Banda languages


Banda is a family of Ubangian languages spoken by the Banda people of Central Africa. Banda languages are distributed in the Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Sudan.

Languages

Olson (1996)

Olson classifies the Banda family as follows :

Moñino (1988)

A comprehensive list of Banda languages and dialects listed in Moñino is provided as follows. All of them are spoken in the Central African Republic unless otherwise noted in parentheses, since some Banda languages and dialects are also spoken in the DR Congo and South Sudan.
;Banda
  • Central
  • *Yakpà, Gubú, Kpágùà, Ngùndù, Bòngò, Wasá, Dùkpù
  • *Lìndá, Jòtò, Ndòkpà, Ngápó
  • *Southern Gbàgà, Nbìyì, Bèrèyà, Ngòlà, Ndi, Kâ, Gbambiya, Hàì, Galabò, Vídìrì, Bàndà-Bàndà, Burú, Wùndù, Gòv̂òrò
  • *Bàndà-Ndele, Bàndà-Kpaya, Ngàò, Ngbalá, Tàngbàgò, Júnguru
  • *Mbere, Búkà, Mòrùbà, Sàbángà, Wádà
  • *Vàrà, Tògbò
  • *Yàngere
  • Peripheral
  • *West Central: Dákpá, Gbî, Northern Gbàgà, Wójò
  • *South Central: Làngabàsi, Ngbúgù, Làngbà
  • *Central: Mbanza, Mbanja
  • *Southwestern: Ngbùndù, Kpala
Banda-Ndélé groups are Govo, Ngàjà, Gbòngó, Mbàtá, Gbàyà, Tulu, and Dabùrù.

Central Sudanic influences

The Banda languages have a Bongo-Bagirmi substratum. Central Sudanic, particularly Bongo-Bagirmi, influence is evident in Banda phonology, morphosyntax, and lexicon. Many of these influences are absent in other Ubangian language groups.