Eastern Sudanic languages

Short description: Proposed language family

Eastern Sudanic

(disputed)
Geographic
distribution| Egypt, Sudan, South Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Chad, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda
Linguistic classification| Nilo-Saharan?

* Eastern Sudanic

Subdivisions|

* Northern
(k languages)
Nubian
Nara
Nyima
Taman
Meroitic? †
* Southern
(n languages)
Nilotic
Surmic
Jebel
Temein
Daju?
* Kuliak (rarely included)
* Berta (rarely included)

ISO 639-5| sdv
Glottolog| None

In most classifications, the Eastern Sudanic languages are a group of nine families of languages that may constitute a branch of the Nilo-Saharan language family. Eastern Sudanic languages are spoken from southern Egypt to northern Tanzania.

Nubian (and possibly Meroitic) gives Eastern Sudanic some of the earliest written attestations of African languages. However, the largest branch by far is Nilotic, spread by extensive and comparatively recent conquests throughout East Africa. Before the spread of Nilotic, Eastern Sudanic was centered in present-day Sudan. The name "East Sudanic" refers to the eastern part of the region of Sudan where the country of Sudan is located, and contrasts with Central Sudanic and Western Sudanic (modern Mande, in the Niger–Congo family).

Lionel Bender (1980) proposes several Eastern Sudanic isoglosses (defining words), such as *kutuk "mouth", *(ko)TVS-(Vg) "three", and *ku-lug-ut or *kVl(t) "fish".

In older classifications, such as that of Meinhof (1911), the term was used for the eastern Sudanic languages, largely equivalent to modern Nilo-Saharan sans Nilotic, which is the largest constituent of modern Eastern Sudanic.

Güldemann (2018, 2022) considers East Sudanic to be undemonstrated at the current state of research. He only accepts the evidence for a connection between the Nilotic and Surmic languages as "robust", and states that Rilly's evidence (see below) for the northern group comprising Nubian, Nara, Nyima, Taman and Meroitic "certainly look[s] promising".[1] He finds the Southern East Sudanic unit (comprising Nilotic, Surmic, Jebel, Temein and Daju) typologically coherent and, with the exclusion of Daju, showing likely correspondences among personal pronouns.[2] Glottolog (2023) does not accept even a Surmic–Nilotic relationship.

## Contents

* 1 Typology
* 2 Internal classification
* 2.1 Bender (2000)
* 2.2 Rilly (2009)
* 2.3 Starostin (2015)
* 2.4 Blench (2019, 2021)
* 2.5 Dimmendaal & Jakobi (< 2020)
* 3 Numerals
* 4 References
* 5 Bibliography

## Typology

The putative Eastern Sudanic languages are "surprisingly diverse" and resemble in this the larger Nilo-Saharan proposal.[3] No common typological features unify them. A set of head-initial languages corresponds largely with the Southern group (typologically similar to also e.g. the Kadu and Central Sudanic families), and a set of head-final languages corresponds largely with the Northern group (typologically similar to also e.g. the Maban and Saharan families). Typological difference, however, does not preclude a relationship, and typological similarities with nearby certainly or likely unrelated languages suggests that these similarities might be partly areal. Omotic and Cushitic, in particular, are nearby head-final families belonging instead in the large Afro-Asiatic phylum and forming the Ethiopian language area.

## Internal classification

There are several different classifications of East Sudanic languages.

### Bender (2000)

Lionel Bender assigns the languages into two branches, depending on whether the 1st person singular pronoun ("I") has a /k/ or an /n/:

Eastern
Sudanic  |  | Northern (k languages)  |  |  |

Nubian

|

Nara

Nyima

Taman

Southern (n languages)  |  |  |

Surmic

|

Eastern Jebel

Temein (Nuba Hills)

Daju

Nilotic

### Rilly (2009)

Claude Rilly (2009:2)[4] provides the following internal structure for the Eastern Sudanic languages.

Eastern
Sudanic  |  |  |  | Northern
Eastern Sudanic |  |  |

Nyima

|

Taman

|  |  |

Nara

|

|  |  |

Meroitic

|

Nubian

|  |  |

Nilotic

|

Surmic

Jebel

Temein

Daju

### Starostin (2015)

Starostin, using lexicostatistics, finds strong support for Bender's Northern branch, but none for the Southern branch.[5] Eastern Sudanic as a whole is rated a probable working model, pending proper comparative work, while the relationship between Nubian, Tama, and Nara is beyond reasonable doubt.

Eastern
Sudanic  |  |  |  | NNT  |  |  |

Nubian

|

|  |  |

Nara

|

Taman

? Nyima

? Surmic

? Jebel

? Temein

? Daju

? Nilotic

Nyima is not part of the northern group, though it appears to be closest to it. (For one thing, its pronouns align well with the northern (Astaboran) branches.) Surmic, Nilotic, and Temein share a number of similarities, including in their pronouns, but not enough to warrant classifying them together in opposition to Astaboran without proper comparative work. Jebel and Daju also share many similarities with Surma and Nilotic, though their pronominal systems are closer to Astaboran.

Inclusion of Kuliak and Berta is not supported. Similarities with Kuliak may be due to both being Nilo-Saharan families, whereas Berta and Jebel form a sprachbund.

A similar classification was given in Starostin (2014):[6]

* Eastern Sudanic
* Tama-Nara-Nubian branch
* Tama
* Nara-Nubian
* Nara
* Nubian
* Surmic branch
* Northern Surmic (= Majang)
* Southern Surmic
* Southwest Surmic
* Southeast Surmic
* Nilotic branch
* Northern Nilotic
* Western Nilotic
* Eastern Nilotic
* Southern Nilotic
* Daju
* Nyimang
* Temein
* Jebel

### Blench (2019, 2021)

Roger Blench (2019)[7]: 18 and (2021),[8] like Starostin, only finds support for Bender's Northern branch. Blench proposes the following internal structure, supported by morphological evidence.

East
Sudanic  |  |  |

Nilotic

|

Surmic

Eastern Jebel

Daju

Temein

Northeast Sudanic |  |  |  |  |

Nubian

|

Nara

Taman

Ama

### Dimmendaal & Jakobi (< 2020)

Dimmendaal & Jakobi (2020:394),[9] published in 2020 but written some times earlier, retains Bender's Southern branch; they also accept Berta:

Eastern
Sudanic  |  | Northern |  |  |

Taman

|

Meroitic

Nubian

Nara

Nyima

Southern |  |  |  |  |

Berta

|

Jebel

|  |  |

Daju

|

Temeinian

|  |  |

Surmic

|

Nilotic

## Numerals

Comparison of numerals in individual languages (excluding Nilotic and Surmic languages):[10]

Classification | Language | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Nara | Nara (Nera) | dōkkūū | àriɡáà | sāāná | ʃōōná | wiita | dáátà | jāāriɡáà (5+ 2)  ? | dèssèná (5+ 3) ? | lùfūttá-màdāā (10–1)  ? | lùfūk
Nubian, Western | Midob Nubian | pàrci | ə̀ddí | táasí | èejí | téccí | kórcí | òlòttì | ídíyí | úkúdí / úfúdí | tímmíjí
Nubian, Northern | Nobiin (1) | weː˥r | u˥wwo˥ | tu˥sko˥ | ke˥mso˥ | di˧dʒ | ɡo˥rdʒo˥ | ko˧lo˧d | i˥dwo˥ | o˧sko˧d | di˥me˥
Nubian, Northern | Nobiin (2) | wèer/ wéer | úwwó | túskú / tískó | kémsó | dìj / dìjì | ɡórjó | kòlòd | ídwó | òskòd / òskòdi | dímé
Nubian, Central, Hill, Kadaru-Ghulfan | Kadaru | bèè | òró | tèɟɟúk | kèɲɟú | tìccʊ́ | kɔ́rʃʊ́ | kɔ́ladʊ́ | ɪ̀d̪d̪ɔ́ | wìɪd̪ɔ́ | bùɽè
Nubian, Central, Hill, Kadaru-Ghulfan | Ghulfan | bɛr | óra | tóǰuk | kɪ́ɲu | ʈiʃú | kwúrʃu | kwalát | ɪ́ddu | wìít | buɽé
Nubian, Central, Hill, Unclassified | Dilling | bee | oree | tujjuŋ j = dʒ or ɟ ? | kimmiɲi | ticci c = tʃ or c ? | kʷarcu | kʷalad | ɪddɪ | wit | bure
Nyimang | Afitti | àndá | àrmák | àcúp | kòrsík | múl | màndár | màrám | dùvá | àdìsól | òtúmbùrà
Nyimang | Ama (Nyimang) | ɲálā | ārbā | āsá | kùd̪ò | mūl | kūrʃ | kūlād̪ | èd̪ò | wìèd̪ò | fòɽó
Tama, Mararit | Mararit (Mararet) | kára~kún / karre | warɪ / warre | ètte~ítí / ataye | kow / ɡaw | máai / maye | túur / tuur | kul / kuuri | kàkàwák / kokuak (4+ 4) | kàrkʌ́s / kekeris | tók / toɡ
Tama, Tama-Sungor | Sungor (Assangori) | kur | wári | écà | kús | mási | tɔ̀r | kál | kíbís | úkù | mɛ̀r
Tama, Tama-Sungor | Tama (1) | kúˑr | wárí | íɕí | kús /kus | massi / masi | tɔˑ́r | kâl | kímís | úkū | mír
Tama, Tama-Sungor | Tama (2) | kʊ́rʊ́ | wɛ̀rːɛ̀ | ɪ̀cːáʔ | kʊʃ | masɛː | t̪ɔ́rː | kəl | kíbìs | ʊ́kːʊ́ | mɛ̀ːr
Daju, Eastern Daju | Liguri Daju (Logorik) | nɔhɔrɔk | pɛtdax | kɔdɔs | tɛspɛt | mdɛk | kɔskɔdɔs (2 x 3) | tɛspɛtkɔdɔs (4 + 3) | tɛspɛttɛspɛt (4 + 4) | mdɛktɛspɛt (5 + 4) | saʔasɛɲ
Daju, Eastern Daju | Shatt Damam | núuxù | pɨ̀dàx | kòdòs | tèspèt | mɨ̀dɨ̀k | áaràn | pàxtíndìɲ | kòs(s)èndàŋ tèspédèspè {four.four} | dábàs(s)éndàŋ ~bây.núuxù | àsìɲ
Daju, Western Daju | Dar Dadju Daju | mùnɡún | fìdà /pîda | kòdɔ̀s | tɛ̀spɛ̀t | mòdùk | àràŋ | fàktíndí | kòsóndá | bìstóndá | àsíŋ
Daju, Western Daju | Dar Sila Daju (1) | ùŋɡʊ̀n | bìdàk | kòdòs | tìʃɛ̀t | mùdùk | (ʔ)àràn ~ (ʔ)àrân | fáktíndì | kòohándà | bìstándà | àsîŋ
Daju, Western Daju | Dar Sila Daju (2) | ʊ́ŋɡʊ́n | bíd̪ák | kɔ̀d̪ɔs | t̪ɪ̀ʃɛ́ːθ | múd̪uk | árān̪ | fáθɪ́nd̪ɪ́ | kɔ̀ánd̪a | bɪ̀sθánd̪a | ásːɪŋ
Eastern Jebel, Gaam | Gaahmɡ (Tabi) (1) | t̪āmán | d̪áāɡɡ | ɔ́ðɔ̄ | yə̄ə̄sə́ | áás-ááman (lit: 'hand') | t̪ə́ld̪ìɡɡ | íd̪iɡɡ-ɔ́ðɔ̄ (lit: 'eyes-two') | íd̪iɡ-dáāɡɡ (lit: 'eyes-three') | íd̪iɡ-yə̄ə̄sə́ (lit: 'eyes-four') | ə́sēɡ-dí (lit: 'hands-also')
Eastern Jebel, Gaam | Gaahmɡ (Tabi) (2) | taman | diɔk / diak | oða / ʔoda | yɛsu /yɛzan | ʌsumʌn | tɛltɛk /tɛldɛk | tauðuk / idakʼdiak (5 + 2) | kurbaiti /idukʼʔoda (5 + 3) | akaitɛn / idukʼyɛsu (5 + 4) | ʔasiɡdi

## References

1. ↑ Güldemann, Tom (2018). "Historical linguistics and genealogical language classification in Africa". in Güldemann, Tom. The Languages and Linguistics of Africa. The World of Linguistics series. 11. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. pp. 299–308. doi:10.1515/9783110421668-002. ISBN 978-3-11-042606-9.
*   2. ↑ Güldemann 2022, p. 59.
3. ↑ Güldemann 2022, p. 56.
4. ↑ Rilly, Claude. 2009. From the Yellow Nile to the Blue Nile: The quest for water and the diffusion of Northern East Sudanic languages from the fourth to the first millennia BCE. Paper presented at ECAS 2009 (3rd European Conference on African Studies, Panel 142: African waters – water in Africa, barriers, paths, and resources: their impact on language, literature and history of people) in Leipzig, 4 to 7 June 2009.
5. ↑ George Starostin (2015) The Eastern Sudanic hypothesis tested through lexicostatistics: current state of affairs (Draft 1.0)
6. ↑ Starostin, Georgiy C. 2014. Языки Африки. Опыт построения лексикостатистической классификации. Т. 2: Восточносуданские языки / Languages of Africa: an attempt at a lexicostatistical classification. Volume 2: Eastern Sudanic languages. Moscow: Языки славянской культуры / LRC Press. 736 p.
7. ↑ Blench, Roger. 2019. Morphological evidence for the coherence of East Sudanic. Paper submitted for a Special Issue of Dotawo. Also presented at the 14th Nilo-Saharan Linguistics Colloquium Department of African Studies, University of Vienna, 31 May 2019.
8. ↑ Blench, Roger. 2023. In defence of Nilo-Saharan.
9. ↑ Dimmendaal, Gerrit J. and Angelika Jakobi. 2020. Eastern Sudanic. In: Vossen, Rainer and Gerrit J. Dimmendaal (eds.). 2020. The Oxford Handbook of African Languages, 392–407. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
10. ↑ Chan, Eugene (2019). "The Nilo-Saharan Language Phylum". Numeral Systems of the World's Languages. https://lingweb.eva.mpg.de/channumerals/Nilo-Saharan.htm.

## Bibliography

* Bender, M. Lionel. 2000. "Nilo-Saharan". In: Bernd Heine and Derek Nurse (eds.), African Languages: An Introduction. Cambridge University Press.
* Bender, M. Lionel. 1981. "Some Nilo-Saharan isoglosses". In: Thilo Schadeberg, M. L. Bender (eds.), Nilo-Saharan: Proceedings of the First Nilo-Saharan Linguistics Colloquium, Leiden, Sept. 8–10, 1980. Dordrecht: Foris Publications.
* Temein languages (Roger Blench, 2007).
* Güldemann, Tom (2022). "The Historical-Comparative Status of East Sudanic". in Blench, Roger; Weschenfelder, Petra; Ziegelmeyer, Georg. Current Research in Nilo-Saharan. Cologne: Köppe. pp. 53–73.
* Starostin, George (2015) (in Russian). Языки Африки. Опыт построения лексикостатистической классификации. Том II. Восточносуданские языки. II: The Eastern Sudanic Languages. Moscow: Languages of Slavic culture. ISBN 9785457890718.
* Starostin, George. 2015. Proto-East Sudanic ʽtreeʼ on the East Sudanic tree. 10th Annual Conference on Comparative-Historical Linguistics (in memory of Sergei Starostin).

Template:Nilo-Saharan families

* v
* t
* e

Eastern Sudanic languages

Northern k languages

| Nubian|

* Birgid
* Hill Nubian
* Kenzi-Dongolawi
* Midob
* Nobiin
* Old Nubian

|

Nara|

* Nara

Nyima|

* Ama
* Dinik

Taman|

* Sungor
* Tama

Southern n languages

| Surmic|

| North|

* Majang

|

Southeast|

* Kwegu
* Meʼen
* Mursi
* Suri

Southwest|

* Didinga
* Kacipo-Balesi
* Murle
* Laarim
* Tennet

Eastern Jebel|

* Aka
* Gaam
* Kelo
* Molo

Temein|

* Doni
* Temein
* Tese

Daju|

| Eastern|

* Liguri
* Shatt

|

Western|

* Beigo
* Daju Mongo
* Njalgulgule
* Nyala
* Sila

Nilotic languages

| Eastern Nilotic|

* Bari

| Teso–Turkana|

* Karimojong
* Teso
* Toposa
* Turkana

|

Lotuko|

* Lango
* Lokoya
* Lopit
* Lotuko

Ongamo–Maa|

* Camus
* Maasai
* Ongamo
* Samburu

Western Nilotic|

| Burun|

* North Burun
* South Burun

|

Dinka–Nuer|

* Dinka
* Nuer
* Reel

Luo languages|

* Anuak
* Belanda Bor
* Luwo
* Päri
* Shilluk
* Southern Luo
* Thuri

Southern Nilotic|

* Datooga
* Kalenjin
* Omotik

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