Nilotic languages

Nilotic languages
also called  Great Lakes languages 

      group of related languages spoken in a relatively contiguous area from northwestern Congo (Kinshasa) (Congo), southern Sudan (Sudan, The), and western Ethiopia southward across Uganda and Kenya into northern Tanzania. Nilotic languages are part of the Eastern Sudanic (Eastern Sudanic languages) subbranch of Nilo-Saharan languages.

      The Nilotic languages are usually divided into a Western group (containing such languages as Acholi, Burun, Dinka, Lango, Luo, Mabaan, Nuer, and Shilluk), an Eastern group (including Bari, Karimojong, Lotuxo, Maa [the language of the Masai people], Teso, Toposa, and Turkana), and a Southern group (including Omotik, Datooga [Tatoga], and Kalenjin). This follows a proposal made by the Africanist Oswin Köhler (Köhler, Oswin), who also suggested extending the use of the term Nilotic to this group of languages as a whole. Eastern and Southern Nilotic languages have also been referred to as Nilo-Hamitic or Para-Nilotic languages.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Nilotic languages — Nilotic Geographic distribution: southwestern Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan, northeastern Congo (DRC), northern Uganda, western Kenya and northern Tanzania Linguistic classification: Nilo Saharan? Eastern …   Wikipedia

  • Eastern Nilotic languages — Infobox Language family name=Eastern Nilotic region=Southern Ethiopia, Sudan, Uganda, Kenya and northern Tanzania familycolor=Nilo Saharan fam2=Eastern Sudanic fam3=Nilotic child1=Bari child2=Teso Lotuko MaaThe Eastern Nilotic languages are one… …   Wikipedia

  • Western Nilotic languages — Western Nilotic Geographic distribution: southwestern Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan, northeastern Congo (DRC), northern Uganda, southwestern Kenya, northern Tanzania Linguistic classification: Nilo Saharan? …   Wikipedia

  • Southern Nilotic languages — The Southern Nilotic languages are spoken mainly in western Kenya and northern Tanzania (with one of them, Kupsabiny or Sapiny, being spoken on the Ugandan side of Mount Elgon). They are generally divided into two groups, Kalenjin and Omotik… …   Wikipedia

  • Nilotic peoples — Nilotic redirects here. For for the river, see Nile. Areas where Nilotic Languages are spoken Nilotic people or Nilotes, in its contemporary usage, refers to some ethnic groups mainly in South Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, and northern Tanzania, who… …   Wikipedia

  • Nilotic — people or Nilotes, in its contemporary usage, refers to some ethnic groups mainly in southern Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, and northern Tanzania, who speak Nilotic languages, a large sub group of Nilo Saharan languages. These include the Kalenjin, Luo,… …   Wikipedia

  • Languages of Uganda — English is the official language of Uganda, even though only a relatively small percentage of the population speaks it. Access to economic and political power is almost impossible without having mastered that language. The East African lingua… …   Wikipedia

  • Languages of Eritrea — Eritrea is generally considered to have nine ethno linguistic groups. Each of these has their own language: Afar, Arabic (spoken by the Rashaida), Beja (spoken by the Hedareb), Blin, Kunama, Nara, Saho, Tigre and Tigrinya.Eritrea does not have… …   Wikipedia

  • Nilotic — 1. adjective /nʌɪˈlɒtɪk,naɪˈlɑdɪk/ a) Of or pertaining to the Nile river or the people who live on its banks. b) Of or pertaining to the Nilotic languages or the people who speak them. 2. noun /nʌɪˈlɒtɪk,naɪˈlɑdɪk/ A group of languages spoken in… …   Wiktionary

  • Nilotic — [nī lät′ik] adj. [L Niloticus < Gr Neilōtikos < Neilos, the Nile] 1. of the Nile or the Nile Valley 2. of the peoples living in the valley of the White Nile, including the Dinkas n. a group of Chari Nile languages spoken in the upper Nile… …   English World dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”