Gur languages


The Gur languages, also known as Central Gur or Mabia, belong to the Niger–Congo languages. They are spoken in the Sahelian and savanna regions of West Africa, namely: in most areas of Burkina Faso, and in south-central Mali, northeastern Ivory Coast, the northern halves of Ghana and Togo, northwestern Benin, and southwestern Niger. A few Gur languages are spoken in Nigeria. Additionally, a single Gur language, Baatonum, is spoken in Benin and in the extreme northwest of Nigeria. Three other single Gur languages, the Tusya, Vyemo and Tiefo languages, are spoken in Burkina Faso. Another unclassified Gur language, Miyobe, is spoken in Benin and Togo. In addition, Kulango, Loma and Lorhon, are spoken in Ghana, Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso. Additionally, a few Mossi speakers are in Senegal, and speakers of the Dagaare language are also found in Cameroon. The Samu languages of Burkina Faso are Gur languages.

Typological features

Like most Niger–Congo languages, the ancestor of Gur languages probably had a noun class system; many of today's languages have reduced this to a system of nominal genders or declensions or no longer have a class system. A common property of Gur languages is the verbal aspect marking. Almost all Gur languages are tonal, with Koromfé being a notable exception. The tonal systems of Gur languages are rather divergent. Most Gur languages have been described as following the model of a two tone downstep system, but the languages of Oti-Volta branch and some others have three phonemic tones.

History of study

first mentions twelve Gur languages in his 1854 Polyglotta Africana, which represent ten languages in modern classification. Notably, he correctly identified these languages as being related to one another; his 'North-Eastern High Sudan' corresponds to Gur in modern classification.

The Gur family was previously called Voltaic, following the French name Voltaïques. It was once considered to be more extensive than it is often regarded today, including the Senufo languages and a number of small language isolates. The inclusion of Senufo within Gur has been rejected by many linguists, including Tony Naden. Williamson and Blench place Senufo as a separate branch of Atlantic–Congo, while other non-Central Gur languages are placed somewhat closer as separate branches within the Savannas continuum.
Kleinewillinghöfer notes that the closest relatives of Gur appear to be several branches of the obsolete Adamawa family, since many "Adamawa" languages in fact share more similarities with various Gur languages than with other Adamawa languages. He proposes that early Gur-Adamawa speakers had cultivated guinea corn and millet in a wooded savanna environment.

Classification

The regions on the map denote regional distribution of the Central Gur languages. The tree-diagram below denotes the relations between these languages and their closest relatives:
  • ? Greater Gur
  • * Central Gur
  • ** Northern Gur
  • ***
  • **** Oti–Volta
  • **** Bwa
  • *** Koromfé
  • ** Southern Gur
  • ***
  • **** East Mabia
  • ***** Gurunsi
  • **** Kirma–Lobi
  • ***** Kirma–Tyurama
  • ***** Lobi–Dyan
  • *** Doghose–Gan
  • *** ? Dogoso–Khe
  • * ? Waja–Kam
  • * ? Leko–Nimbari
  • * ?
The position of Dogoso–Khe in Southern Gur is not clear; it is not closely related to other members of the branch.

Bodomo (2017)

refers to the entire Central Gur group as Mabia. The term Mabia is a portmanteau of the two lexical innovations ma- 'mother' + bia 'child'.
The following is a classification of the Mabia languages from Bodomo, as cited in Bodomo. Bodomo divides Mabia into three primary branches, namely West, East, and Central.
The term Mabia, instead of Gur, is also used by Naden.
Naden lists the languages of the Southern/Eastern Mabia group as Dagbani, Hanga, Kantoosi, Kamara, Kusaal, Mampruli, Nabit, Nanun/Nanuni, and Talni.

Comparative vocabulary

Sample basic vocabulary of Gur languages:
Note: In table cells with slashes, the singular form is given before the slash, while the plural form follows the slash.
Language eyeearnosetoothtonguemouthbloodbonetreewatereatname
Proto-Central Gur*me *ye *ñam, *ñim *ʔob, *ʔo*tɪ *ni, *ne; *nã *di*yɪɗ, *yɪd
Kirmayifelle / yifiŋatuŋu / tunnimɛlle / miẽŋanyilaŋu / nyienedyumelle / dyumiẽŋanuŋu / nunnitammãkogwoŋu / kogonnetibiu / tibinnihummawyere
Tyuramayisiri / yinyatwõgo / tõnyameare / miaganyirogu / nyiranyanambene / namblaganogu / nõnyatoamakukugogu / kukunyatibikugu / tibinyinyahumaowuyiri / yiga
Proto-Gurunsi*s₁l*di₂/e/o*mi₁/e/o*de/u₂*no₂/i₁*ca*ti₂/e*le/a/o; *ni₂/a/o*di₁*yi₂
Lyéléyir / yirazyẽ / zyãmyél / myélayéél / yélamédyolo / médyaalényi / nyagyalku / kurkyoo / kyéménẽẽgyuyil / yila
Proto-Oti–Volta*ni / *nun*tʊ*me*n / *n*lɪm / *lam; *z₂ɪ *noː*z₁ɪm*kob; *kpab*yi / *tiː*ɲa*dɪ*yi / *yʊ
Dagbanininitiba nyeenyinizinlinoliʒimkɔbilitiakomdiyuli
Gourmanchéma numbu / nuni/ninitubli / tubamiali / miananyenli / nyenalambu / landinyoabu / nyoanesoamakpabli / kpabatibu / tidinyimadiyeli / yela
Mossi nifu / ninitubre / tubanyõre / nyüyanyende / nyenazilemde / zilmanore / nwɛyazimkõbre / kõabatiɣa / tisekomdiyure / yuya
Frafranifo / ninitʊbre / tʊbayõore / yõayẽnnɛ / yẽnazɪlɪŋa / zɪlɪsɪnõorɛ / nõazɪɪmkõbrɛ / kõbatɪa / tɪɪsɪko'omdiyʊ'ʊrɛ / yʊ'ʊra
Dagaare mimir / mimietour / tublnyoboɣr / nyobogɛnyim / nyimɛzel / zelɛnwor / nɛ̃zĩkobr / kobɛtiɛ / tirkõwõ/kwõõdiyur / ye
Proto-Eastern Oti–Volta*nuan-*tuo-*wuan-*nin-*dian-*nua-*yia-*kuan-*tie-*nia-*di-*yi-
Baribanɔnu, nɔniso ~ soa, -suwɛ̃rudonduyara, -nunɔɔ yemkukurudã̀ã̀ nimtēm̄yísìrū
Natioro ɲǎːpéjáɲàŋwàmṹnṹpwã́ɲĩ́nã́ŋɟɛ̄nɛ̃́mɛ̃́sáːpɛ́lːɛ̄sjã́ːmĩ́kàːkwàsúmwàlwāàʔɔ́lɪ̄ɲĩ́nã́
Natioro ɲĩ́kúpjéjɪ̀pã̌mṹnũ̀kũ̌ɲínːáːlámːjáːnã́tə́mǎnã́ŋkwáːʃjɛ̂nṹmṹːìwɔ́nːã́ínːã́
Natioro ɲã́pʊ̀ːnã́ífwã̀nã́ʔṹnṹfã̀nã́ĩ́ndáːnã̀nĩ́ŋsáːnã̄nã́ːnã̀tímĩ́nĩ́kʊ́kánã̄síːkénã́nĩ́mĩ́nĩ̀ɛ̀wòlòjɛ́ínã́ːnã̄
Moyobemɛnɪ́bɛ̀ / ɪ̀nɪ́bɛ̀kùtù / àtùtíŋwáyí / áŋwáyítìní, kùní / anítìlénbí / àlénbíńnɔ́ɔ̀ / ínɔ́ɔ̀ményɛ́ / ányɛ́kúkɔ́hɔ́ / ákɔ́hɔ́kùléé / àléémɪ́nɪ̀li / lètìnyírì / ànyírì
Kulango piege / piewutengu / tenusaŋa / sãumkaɣangbo / kaɣamdelengbo / delemunɔɔɣɔ / nuomtuɔmzukukpo / zukumdiɛkɔ / diɛnuyɔkɔdɪyukɔ / yum
Tiefoéjúēnɑ̃́tōēmɛ́ʔɛ́kɔ̃́ʔɔ̃́mʲɔ̃̄ēnwɔ̃́ʔɔ̃́ɟɑ̄lɑ̄, tɾɔ̃̄kɑ̄ūʔùʃɪ̃́ʔɪ́éjɛ́
Viemo gĩ́ːɾɔ̀cũ̄ljɔ̀mūmúɾōkɑ̃́ːdɔ̄lɑ̃́ːtīɾɔ̄ŋɑ̃́kjíːmōfūfūɾɔ́sóbònúmōɔnũ̄ɔ̃índō
Viemo ɟĩ́ɾɔ̄tuĩ́jɔ̄mūmṹɾɔ̄kɑ̃̄ːnɔ̄lɑ̃́tīɾɔ̄ɲɑ̄tíɛ̄mɔ̄fúfūɾɔ̄sóbɔ̀númɔ̄jṹnũ̄ɔ̃̄kɛ̀ĩ́dɔ̄
Samo, Maka jǐtoɲɛ̃sɔlɛwɔlɛmɑ̀wɛmúdɑɑ̀mɑ́mbíː
Samo, Matya jɛrːɛtorojiːnisɔ̃ːnɛnɛnɛlɛmɪjɑ̀jɛrɛmúdɑ́ɑnebɑ́rè
Samo, Maya ɲoːnì; jɛrɛtoroɲinijɛrɛsoleːnèlɛmɑ̌jɑremudɑɑfɑ́bjèrè
Téénhinbiye / hinbutenike / tenumɪtɪyaka / mɪtɪyɔkamaka / kaamʊdelenge / delemunʊfɪya / nʊfɪyɔtɔbɔ kpoloko / kpolowodɪyaa / dɪwɔɔkɔ / ɔwɔdɪyɪraa / yɪrɔ
Toussian, South nyi / nyɛnigi / nimene / menenãnyin / nyinɛnampar / namparnãṽiãʔ-lɛ / ṽiɛ-nɛ̃tõkəgbeke / kəgbalsesuo-lɛ / sesar-lɛnĩnyõnyin
Toussian, North nyi / nyɔni/nãn / ninã/nœnnãmle / mlənãnyen / nyennãnenpüœravia/ṽiã / wẽytiõ/tõkəble / kəblenâsepwel / sepyi
Siamou nya/nyábí/nyábità-syẽ̀ / tàsyẽ̀márnyèn / nyěndɛ / dɛ́kõ̀ / kẽtṍkpár / kpartimõ / timẽnũdiỹi
Mambarnyíí / nyíînyuweŋ / nyuwɛyɛmunna / munnaʔagã / gãʔanyire / nyireenyu / nyüyiʃiʃikatyiɣe / katyiyeʃiɣe / ʃireloeʔoedimbaɣe / mbɛyɛ
Senar nyini / nyinyẽynupaɣa / nupayfunan / funãgegẽ/gan / gãgẽnyini / nyirkenyuɣu / nyuysisyẽkɛkayige / katyiyetiɣe / tĩyi/tĩrDogodimɛɣɛ
Tenyeryɛde/yade / yɛgyɛ/yagyɛdyigi / dyiimənɛ / məligɛnkan / nhagalnyinkan / nyẽhegalnye / nyeytunokyilige / kyilerikatyigi / katyirlɔgɔdimigɛ / mii