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 Guldemann's 2018 work, gives a more limited evaluation consisting basically of Volta-Congo and the erstwhile West Atlantic languages.
Facts
Disputed
Proto-Language StatusThe family's own internal composition is still debated. Glottolog, following Guldemann (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 RegionSub-Saharan Africa, forming the core of the proposed Niger-Congo family 1 Atlantic-Congo
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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.
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Atlantic-Congo languages
WikipediaIntroduction, 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
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