Atlantic–Congo languages

The Atlantic–Congo languages make up the largest demonstrated family of languages in Africa. They have characteristic noun class systems and form the core of the Niger–Congo family hypothesis. They comprise all of Niger–Congo apart from Mande, Dogon, Ijoid, Siamou, Kru, the Katla and Rashad languages (previously classified as Kordofanian), and perhaps some or all of the Ubangian languages. Hans Gunther Mukanovsky's "Western Nigritic" corresponded roughly to modern Atlantic–Congo.^[1]

Atlantic–Congo
Geographic distribution	Africa
Linguistic classification	Niger–Congo? Atlantic–Congo
Subdivisions	Talodi–Heiban (Kordofanian) Senegambian Nalu Rio Nunez Mel Sua Gola Volta–Congo
Language codes
ISO 639-5	alv
Glottolog	atla1278
The Atlantic–Congo languages shown within the Niger–Congo language family. Non-Atlantic–Congo languages are greyscale.

In the infobox, the languages which appear to be the most divergent are placed at the top.^[2] The Atlantic branch is defined in the narrow sense (as Senegambian), while the former Atlantic branches Mel and the isolates Sua, Gola and Limba are split out as primary branches; they are mentioned next to each other because there is no published evidence to move them; Volta–Congo is intact apart from Senufo and Kru.

In addition, Güldemann (2018) lists Nalu and Rio Nunez as unclassified languages within Niger-Congo.^[3]

There are a few poorly attested languages, such as Bayot and Bung, which may prove to be additional branches.^{[citation needed]}

Comparative vocabulary

Sample basic vocabulary for reconstructed proto-languages of different Atlantic-Congo branches:

Branch	Language	eye	ear	nose	tooth	tongue	mouth	blood	bone	tree	water	eat	name
"Western Nigritic" (roughly Atlantic–Congo)	Proto-"Western Nigritic"[1]	*-nín-, *-nínu	*-thúi, *-thú-	*-míl-, *-míla	*-nín- (*-níghin-)	*-líma (*-líami); *-lélum- (*-lúm-)	*-níana; *-níuna (*-núa)	*-ghìá; *-kàl-	*-khwúpà	*-tí	*-lingi	*di-	*-ghínà
Benue-Congo	Proto-Benue-Congo[4]	*-lito	*-tuŋi	*-zua	*-nini, *-nino; *-sana; *-gaŋgo	*-lemi; *-lake		*-zi; *-luŋ	*-kupe	*-titi; *-kwon	*-izi; *-ni		*-zina
Bantu	Proto-Bantu[5]	*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
Yoruboid	Proto-Yoruboid language[6]	*é-jú	*é-tí	*ímṵ́	*éŋḭ́	Yor. ahá̰	*ɛ́lṵ ?	*ɛ̀-gyɛ̀	*égbṵ́gbṵ́	Yor. igi	*ó-mḭ	*jɛṵ	*órú- ?
Gbe	Proto-Gbe[7]		*-tó		*aɖú	*-ɖɛ́	*-ɖũ; *-ɖũkpá	*-ʁʷũ	*-χʷú	*-tĩ́	*-tsĩ	*ɖu	*yĩ́kɔ́
Gur	Proto-Central Gur[8]			*me (Oti-Volta, Gurunsi)	*ye (Gurunsi, Kurumfe)			*ñam, *ñim (Oti-Volta, Kurumfe)	*ʔob, *ʔo	*tɪ (Oti-Volta, Gurunsi)	*ni, *ne; *nã (Oti-Volta, Gurunsi)	*di	*yɪɗ, *yɪd (Oti-Volta, Gurunsi)
Gbaya	Proto-Gbaya[9]	*gbà.l̥í/l̥í	*zɛ̀rà	*zɔ̰̀p	*ɲín	*léɓé ~ lémbè	*nú	*tɔ̀k	*gbà̰là̰	*l̥ì	*tè	*ɲɔŋ/l̥i	*l̥ín ~ l̥íŋ