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Language Family

Atlantic-Congo

African Language Families

The Atlantic-Congo languages make up the largest demonstrated family of languages in Africa, sharing characteristic noun class systems and forming the core of the broader Niger-Congo family hypothesis. The family comprises all of Niger-Congo apart from Mande, Dogon, Ijoid, Siamou, Kru and the Katla and Rashad languages formerly classified as Kordofanian, and perhaps some or all of the Ubangian languages. Linguist Hans Gunther Mukarovsky's earlier grouping Western Nigritic corresponded roughly to what is now called Atlantic-Congo, and the Glottolog classification, based primarily on Tom Güldemann's 2018 work, gives a more limited evaluation consisting basically of Volta-Congo and the erstwhile West Atlantic languages.

Facts
Disputed
Proto-Language Status
The family's own internal composition is still debated. Glottolog, following Güldemann (2018), limits demonstrated Atlantic-Congo to Volta-Congo and the former West Atlantic languages, leaving several languages (Pre, Mpre, Aproumu Aizi) provisionally placed but not conclusively classified within it. 1
Region
Sub-Saharan Africa, forming the core of the proposed Niger-Congo family 1
Connections

Ancestor Of

Volta-Congo is a major branch of Atlantic-Congo, containing Kwa, Benue-Congo and their relatives.

Descends From

Atlantic-Congo is the largest primary branch of Niger-Congo, containing the great majority of the family's languages including Bantu.

Includes

Akan, Languages
Source Twi-Fante language (Wikipedia)
Chichewa, Languages
Source Chewa language (Wikipedia)
Ewe, Languages
Source Ewe language, Wikipedia
Fon, Languages
Source Fon language (Wikipedia)
Fula, Languages
Source Wikipedia: Fula Language
Igbo, Languages
Source Wikipedia: Igbo Language
Kinyarwanda, Languages
Source Wikipedia: Kinyarwanda Language
Kirundi, Languages
Source Kirundi, Wikipedia
Sesotho, Languages
Source Sotho language (Wikipedia)
Tswana, Languages
Source Wikipedia: Tswana Language
Wolof, Languages
Source Wikipedia: Wolof Language
Xhosa, Languages
Source Wikipedia: Xhosa Language
Zulu, Languages
Source Wikipedia: Zulu Language
In the Other Atlases

Found In

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Sources
1. Wikipedia: Atlantic-Congo languages
Wikipedia
  • Introduction, first sentence
    The Atlantic-Congo languages make up the largest demonstrated family of languages in Africa.
  • Classification paragraph, third sentence
    Glottolog, based primarily on Güldemann (2018), has a more limited evaluation of what has been demonstrated to be Atlantic-Congo, consisting basically of Volta-Congo and erstwhile West Atlantic
View the Source
Wikidata: Atlantic-Congo
Wikidata Q771124, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source
Wikipedia: Xhosa Language
Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Xhosa, Infobox: fam2
Quote, Includes: Xhosa, Infobox: fam2
Atlantic-Congo
View the Source
Wikipedia: Zulu Language
Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Zulu, Infobox: fam2
Quote, Includes: Zulu, Infobox: fam2
Atlantic-Congo
View the Source
Wikipedia: Wolof Language
Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Wolof, Infobox: fam2
Quote, Includes: Wolof, Infobox: fam2
Atlantic-Congo
View the Source
Wikipedia: Igbo Language
Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Igbo, Infobox: fam2
Quote, Includes: Igbo, Infobox: fam2
Atlantic-Congo
View the Source
Wikipedia: Fula Language
Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Fula, Infobox: fam2
Quote, Includes: Fula, Infobox: fam2
Atlantic-Congo
View the Source
Wikipedia: Tswana Language
Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Tswana, Infobox: fam2
Quote, Includes: Tswana, Infobox: fam2
Atlantic-Congo
View the Source
Wikipedia: Kinyarwanda Language
Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Kinyarwanda, Infobox: fam2
Quote, Includes: Kinyarwanda, Infobox: fam2
Atlantic-Congo
View the Source
Ewe language, Wikipedia
Includes: Ewe, Infobox: fam2
Quote, Includes: Ewe, Infobox: fam2
Atlantic-Congo
View the Source
Kirundi, Wikipedia
Includes: Kirundi, Infobox: fam2
Quote, Includes: Kirundi, Infobox: fam2
Atlantic-Congo
View the Source
Fon language (Wikipedia)
Includes: Fon, Infobox, Language family
Quote, Includes: Fon, Infobox, Language family
Atlantic-Congo
View the Source
Twi-Fante language (Wikipedia)
Includes: Akan, Infobox: fam2
Quote, Includes: Akan, Infobox: fam2
Atlantic-Congo
View the Source
Sotho language (Wikipedia)
Includes: Sesotho, Infobox: fam2
Quote, Includes: Sesotho, Infobox: fam2
Atlantic-Congo
View the Source
Chewa language (Wikipedia)
Includes: Chichewa, Infobox: fam2
Quote, Includes: Chichewa, Infobox: fam2
Atlantic-Congo
View the Source
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