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Niger-Congo languages, a family of languages of Africa, which in terms of the number of languages spoken, their geographic extent, and the number of speakers is by far the largest language family in Africa. The area in which these languages are spoken stretches from Dakar, Senegal, at the westernmost tip of the continent, east to Mombasa in Kenya and south to Cape Town, South Africa. Excluding northern Africa (Mauritania to Egypt and Sudan) and the Horn of Africa (Ethiopia to Somalia), some 85 percent of the population of Africa—at least 600 million people—speak a Niger-Congo language. In two countries, Niger and Chad, Niger-Congo languages are spoken by a minority. In northern Nigeria, northern Uganda, and Kenya there are substantial populations speaking other languages, but even in these countries the majority of the population speaks a Niger-Congo language.
The latest estimation of the number of Niger-Congo languages is about 1,400. All of these are considered to be distinct languages and not simply dialects. The named dialects of these languages number many thousands more, not to mention the variant names for those languages and dialects. For example, Swahili alone has 17 separate dialects and 15 additional variant names for some of the dialects.
Characteristics
Niger-Congo languages are recognized for their diverse and intricate features, which differ across various subgroups and languages. According to linguistic studies, some of the essential characteristics of Niger-Congo languages include:
Tonal languages: The majority of Niger-Congo languages are tonal, and tone changes can modify word meanings. Some languages have up to seven or eight different tones, and tones can indicate grammatical features or differentiate similar-sounding words.
Noun class systems: Most Niger-Congo languages have a system of noun classes, where nouns are classified based on various semantic features. These classes can be marked by prefixes or suffixes and can indicate grammatical relations.
Verb serialization: Niger-Congo languages utilize verb serialization, a process where multiple verbs are combined to form a single predicate, allowing the expression of complex ideas in a concise manner.
Complex morphology: Many Niger-Congo languages have complex systems of affixes used to indicate tense, aspect, mood, or grammatical relations. Some languages also have extensive systems of infixes.
Verbal aspect: Verbal aspect is an important feature of many Niger-Congo languages, which expresses the temporal and grammatical aspects of an action or event. Different forms of the verb can indicate whether an action is completed, ongoing, habitual, or future.
Use of proverbs: Many Niger-Congo languages make use of proverbs in everyday speech, conveying cultural values, moral lessons, or advice.
Branches of Niger-Congo Language
The nine branches relate to each other in different ways, some being closer to each other than others. Adamawa-Ubangi and Gur, for example, appear to be closer to each other than, say, Kru and Kwa. These somewhat varied relationships reflect the fact that the nine major branches did not derive directly from a common ancestor. The intermediate steps that occurred over thousands of years can be tentatively reconstructed as in the diagram above, which attempts to show the most widely accepted hypothesis of the genetic origin of the branches now included in the Niger-Congo family.
Bantu: The Bantu languages are spoken in Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa, and are characterized by their extensive noun class systems, complex verb morphology, and use of tone.
Atlantic: The Atlantic languages are spoken in West Africa, along the coast from Senegal to Liberia, and include languages such as Wolof, Serer, and Fula. These languages are known for their extensive use of verbal affixes and tonal systems.
Kwa: The Kwa languages are spoken in West Africa, mainly in Nigeria and Ghana, and include languages such as Akan, Ewe, and Yoruba. They are known for their complex tonal systems, extensive use of verb serialization, and noun class systems.
Gur: The Gur languages are spoken in West Africa, mainly in Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Nigeria, and include languages such as Moore, Dagaare, and Konkomba. They are known for their complex tonal systems and noun class systems.
Mande: The Mande languages are spoken in West Africa, mainly in Mali and Guinea, and include languages such as Bambara, Mandinka, and Soninke. They are known for their use of tone and complex noun class systems.
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