiger–Congo?
Subdivisions
  • Temne
  • Bullom–Kissi
Glottologmela1257

Languages

Mel has traditionally been classified as the bulk of a southern branch of a West Atlantic branch of Niger–Congo. However, these are geographic and typological rather than genealogical groups; Segerer (2010) shows that there is no exclusive relationship between Mel and the other southern languages, Sua (Mansoanka) and Gola.[1]

 Mel 
Temne

Temne

Baga languages

 Bullom–Kissi 

Bullom languages

Kissi

Fields (2004) splits Mel into a Highlands group originating in Guinea, and also a Bullom-Kisi-Gola group.[2]

Fields (2008:83) proposes that the homeland of Proto-Mel is located in the north-central highlands of Sierra Leone just to the south of the Lesser Scarcies River, rather than on the coast. The homeland of Proto-Highlands is located along the middle stretches of the Konkoure River in Guinea, just to the northeast of Conakry (Fields 2008:85).[3]

Comparative vocabulary

Comparison of basic vocabulary words in the Mel languages from Fields (2004):[2]

Languageeyeearnosetoothtonguemouthbloodbonetreewatereatname
Sitemudɔ-fɔrlʊŋʊsa-lolYmde-sekte-meraku-sume-tyirkʊ-bɛntkʊ-tɔkdɔ-munki-dite-we / me-we
Landumada-fɔra-lʊnʊs, a-rʊnsta-soth, ta-suthda-sekda-merakʊ-suŋma-tsir, ma-cirkʊ-bʊntke-tog, kʊ-tɔɔkda-mun, m-ancki-ditayif
Temnefora-lʊns, a-lʊsa-suth, a-sotsekra-mersaŋtsirbant, kʊ-bonthn-anʈm-antdi; sombonʈ; n-es
Bullomfollnuiminɛ-changmulliŋ, li–mɛliŋɲɛnnkongpahrummendyoilillɛ
Kisihɔltennileŋmiŋndociŋndediɔ-muleŋsondookoowaŋpaayɔmndomɛŋndaŋdiodiolaŋ
Golae-fenue-miasiame-miel, o-mie, meer-oo-na, ɲasa, ma-sei, ma-senke-kpake-kul, kulumai, mande, mandidze, dzɛe-del


Comparison of basic vocabulary words in the Mel languages, and also Sua and Gola, from Wilson (2007):[4] Limba has also been added from Clarke (1922).[5]

Languageeyeearnosetoothtonguemouthbloodbonetreewatername; surname
Baga Madurida-fɔr / i- / sə-a-läŋgäs / i-ta-sot / ma-da-sek / i-da-mer / sə-ku-suŋ / cu-koonɛke-bantkə-tɔɔk / i-ba-munta-we / ma-; lambe (d-)
Baga Sitemudɔ-fɔr / Ø- / sə-a-laŋəs / sə- / Ø-a-loləm / Ø-de-sek / Ø-te-mer / me-ku-su / cu-mɛ-tsirko-tɔk / tsə-da-mun
Baga Kobada-fɔr / ɛ-a-rəns / ɛ-ta-sot / ma-da-sek / ɛ-da-mɛrku-soŋ / tsə-ma-tsirke-bant / tsə-kə-tɔkna-munkə-teŋk
Landumada-fɔr / ɛ- / sə-a-ləŋəs / yɛ-ta-soot / mada-sek / ɛ-da-mera / sə-kə-suŋ / cə-ma-cirkə-tɔɔʐ / yɛ-da-mun; m-ancsta-yif / ma-
Temnerə-fɔr / ɛ-ä-ləns / ɛ-ä-sot̪ / mə-rə-sek / ɛ-rə-merkə-səŋ / tə-mə-tirkə-bänt̪ŋ-ənt / y-; ä-tɔk 'firewood'm-äntŋ-es / m-
Sherbrohɔ́l / ti-nṵ́ɪ́ / ti-mín / si-caŋ / n-(li)màlíŋ / ti-sùmŋkɔ̀ŋpaktɔ̀kmɛ́n(i)líl / n-, si-
Mmanifɔl / thifɔlnyu / thinyumin / thimincaŋ /ncaŋdi-miliŋ / mamiliŋeñɛn / nñɛnkòó-wáŋpak / thipakyɔ̀m-ndóm̄ɛni–lɛlu / n-lɛlu
Kisihɔ̀l-téŋnì-léŋmǐŋ-ndócìŋ-ndédìɔ̀mù-léŋsòndò-ónkongpàà-o-thɔkmɛ̀ŋ-ndáŋdìò-
Sua(n)-fɔn / i-n-nihi(r)-seeny / m-(r)-wɛy / m-(n)-dɛmɛtɛ / i-k-tumbu / i-m-siinŋ-wuh(ŋ)-taany / i-m-minyn-wey / i-; n-konto / i-
Golaéfèkénûé-mḭakésia̰ómiè, kémiè, kémièlóńá̰másḛ̀i, másɛ̀nkégòa, kégwàkekuu, kekulmamal, mamæedel
Limbafoya, hoya ha;
pl. taya ta		kuluha ko;
pl. ŋaliha ŋa		hutini ha;
pl. ta ta		hutiti ha;
pl. ta ta		filiŋ ha;
pl. tafiliŋ ta		foti ha;
pl. ta ta		marēŋ ma, masini makutoli ko;
pl. ŋa ŋa, ba ba		kuieŋ ko;
pl. ŋa ŋa		mandi makēn ko;
pl. ŋakēn ŋa

See also

References
  1. Guillaume Segerer & Florian Lionnet 2010. "'Isolates' in 'Atlantic'". Language Isolates in Africa workshop, Lyon, Dec. 4.
  2. Fields, Edda L. Before "Baga": Settlement Chronologies of the Coastal Rio Nunez Region, Earliest Times to c.1000 CE. In: The International Journal of African Historical Studies, Vol. 37, No. 2 (2004), pp. 229–253. Boston University African Studies Center.
  3. Fields-Black, Edda L. 2008. Deep Roots: Rice Farmers in West Africa and the African Diaspora. (Blacks in the Diaspora.) Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
  4. Wilson, William André Auquier. 2007. Guinea Languages of the Atlantic group: description and internal classification. (Schriften zur Afrikanistik, 12.) Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang.
  5. Clarke, Mary Lane. 1922 [1971]. A Limba-English Dictionary or Tampeṅ Ta Ka Taluṅ Ta Ka Hulimba Ha In Huiṅkilisi Ha. Westmead, Farnborough: Gregg International Publishers Limited. (1971 reprint of 1922 book published by Houghton.)
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