Bongo–Bagirmi languages explained

Bongo–Bagirmi
Also Known As:	Sara–Bongo–Bagirmi
Region:	CAR, Chad, South Sudan, Sudan
Familycolor:	Nilo-Saharan
Fam2:	Central Sudanic
Child1:	Bongo–Baka
Child2:	Kara
Child5:	Doba
Child6:	Kaba
Child7:	Vale
Child8:	Sinyar
Child9:	Yulu
Protoname:	Proto-Sara-Bongo-Bagirmi
Glotto:	sara1341
Glottorefname:	Sara–Bongo–Bagirmi

The Bongo–Bagirmi or Sara–Bongo–Bagirmi (SBB) languages are the major branch of the Central Sudanic language family with about forty languages. Principal groups include Bagirmi languages such as Naba and the Sara languages. They are spoken across CAR, Chad, South Sudan, Sudan and adjacent countries.

Languages

The Bongo–Bagirmi languages are for the most part poorly studied, and there is little agreement as to their internal classification. The table below is taken from Lionel Bender, as summarized in Blench (2000).

• Bongo–Baka
• Kara (= Tar Gula ?)
• Sinyar (Shemya) ?
• Bagirmi
• Sara
• Doba (Bedjond, Gor, Mango)
• Kaba
• Vale
• Birri (likely to be closer to Kresh)
• Fongoro (Formona) ?
• Yulu (Yulu–Binga)

Sinyar and Fongoro may not be Bongo–Bagirmi or even Central Sudanic languages.

Classification

Boyeldieu (2006)^[1] classifies the Sara-Bongo–Bagirmi languages as follows.

• Sara-Bongo-Bagirmi
  • Bongo
  • Modo, 'Beli, Baka
  • Western
    • Yulu
    • Core Western
      • Fer, Gula Koto
      • Gula Zura, 'Bu'bu, Gula Mere, Gula Sara
      • Nduga, Luto?
        • • • • • Sara Peripheral: Ndoka, Wad, Bagiro, Na, Tiye, Kulfa, Simé, 'Dem
        • Central: Sar, Mbay, Ngambay, 'Bedjond, Kaba P.
        • Others: Bulala, Beraku, Kenga, 'Barma

Boyeldieu (2006) considers the homelands (Urheimats) of the language groups to be as follows.^[1]

• Proto-Sara-Bongo-Bagirmi: Bahr el Ghazal / southwestern South Sudan, by the border with easternmost Central African Republic
• Proto-Western Sara-Bongo-Bagirmi: north-central extreme of the Central African Republic
• Proto-Sara: south-central Chad, along the border with northwestern Central African Republic

The Bongo–Bagirmi languages in the east are closer to other Central Sudanic languages, while the Sara languages in the west have diverged more from the typical Central Sudanic typological profile due to contact with Ubangian and other languages.^[2]

Reconstruction

Proto-Sara–Bongo–Bagirmi
Also Known As:	Proto-Bongo–Bagirmi
Familycolor:	Nilo-Saharan
Target:	Bongo–Bagirmi languages

Plants

Proto-Sara–Bongo–Bagirmi plant names:^[1]

Species	Proto-Sara–Bongo–Bagirmi
Stylochiton sp.	bada
Ficus ingens	ɓAlɛ; *ɓARlɛ
Dichrostachys cinerea	baɭi; *bEɭE
Loudetia annua	bamu; *bVmV
Daniellia oliveri	ɓAtɛ; *ɓita; *ɓuta; *ɓito; *ɓVtV
Amaranthus cruentus	budu
Andropogon gayanus	butu
Nymphaea sp.	ɓVlV
Manihot glaziovii	bVngV
Cissus populnea	Caɭa
Lagenaria siceraria	Ciɓa; *Cuɓa
Cissus integrifolia	Cuƒu; *COƒO; *Nuƒu; *NOƒO
Terminalia sp.	CV; *ɭV
Sida rhombifolia	ɗAɗɛ
Acacia albida	didi; *diɗi
Combretum glutinosum	diro; *dVrV
Leptadenia hastata	ɗisa; *ɗusa
Aeschynomene nilotica	dulɛ
Strychnos sp.	duɲu; *diɲi; *duyu; *diyi
Sterculia setigera	ɖaka
Loudetia simplex	ɖakɔ
Hyparrhenia bagirmica	gama
Hibiscus sp.	gbakɔ
Grewia venusta	Gimbo; *GVmbV
Urena lobata	gumbu
Isoberlinia doka	kabɔ; *kaba
Cordia africana	kAjɛ
Hymenocardia acida	kArɛ
Calotropis procera	kaRpɔ; *kARpɛ
Ficus glumosa	kɔlɔ; *kilɔ
Afzelia africana	kila; *Gila
Gardenia sp. (?)	Kiri; *Giri
Ximenia americana	kiti; *kVtV; *titi; *tVtV
Ficus platyphylla	KOɓO; *KVɓV
Ceiba pentandra	kuɭa
Parinari curatellifolia	kuma
Jatropha sp.	kuma
Diospyros mespiliformis	kuRmɛ; *kARmɛ; *kuRma
Ficus sycomorus	kutɛ; *kVtV
Detarium microcarpum	kuʈu; *nguʈu; *guʈu
Lophira lanceolata	kVyV
Combretum collinum	ɭEmbE; *ɭumbɛ
Tephrosia bracteolata	ɭVɲV
Gardenia erubescens	maca; *masa; *maKa
Parkia africana	matɔ; *mbaRtɔ
Annona senegalensis	mbArɛ; *mburɛ; *mbARwɛ; *mbuRwɛ
Grewia sp. (?)	mɔkɔ
Nymphaea sp.	mEɗE
Amblygonocarpus andongensis	miɭi; *miɭo; *mOɭO; *miri; *miro; *mOrO
Vitex sp.	mOyI; *mVyV; *mOɲI; *mVɲV
Pseudocedrela kotschyi	muru
Mitragyna inermis	nɖAɲɛ; *nɖVɲV
Imperata cylindrica	nɖoku; *nɖeki
Ziziphus sp.	ngAɖɛ; *ngAɗɛ
Acacia sp.	ngara; *ngaɭa
Balanites aegyptiaca	ngura
Hexalobus monopetalus	NVCV
Acacia sieberiana	paɭa
Raphionacme sp.	pOyO; *pVyV
Celtis integrifolia	Sala; *SVlV
Rottboellia exaltata	Saya
Anogeissus leiocarpus	Siɖɔ; *Siɖa
Kigelia aethiopium	Soku
Cissus quadrangularis	taɗa
Cucurbitaceae sp.	taya
Pennisetum pedicellatum	tEmbE
Striga sp.	tiɭo; *tuɭɛ; *kiɭo; *kuɭɛ
Jardinea sp.	tuwa
Tapinanthus sp.	tVmV
Burkea africana	wVɭV
Anogeissus leiocarpus	-
Ficus thonningii	-
Piliostigma thonningii	-
Pseudocedrela kotschyi	-
Securinega virosa	-
Crateva adansonii	-
Asparagus sp.	-
Dactyloctenium aegyptium	-
Sclerocarya birrea	-
Ficus polita	-
Ficus sp.	-
Balanites aegyptiaca	-
Sesbania pachycarpa	-
Cochlospermum tinctorium	-
Xanthosoma mafaffa	-
Luffa sp.	-

Fish

Proto-Sara-Bongo-Bagirmi fish names:^[1]

Species	Proto-Sara-Bongo-Bagirmi
Ctenopoma spp.	ɓakɔ; *ɓaku; *ɓVkV
Distichodus sp.	bata
Alestes macrolepidotus	boru; *beri; *ɓoru; *ɓeri
Siluridae sp. (?)	buli; *bOlI; *bolu
Siluridae sp.	bVngV
Mormyridae spp.	CAɓɛ; *CAbɛ
Distichodus spp.	Ceri
Alestes spp.	dalu
Citharinus spp.	dOrO
Bagrus bajad bajad	duɓa
Synodontis spp., Auchenoglanis spp. et alii	gaRga
Heterobranchus bidorsalis, Clarias spp.	gɔrɔ
Bagridae sp.	GElE
Labeo spp., Barbus spp.	guɗu; *gOɗO; *Suɗu; *SOɗO; *Sudu; *SOdO; *ɓudu; *ɓOdO
Characidae sp., Citharinidae sp. (?)	janga; *Canga
Tetraodon fahaka strigosus	k+ɖ + kiɭo
Lates niloticus	kaRɓɔ
Malapterurus electricus	Kiɓi; *tiɓi; *Kibi
Protopterus annectens	Kuri; *Kuru; *KuRyi; *KuRyu
Mormyridae sp.	mARlɛ
Ophicephalus obscurus	mOgO; *migo
Clarias spp., Heterobranchus bidorsalis	nduli; *ndolu; *ndVlV
Heterotis niloticus	ngɔɭɔ
Tilapia spp.	ngura
Alestes nurse	ŋmaŋma; *ŋmɔŋmɔ; *ŋmaɲa; *ŋmɔɲɔ
Mormyridae spp.	pAtɛ
Tilapia spp., Hemichromis spp.	pORpO; *paRpa; *SORpO; *SaRpa
Citharinus citharus	puru
Polypterus spp.	SAɭɛ; *ngAɭɛ
Schilbe spp., Eutropius niloticus niloticus	SErE; *SArɛ; *CErE; *CArɛ
Siluridae spp.	Sili; *SVlV; *sili; *sVlV
Hepsetus odoe, Hydrocyon spp.	Siya; *Suya
Characidae sp., Citharinidae sp. (?)	sOɭO; *siɭo; *sVɭV; *SOɭO; *Siɭo; *SVɭV; *ɓOɭO; *ɓiɭo; *ɓVɭV
Polypterus spp.	Suɭa; *Siɭa
Gymnarchus niloticus	tumu; *temi; *ɲumu; *ɲemi
Heterobranchus spp.	-
Lates niloticus	-
Bagridae spp., Clariidae spp.	-
Citharinus spp.	-
Malapterurus electricus	-

See also

• List of Proto-Sara-Bongo-Bagirmi reconstructions (Wiktionary)

Further reading

Materials on Sara–Bongo–Bagirmi are often in French.

• ADAMI P., 1981, (with Dj. DJARANGAR, J. FÉDRY, Ng. NASSITY et P. PALAYER), Lexique bediondo-français, Sarh, Centre d'Études Linguistiques-Collège Charles-Lwanga.
• ANDERSEN T., 1981, A Grammar of Modo, A Preliminary Sketch, University of Aalborg (Denmark).
• BLACHE J., 1964, Les poissons du bassin du Tchad et du bassin adjacent du Mayo Kebbi, Paris, ORSTOM.
• BOYELDIEU P., 1987, Les langues fer ('kara') et yulu du nord centrafricain, Esquisses descriptives et lexiques, Paris, Geuthner.
• BOYELDIEU P., 2000, La langue bagiro (République centrafricaine), Systématique, textes et lexique, Frankfurt am Main, Peter Lang (Schriften zur Afrikanistik/Research in African Studies, 4).
• CAPRILE J.P., s.d. [1969 ?], Lexique mbaï-français, Lyon, Afrique et Langage (Document 2).
• CAPRILE J.P., 1972, Études et documents sara-bongo-baguirmiens, Paris, Université René Descartes (Paris V), 2 vol.
• DANAY K., MAKODE M. et al., 1986, Dictionnaire sara-kaba-na - français, Kyabe (Tchad), Sarh, Centre d'Études Linguistiques-Collège Charles-Lwanga.
• DJEMADJIOUDJIEL N.L.Mb. et J. FÉDRY, 1979, Lexique ngàmbáy-français, français-ngàmbáy, Sarh, Centre d'Études Linguistiques-Collège Charles-Lwanga.
• GADEN H., 1909, Essai de grammaire de la langue baguirmienne, suivi de textes et de vocabulaires baguirmien-français et français-baguirmien, Paris, E. Leroux.
• KANZI-SOUSSOU C., 1985, Essai de phonologie de la langue kara de Birao, Université de Bangui (Faculté des Lettres et Sciences Humaines).
• KANZI-SOUSSOU C., 1992, Le verbe en fer (kara), Étude morphologique et syntaxique du verbe dans une langue centrafricaine, Université de Paris X-Nanterre (Département de Linguistique).
• KEEGAN J., 1996 (2ème éd.), (with M. NANGBAYE et B. MANADJI TOLKOM), Dictionary of Mbay, Munich-Newcastle, Lincom Europa. [1ère éd. 1993, chez l'auteur]
• KILPATRICK E., 1985, Bongo Phonology, Occasional Papers in the Study of Sudanese Languages, 4, 1-62.
• MALBRANT R., 1952 (2ème éd.), Faune du Centre Africain français (Mammifères et Oiseaux), Paris, Lechevalier (Encyclopédie Biologique XV).
• NDOKO B.R., 1991, Esquisse phonologique du lútò, Université de Bangui (Faculté des Lettres et Sciences Humaines).
• NOUGAYROL P., 1999, Les parlers gula (Centrafrique, Soudan, Tchad), Grammaire et lexique, Paris, CNRS Éditions.
• PALAYER P., 1970, (with M. FOURNIER et E. MOUNDO), Éléments de grammaire sar (Tchad), Lyon-Fort-Archambault, Afrique et Langage-Collège Charles Lwanga (Études linguistiques 2).
• PALAYER P., 1989, La langue sar (sud du Tchad), Tours, Université de Tours, 2 vol.
• PALAYER P., 1992, Dictionnaire Sar-Français (Tchad), Paris, Geuthner.
• PALAYER P., 2004, (with A. GOUDJA KODNGARGUE et Ch. VANDAME), Dictionnaire kenga, Louvain-Paris, Peeters (A&L 6).
• PALAYER P., 2006, (with M. SOLEKAYE), Dictionnaire démé (Tchad). Précédé de notes grammaticales, Louvain-Paris, Peeters (A&L 10).
• PARKER K., 1985, Baka Phonology, Occasional Papers in the Study of Sudanese Languages, 4, 63-85.
• PERSSON A.M. et J.R. PERSSON, 1991, Modo-English Dictionary with Grammar, Nairobi, SIL.
• SAMPSON D.L., 1997, Update on Baka Phonology and Orthography, as of 1996, Occasional Papers in the Study of Sudanese Languages, 7, 114-120.
• SANTANDREA St., 1963, A Concise Grammar Outline of the Bongo language, Rome, Sodality of St. Peter Claver.
• SAXON Douglas E., 1980, The History of the Shari River Basin ca. 500 B.C.-1000 A.D., Los Angeles, University of California.
• SCHWEINFURTH G., 1873, Linguistische Ergebnisse einer Reise nach Centralafrika, Supplément à Zeitschrift für Ethnologie (1872), Berlin, Wiegandt et Hempel.
• SCHWEINFURTH G., 1875, Au coeur de l'Afrique, 1868-1871, Voyages et découvertes dans les régions inexplorées de l'Afrique centrale, Paris, Hachette, tome 1.
• STEVENSON R.C., 1969, Bagirmi Grammar, University of Khartoum (Linguistic Monograph Series 3).
• VANDAME Ch., 1968, Grammaire kenga, Lyon, Afrique et Langage (Études linguistiques 2).

Unpublished manuscripts

• BOYELDIEU P., Lexique 'barma (baguirmien).
• BOYELDIEU P., Lexique kaba de Paoua.
• BOYELDIEU P., Lexique yulu.
• FÉDRY J., Questionnaire d'Inventaire Linguistique : kulfa.
• FÉDRY J., Questionnaire d'Inventaire Linguistique : 'dem.
• FÉDRY J., Questionnaire d'Inventaire Linguistique : tiye.
• NOUGAYROL P., Lexique bongo.
• NOUGAYROL P., Lexique ndoka.
• NOUGAYROL P., Lexique nduga.
• NOUGAYROL P., Note sur le wada.

References

• Boyeldieu, Pascal. 2006. Présentation des langues Sara-Bongo-Baguirmiennes . Paris: CNRS-LLACAN (online version). (PDF)
• Blench (2000)

External links

• Sara-Bagirmi Language Project, more detailed description of Sara-Bagirmi Languages (old version)
• List of Proto-Sara–Bongo–Bagirmi reconstructions
• Proto-Sara-Bongo-Bagirmi Swadesh list (Boyeldieu)

Notes and References

1. Boyeldieu, Pascal. 2006. Présentation des langues Sara-Bongo-Baguirmiennes . Paris: CNRS-LLACAN (online version).
2. Book: Güldemann, Tom. The Languages and Linguistics of Africa. Güldemann. Tom. De Gruyter Mouton. Historical linguistics and genealogical language classification in Africa. 2018. 978-3-11-042606-9. 10.1515/9783110421668-002. Berlin. 58–444. The World of Linguistics series. 11.