Editing Benue–Congo languages

{{short description|Major subdivision of the Niger–Congo language family}}
{{Infobox language family
|name=Benue–Congo
|altname=East Benue–Congo
|region=[[Africa]], from Nigeria eastwards and southwards
|familycolor=Niger-Congo
|fam2=[[Atlantic–Congo]]
|fam3=[[Volta–Congo languages|Volta–Congo]]
|child1=[[Bantoid]]
|child2=[[Cross River languages|Cross River]]
|child3=[[Defoid]]
|child4=[[Jukunoid languages|Jukunoid]]
|child5=[[Kainji languages|Kainji]]
|child6=[[Plateau languages|Plateau]]
|child7=[[Ukaan language|Ukaan]]
|child8=[[Fali of Baissa]]
|child9=[[Tita language|Tita]]
|glotto=benu1247
|glottorefname=Benue–Congo
|map=Map of the Benue–Congo languages.svg
|mapcaption=The Benue–Congo languages shown within the Niger–Congo language family. Non-Benue–Congo languages are greyscale.
}}'''Benue–Congo''' (sometimes called '''East Benue–Congo''') is a major branch of the [[Volta-Congo languages]] which covers most of [[Sub-Saharan Africa]].

==Subdivisions==
Central Nigerian (or Platoid) contains the [[Plateau languages|Plateau]], [[Jukunoid languages|Jukunoid]] and [[Kainji languages|Kainji]] families, and Bantoid–Cross combines the [[Bantoid languages|Bantoid]] and [[Cross River languages|Cross River]] groups.

Bantoid is only a collective term for every subfamily of Bantoid–Cross except Cross River, and this is no longer seen as forming a valid branch, however one of the subfamilies, Southern Bantoid, is still considered valid. It is Southern Bantoid which contains the Bantu languages, which are spoken across most of Sub-Saharan Africa. This makes Benue–Congo one of the largest subdivisions of the Niger–Congo language family, both in number of languages, of which ''[[Ethnologue]]'' counts 976 (2017)<!--995 if branches not counted here are included-->, and in speakers, numbering perhaps 350 million. Benue–Congo also includes a few minor [[Language isolate|isolates]] in the Nigeria–Cameroon region, but their exact relationship is uncertain.

The neighbouring [[Volta–Niger]] branch of [[Nigeria]] and [[Benin]] is sometimes called "West Benue–Congo", but it does not form a united branch with Benue–Congo. When Benue–Congo was first proposed by [[Joseph Greenberg]] (1963), it included Volta–Niger (as West Benue–Congo); the boundary between Volta–Niger and [[Kwa languages|Kwa]] has been repeatedly debated. Blench (2012) states that if Benue–Congo is taken to be "the noun-class languages east and north of the Niger", it is likely to be a valid group, though no demonstration of this has been made in print.<ref>Roger Blench, [http://www.rogerblench.info/Language/Niger-Congo/General/Niger-Congo%20an%20alternative%20view.pdf Niger-Congo: an alternative view] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121203022520/http://www.rogerblench.info/Language/Niger-Congo/General/Niger-Congo%20an%20alternative%20view.pdf |date=2012-12-03 }}</ref>{{Stack|[[File:Map of the Benue–Congo languages of Nigeria and Cameroon.svg|thumb|300x300px|The Benue–Congo branches of Nigeria and Cameroon]]}}The branches of the Benue–Congo family are thought to be as follows:
*[[Bantoid–Cross languages]]
** [[Cross River languages|Cross River]]
**[[Northern Bantoid languages|Northern Bantoid]]
**[[Southern Bantoid languages|Southern Bantoid]]
* [[Central Nigerian languages]], also known as Platoid
** [[Jukunoid languages|Jukunoid]]
** [[Kainji languages|Kainji]]
** [[Plateau languages|Plateau]]

[[Ukaan language|Ukaan]] is also related to Benue–Congo; Roger Blench suspects it might be either the most divergent (East) Benue–Congo language or the closest relative to Benue–Congo.

[[Fali of Baissa]] and [[Tita language|Tita]] are also Benue–Congo but are otherwise unclassified.

[[File:Dispersal of the Benue-Congo languages.png|thumb|The Benue-Congo homeland and dispersal of the sub-branches<ref name="watters">{{Cite book
| veditors = Watters, John R
| title = East Benue-Congo: Nouns, pronouns, and verbs
| place = Berlin
| publisher = Language Science Press
| date = 2018
| format = pdf
| url = http://langsci-press.org/catalog/book/190
| doi = 10.5281/zenodo.1314306
| doi-access = free
| isbn = 978-3-96110-100-9
| last1 = Watters
| first1 = John R.
| access-date = 2018-11-15
| archive-date = 2018-11-16
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181116000742/http://langsci-press.org/catalog/book/190
| url-status = live
}}</ref>]]

==Branches and locations (Nigeria)==
Below is a list of major Benue–Congo branches and their primary locations (centres of diversity) within Nigeria based on Blench (2019).<ref name="BlenchAtlas4">{{Cite book|title=An Atlas of Nigerian Languages|last=Blench|first=Roger|publisher=Kay Williamson Educational Foundation|year=2019|edition=4th|location=Cambridge}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|+ '''Distributions of Benue–Congo branches in Nigeria'''<ref name="BlenchAtlas4"/>
! Branch !! Primary locations
|-
| [[Cross River languages#Branches and locations|Cross River]] || [[Cross River State|Cross River]], [[Akwa Ibom State|Akwa Ibom]], and [[Rivers State|Rivers]] States; [[Cameroon]]
|-
| [[Bendi languages#Names and locations|Bendi]] || [[Obudu]] and [[Ogoja]] LGAs, [[Cross River State]]
|-
| [[Mambiloid languages#Names and locations (Nigeria)|Mambiloid]] || [[Sardauna]] LGA, [[Taraba State]]; [[Cameroon]]
|-
| [[Dakoid languages#Names and locations|Dakoid]] || [[Mayo Belwa]] LGA, [[Taraba State]] and adjacent areas
|-
| [[Jukunoid languages#Names and locations|Jukunoid]] || [[Taraba State|Taraba]], [[Benue State|Benue]], [[Nasarawa State|Nasarawa]], [[Gombe State|Gombe]], [[Adamawa State|Adamawa]], [[Bauchi State|Bauchi]], and [[Plateau State|Plateau]] States of Nigeria; [[Cameroon]]
|-
| [[Yukubenic languages#Names and locations|Yukubenic]] || [[Takum]] LGA, [[Taraba State]]; [[Cameroon]]
|-
| [[Kainji languages#Names and locations|Kainji]] || [[Kauru]] and [[Lere, Nigeria|Lere]] LGAs, [[Kaduna State]]; and [[Bassa, Plateau State|Bassa]] LGA, [[Plateau State]]; [[Kano State]]; [[Kainji Lake]] area of [[Niger State|Niger]] and [[Kebbi State|Kebbi]] States
|-
| [[Plateau languages#Branches and locations|Plateau]] || [[Plateau State|Plateau]], [[Kaduna State|Kaduna]], [[Nasarawa State|Nasarawa]], [[Niger State|Niger]] and [[Bauchi (city)|Bauchi]] States and the [[Federal Capital Territory (Nigeria)|FCT]]
|-
| [[Tivoid languages#Names and locations (Nigeria)|Tivoid]] || [[Benue State]]; [[Obudu]] LGA, [[Cross River State]] and [[Sardauna]] LGA, [[Taraba State]]; [[Nasarawa State]]; [[Cameroon]]
|-
| [[Beboid languages#Names and locations (Nigeria)|Beboid]] || [[Takum]] LGA, [[Taraba State]]; [[Cameroon]]
|-
| [[Ekoid languages#Names and locations (Nigeria)|Ekoid]] || [[Ikom]] and [[Ogoja]] LGAs, [[Cross River State]]; [[Cameroon]]
|-
| [[Grassfields languages#Names and locations (Nigeria)|Grassfields]] || [[Sardauna]] LGA, [[Taraba State]]; [[Cameroon]]
|-
| [[Jarawan languages#Names and locations|Jarawan]] || [[Bauchi State|Bauchi]], [[Plateau State|Plateau]], [[Adamawa State|Adamawa]], and [[Taraba State|Taraba]] States
|}

==Comparative vocabulary==
Sample basic vocabulary for reconstructed [[proto-language]]s of different Benue-Congo branches:

{| class="wikitable sortable" | style="font-size: 85%;" | 
! Branch !! Language !! eye !! ear !! nose !! tooth !! tongue !! mouth !! blood !! bone !! tree !! water !! eat !! name
|-
| Benue-Congo || Proto-[[Benue-Congo languages|Benue-Congo]]<ref>de wolf, Paul. 1971. ''[https://www.degruyter.com/view/product/3021 The Noun-Class System of Proto-Benue-Congo] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231111163831/https://www.degruyter.com/ |date=2023-11-11 }}''. Janua Linguarum. Series Practica 167. The Hague: Mouton.</ref> || *-lito || *-tuŋi || *-zua || *-nini, *-nino; *-sana; *-gaŋgo || *-lemi; *-lake ||  || *-zi; *-luŋ || *-kupe || *-titi; *-kwon || *-izi; *-ni ||  || *-zina
|-
| Kainji || Proto-[[East Kainji languages|Northern Jos]]<ref>{{cite journal |last=Shimizu |first=Kiyoshi |year=1982 |title=Die Nord-Jos-Grüppe der Plateau-Sprachen Nigerias |language=de |journal=Afrika und Übersee |volume=65 |issue=2 |pages=161–210 |issn=0002-0427 }}</ref> || **iji (lì-/à-) || *toŋ (ù-/tì-) || *nyimu (bì-/ì-) || *ʔini (lì-/à-) || *lelem (lì-/à-) || *nua (ù-/tì-) || *nyì(aw) (mà-) ||  || *ti (with reduplication) (ù-/tì-) || *nyi (mà-) || *lia || *ji(a) (lì-/sì-)
|-
| Plateau || Proto-[[Jukunoid languages|Jukunoid]]<ref>Shimizu, Kiyoshi. 1980. ''Comparative Jukunoid'', 3 vols. (Veröffentlichungen der Institute für Afrikanistik und Ägyptologie der Universität Wien 7–9. Beiträge zur Afrikanistik 5–7). Vienna: Afro-Pub.</ref> || *giP (ri-/a-) || *tóŋ (ku-/a-) || *wíǹ (ri-/a-) || *baŋ (ku-/a-); *gyín (ri-/a-) || *déma (ri-/a-) || *ndut (u-/i-) || *yíŋ (ma-) || *kup (ku-/a-) || *kun (ku-/i-) || *mbyed || *dyi || *gyin (ri-/a-)
|-
| Plateau || Proto-[[Kagoro language (Nigeria)|Kagoro]]<ref name="Gerhardt1983">{{cite book |last=Gerhardt |first=Ludwig |year=1983 |title=Beiträge zur Kenntnis der Sprachen des Nigerianischen Plateaus |language=de |series=Afrikanistische Forschungen |volume=9 |location=Glückstadt |publisher=J. J. Augustin |isbn=3-87030-062-0 }}</ref> || *-gi || *-two ||  || *nii[ŋ] || *-dyam || *-nu[ŋ] || *-suok || *-kup || *-kwan || *-sii ||  || 
|-
| Plateau || Proto-[[Jaba language|Jaba]]<ref name="Gerhardt1983"/> || *gu-su || *gu-to[ŋ] ||  || *-gi[ŋ] || *ga-lem || *ga-nyu || *ba-zi || *gu-kup ||  ||  ||  || 
|-
| Plateau || Proto-[[Beromic languages|Beromic]]<ref name="Gerhardt1983"/> || *-gis || *-toŋ ||  || *-ɣiŋ || *-lyam || *-nu || *nì-ji || *-kup || *-kon || *-sii ||  || 
|-
| Plateau || Proto-[[Ninzic languages|Ninzic]]<ref name="Gerhardt1983"/> || *ki-sị́ || *ku-tóŋ ||  || *ki-Nyin / *-Nyir || *ì-rem || *-nuŋ / *-n[y]uŋ || *ma-ɣì || *kù-kụp || *ù-kon || *a-ma-sit ||  || 
|-
| Cross || Proto-[[Upper Cross languages|Upper Cross]]<ref>{{cite thesis |last=Dimmendaal |first=Gerrit J. |year=1978 |type=PhD |title=The Consonants of Proto-Upper Cross and their Implications for the Classification of the Upper Cross Languages |publisher=Leiden University |oclc=37049861 }}</ref> || *dyèná || *-ttóŋ(ì) || *dyòná || *-ttân || *-dák || *-mà || *-dè; *-yìŋ || *-kúpà || *-tté || *-nì || *dyá || *-dínà
|-
| Cross || Proto-[[Lower Cross languages|Lower Cross]]<ref>Connell, Bruce. n.d. ''[http://www.rogerblench.info/Language/Niger-Congo/BC/Cross%20River/Lower%20Cross/Lower%20Cross%20wordlists%20Unicode.pdf Comparative Lower Cross wordlist] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304000524/http://www.rogerblench.info/Language/Niger-Congo/BC/Cross%20River/Lower%20Cross/Lower%20Cross%20wordlists%20Unicode.pdf |date=2016-03-04 }}''. Unpublished manuscript.</ref> || *ɛ́-ɲɛ̀n / *a- || *ú-tɔ́ŋ / *a- || *í-búkó || *é-dɛ̀t / *a- || *ɛ́-lɛ́mɛ̀ / *a- || *í-núà || *-ɟìːp || *ɔ́-kpɔ́ || *é-tíé || *ˊ-mɔ́ːŋ || *líá || *ɛ́-ɟɛ́n
|-
| Cross || Proto-[[Ogoni languages|Ogoni]]<ref>Blench, Roger and Kay Williamson. 2008. ''[http://www.rogerblench.info/Language/Niger-Congo/BC/Cross%20River/Ogoni/Comparative%20Ogonic%20RMB.pdf The Ogoni languages: comparative word list and historical reconstructions] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805211059/http://www.rogerblench.info/Language/Niger-Congo/BC/Cross%20River/Ogoni/Comparative%20Ogonic%20RMB.pdf |date=2020-08-05 }}''.</ref> || *adɛ́ɛ̃ || *ɔ̀tɔ́̃ || *m̀ bĩɔ́̃ || *àdáNa || *àdídɛ́Nɛ́ ||  || *m̀ miNi, *m̀ muNu || *ákpogó || *èté || m̀ mṹṹ || *dè || *àbée
|-
| Grassfields || Proto-[[Grassfields languages|Grassfields]]<ref>Hyman, L.M. 1979. ''[http://comparalex.org/index.php?page=query&w1=133 Index of Proto-Grassfields Bantu roots] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190904092801/http://comparalex.org/index.php%3Fpage%3Dquery%26w1%3D133 |date=2019-09-04 }}''. Ms. U.S.C.; [http://linguistics.berkeley.edu/CBOLD/Data/LangInfoFiles/PGrassfields.H.info.html CBOLD] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110915194614/http://linguistics.berkeley.edu/CBOLD/Data/LangInfoFiles/PGrassfields.H.info.html |date=2011-09-15 }}; accessed from ''[http://comparalex.org/ Comparalex] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200815041750/http://comparalex.org/ |date=2020-08-15 }}''.</ref> || *Ít` || *túŋ-li || *L(u)Í` || *sòŋ´ || *lím` || *cùl` || *lém`; *cÌ´ || *gÚp; *kúi(n)´ || *tí´ || *LÍb; *kÌ´; *mò´ || *lÍa || *lÍn`; *kúm
|-
| Grassfields || Proto-[[Ring languages|Ring]]<ref>Paulin, Pascale. 1995. ''Etude comparative des langues du groupe Ring: langues Grassfields de l'ouest, Cameroun''. MA thesis, [[Université Lumière Lyon 2]].</ref> || *túɛ̀ || *túndé || *dúì, *tɔ́ŋ || *túŋɔ̀, *góìk || *dɔ́mì, *dídè || *dúɔ̀ || *dúŋá, *káŋù || *gúpɛ́ || *kák`, *tíɛ́ || *múɔ̀ || *dúɛ̀ || *dítɔ́, *gíd'
|-
| Bantu || Proto-[[Bantu languages|Bantu]]<ref>[[Thilo C. Schadeberg|Schadeberg, Thilo C.]] 2003. Historical linguistics. In Derek Nurse and Gérard Philippson (eds.), ''The Bantu languages''. (Routledge language family series 4. New York: Routledge. {{ISBN|978-0-700-71134-5}}</ref> || *i=jíco || *kʊ=tʊ́i || *i=jʊ́lʊ || *i=jíno; *i=gego || *lʊ=lɪ́mi || *ka=nʊa; *mʊ=lomo || *ma=gilá; *=gil-a; *ma=gadí; *=gadí; *mʊ=lopa; *ma=ɲínga || *i=kúpa || *mʊ=tɪ́ || *ma=jíjɪ; *i=diba (HH?) || *=lɪ́ -a || *i=jína
|-
| Bantu || [[Swahili language|Swahili]] || jicho || sikio || pua || jino || ulimi || kinywa || damu (Ar.) || mfupa || mti || maji || la || jina
|}

==See also==
*[[Wiktionary:Appendix:List of Proto-Benue-Congo reconstructions|List of Proto-Benue-Congo reconstructions]] (Wiktionary)
*[[:File:Niger-Congo speakers.png|Systematic graphic of the Niger–Congo languages with numbers of speakers]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}
*Wolf, Paul Polydoor de (1971) ''The Noun Class System of Proto-Benue–Congo'' (Thesis, Leiden University). The Hague/Paris: Mouton.
*Williamson, Kay (1989) 'Benue–Congo Overview', pp.&nbsp;248–274 in Bendor-Samuel, John & Rhonda L. Hartell (eds.) ''The Niger–Congo Languages – A classification and description of Africa's largest language family''. Lanham, Maryland: University Press of America.

== External links ==
*[http://comparalex.org/ ComparaLex], database with Benue-Congo word lists
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20040506191929/http://www.african.gu.se/webresources/benuecongo.html Web resources for the Benue–Congo languages]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110726210908/http://www.journalofwestafricanlanguages.org/BenueCongo.aspx Journal of West African Languages: Benue-Congo]
*[http://sumale.vjf.cnrs.fr/NC/Public/pdf/protoBC_deWolf.pdf Proto-Benue-Congo Swadesh list] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709140828/http://sumale.vjf.cnrs.fr/NC/Public/pdf/protoBC_deWolf.pdf |date=2021-07-09 }} (de Wolf 1971)

{{Platoid languages}}
{{Niger-Congo branches}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Benue-Congo languages}}
[[Category:Niger–Congo languages]]
[[Category:Benue–Congo languages| ]]
[[Category:Volta–Congo languages]]