Kwa | |
Also Known As: | New Kwa |
Region: | Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Togo |
Familycolor: | Niger-Congo |
Fam2: | Atlantic–Congo |
Fam3: | Volta–Congo |
Child1: | Potou–Tano |
Child2: | Ga–Dangme |
Child3: | Na-Togo (reduced) |
Child4: | Anii–Adele |
Child5: | Ka-Togo (reduced) |
Child6: | Kebu–Animere |
Child7: | Avikam–Alladian |
Child8: | Attié |
Child9: | Abé |
Child10: | Adjukru |
Child11: | Abidji |
Child12: | Apro |
Glotto: | kwav1236 |
Glottorefname: | Kwa Volta–Congo |
Map: | Niger-Congo map.png |
Mapcaption: | Map showing the distribution of Niger–Congo languages. Light green is the Kwa subfamily. |
The Kwa languages, often specified as New Kwa, are a proposed but as-yet-undemonstrated family of languages spoken in the south-eastern part of Ivory Coast, across southern and central Ghana, Togo, and Benin. The Kwa family belongs to the Niger-Congo phylum. The name was introduced in 1895 by Gottlob Krause and derives from the word for 'people' (Kwa) in many of these languages, as illustrated by Akan names. This branch consists of around 50 different languages spoken by about 25 million people. Some of the largest Kwa languages are Ewe, Akan and Baule.
See the box at right for a current classification.
The various clusters of languages included in Kwa are at best distantly related, and it has not been demonstrated that they are closer to each other than to neighboring Niger–Congo languages.[1]
Stewart[2] distinguished the following major branches, which historical-comparative analysis supports as valid groups:
The Lagoon languages of southern Ivory Coast are not particularly close to any of these, nor to each other, so they are left ungrouped:
An Esuma language, extinct ca. 1800, remains unclassified.
Since Stewart, Ega has been tentatively removed, the Gbe languages reassigned to Volta–Niger, and Apro added. Some of the Na-Togo and Ka-Togo languages have been placed into separate branches of Kwa.[3] See the infobox at right for the resulting branches.
Ethnologue divides the Kwa languages into two broad geographical groupings: Nyo and Left bank, but this is not a genealogical classification. The Nyo group collapses Stewart's Potou–Tano and Ga–Dangme branches and also includes the ungrouped languages of southern Ivory Coast, while the Ka/Na-Togo and Gbe languages are called Left bank because they are spoken to the east of the Volta River.
The word 'Kwa' was used by Gottlob Krause in 1885 for the Akan (or perhaps Tano), Gã, and Gbe languages, which have kwa or kua as their word for 'human being'. Since then the proposal has been dramatically expanded, only to revert to something approaching its initial conception.
In 1952 Westermann and Bryan expanded Kwa to the various Lagoon languages of southern Ivory Coast and to what are now called the Volta–Niger languages of southern Nigeria. Greenberg (1963) added the Kru languages of Liberia, the Ghana–Togo Mountain languages which Westermann and Bryan had specifically excluded, and Ijaw of the Niger delta; West Kwa included the languages from Liberia to Dahomey (Republic of Benin), and East Kwa the languages of Nigeria. Bennett & Sterk (1977) proposed that the Yoruboid and Igboid languages belonged in Benue–Congo rather than in Kwa. Stewart (1989) removed Kru, Ijaw, and Volta–Niger (East Kwa), but kept the Ghana–Togo Mountain and Lagoon languages, as well as adding a few obscure, newly described languages. Stewart's classification is the basis of more recent conceptions. To disambiguate this from Greenberg's influential classification, the reduced family is sometimes called "New Kwa".
Sample basic vocabulary of Kwa and related languages from Dumestre (1971) and other sources:[4]
Classification | Language | eye | ear | tooth | tongue | mouth | blood | bone | tree | water | |
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Proto-Central Togo[5] |
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Ga[6] | hiŋmɛi | toi¹ | nyanyɔŋ | lilɛi² | daa⁴ | la⁵ | wu⁴ | tso³ | nu⁵ | ||
Ga–Dangme | Ga[7] | hi-ŋmɛi | toí | ɲaɲɔɔ | líʔlɛ́í | dáʔá | lá | wú | tʃo | nu | |
Ga–Dangme | hí-ŋmɛ́ | túê | lúŋù | lílɛ́ | ɲâà | mùɔ̀ | wû | tʃô | ɲù | ||
Proto-Potou–Tano[8] |
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Potou-Tano |
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Potou-Tano | ɜ-nĩ | a-sʊ̃ | a-nʊ̃ | n-su | |||||||
Potou-Tano | Proto-Guang[9] |
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Potou-Tano | ɲima | su | ɟe | taama, tãflã | nwã | moɟa | oɥje | wake | n̥zɥe | ||
Potou-Tano | m̥mɛ-ɓi | n̥ɟɛ | n̥nɔ | allɛ | m̥mɛ | n̥ka | n̥eʔwe | aja | n̥du | ||
Potou-Tano | ɲɛ-bi | su | n̥ɲɛ | dandre | n̥nɔ̃ | n̥krã | m̥rɔ | ɲamɛ | n̥zɔ | ||
Potou-Tano | ɛɲɛ | ɔwɔ | n̥ɲɛ | nãnɛ | ɔblɔ | n̥nla | eboɛ̃ | elibe | n̥tʃwɛ | ||
Potou-Tano | ɛjima | ɔho | anna | annɛ | ãto | n̥na | n̥tɔwu | edwɔ | n̥su | ||
Potou-Tano | õɲɛ̃muo | õdʒo | ɔ̃nɔ̃gõ | olɛ | ẽmẽ | õglɔ̃ | õtʃɥi | ojoku | õdu | ||
Lagoon | ɲama | lɔru | nɛn | anm | nɛɲ | mebl | luw | l-ikŋ | midʒ | ||
Lagoon | aɛ̃mɔ̃ | rɔkɔ | eji | lɛtɛ | ejimbu | m̥pje | sfje | ti | midʒi | ||
Lagoon | himbɛ | te | hɛ̃ | nũ | mɛ | vø̃ | fe | dzakwɛ | sø | ||
Lagoon | ɛrɛ | nuku | n̥ɲi | ɛwɛ̃ | ɛmwã | n̥krɛ | n̥wi | ɛtɛ | n̥ʃi | ||
Lagoon | eŋwaɓa | ɛzjɛɓa | ɛɲrã | azraɓa | enɔ̃ | ɛvɛ̃ | ɛwu | eziba | ɛsɔ̃ | ||
Lagoon | nɔnɔwɛ | rɛte | ɛɲi | ine | nimiti | m̥bwo | luvu | tʰi | mindi | ||
zro | lokɔ | ɲɪ | mrɔ | mu | ɲre | kra | ke | nrɪ̃ | |||
Ega[10] | efí /e | elowá /a- | ɛnʊmà /a- | eno /i- | ɔ̀mà | àsɔ̀ | ìkù | ote /a- | aɗú | ||
Pere[11] | jísì-kéé | nɛ́ɛ́(ⁿ) | ɲòŋòmù | jèŋgé | yúgú | ɲààmú | kóó | gbèè-tííⁿ | túmú | ||
Mpra[12] | anisi | ate | nchuma | nchumu | eyia | nkaw; nkwõ | |||||
Dompo[13] | nyisi | sepe | nyì | dandulo | kanu | nkla | wuu | yi | nsu | ||
Proto-Gbe[14] |
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Comparison of numerals in individual languages:[15]
Classification | Language | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
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Left Bank, Avatime-Nyangbo | ólè | ɔ́βà | ɔ́tà | óné | ót͡ʃù | óɡlò | ɡlóelè | ɡɔ́tɔ́βà | ɡɔ́tólé | líɔfɔ | ||
Left Bank, Avatime-Nyangbo | Nyangbo (1) | olí | ɛbʰa | ɛtá | ɛlɛ́ | ití | holo | ɡene | ansɛ | ʒita | kɛfɔ | |
Left Bank, Avatime-Nyangbo | Nyangbo (2) | olié | ɛbʰa | ɛtaé | ɛlɛ | etié | holō | ɡěneé | ansɛ | ʒitaé | kɛfɔ | |
Left Bank, Avatime-Nyangbo | Tafi (1) | olí | ɛbʰa | ɛtá | ẽlɛ | ití | holō | ɡéné | asuɛ̄ | ʒitá | kɛfɔ̄ | |
Left Bank, Avatime-Nyangbo | Tafi (2) | olí | ɪbʰa | ɪtá | ĩlĩ́ | ití | holō | ɡéné | asʊī | ʒitá | kífɔ̄ | |
Left Bank, Gbe | èɖé | èvè | ètɔ̃ | ènè | àtɔ̃ | àdẽ́ | adrẽ́ | èɲí | aʃíeké | èwó | ||
Left Bank, Gbe | ɖok͡po | àwè | àtɔ̃̂ | ènɛ̀ | àtɔ̃́ | aɲizɛ̃ | tsĩ́ã̀wè (litː hand+ 2) | tsĩ́ã̀tɔ̃̂ (litː hand+ 3) | tsĩ́ɛ̀nɛ̀ (litː hand+ 4) | emewó | ||
Left Bank, Gbe | ɑ̀ɖé / ɖók͡pó | òwê | ɑ̀tɔ̃̂ | ɛ̀nɛ̃̂ | ɑ̀tṹ | ɑ̀dɛ̃́ | ɑ̀tʃówê (5 + 2) | ɑ̀tɾótɔ̃̂ (5 + 3) | ɑ̀tʃɛ̃́nɛ̃̂ (5 + 5) | òwō | ||
Left Bank, Gbe | ɖeka | (e)ve | (e)tɔn | (e)ne | (a)tɔ́n | (a)dén | (á)dlén | (e)nyí | (e)asiɖeka (10 -1) ? | (e)wo | ||
Left Bank, Gbe | lók͡pó | ɔ̀wè | ɔ̀tɔ̃̀ | ɛ̀nɛ̀ | àtɔ̃́ | àtroók͡pó (5 + 1) | àcówè | àtsítɔ̃̀ | àtsíɛ̀ | ɔ̀síɔsí (litː hand hand) | ||
Left Bank, Gbe | òɖě(lók͡pō) | ōwè | ōtɔ̃̀ | ēnɛ̀ | àtɔ̃̄ɔ̃̄ | ātrók͡pō | ācíòwè | àtĩ́tɔ̃̀ | àcíɛ̀nɛ̀ | ōwóé | ||
Left Bank, Gbe, Aja | eɖé / ɖeka | èvè / amɛ̃ve | etɔ̃̂ / amɛ̃tɔ̃ | enɛ̀ / amɛ̃nɛ̃ | atɔ̃ / amãtɔ̃ | adɛ̃ / amãdɛ̃ | adɾɛ / amãdɾɛ | eɲĩ / amɛ̃ɲĩ | ɲíɖe / aʃiɖekɛ / amãʃíɖekɛ (10 -1) | ewó | ||
Left Bank, Gbe, Aja | òɖè / ɖòk͡pó | àwe | àtɔn | ɛnɛ̀n | àtɔ́n | t͡ʃíɖòk͡pó (?+1) | t͡ʃiánwè (?+2) | t͡ʃíantɔ̀n (?+3) | t͡ʃíɛ́nnɛ̀n (?+4) | àwò | ||
Left Bank, Gbe, Fon | ɖě | we | atɔn | ɛnɛ | atɔ́ɔ́n | ayizɛ́n | tɛ́nwe (5 + 2) | tántɔn (5 + 3) | tɛ́nnɛ (5 + 5) | wǒ | ||
Left Bank, Gbe, Fon | ɖèé | òwè | ɔ̀tɔ̃̀ | ɛ̀nɛ̀ | àtɔ̃́ | ayizɛ̃ | tɛ́ɛwè (5 + 2) | tã́tɔ̃̀ (5 + 3) | tɛ̃ɛ̃nɛ̀ (5 + 5) | òwó | ||
Left Bank, Gbe, Mina | èɖě | èvè | ētɔ̃̀ | ēnɛ̀ | àtɔ̃́ɔ̃ | ādɛ̃́ | ǎdrɛ̃́ | ēɲí | ēɲíɖé (10 -1) | ēwó | ||
Left Bank, Kebu-Animere | Akebu (1) | ʈɛ́ì | jí | tā | nìə̀ə̀ | tʊ̄ʊ̀ | kʊ̀rã̀ŋ | pīrìmātā | nɛ̀ĩ̀ŋ | fã̀ŋt͡ʃẽ̄ŋt͡ʃẽ̄ŋ | tə̀ | |
Left Bank, Kebu-Animere | Akebu (2) | dɛi | yi | taː | niə | tuw | turaŋ | primata | nɛŋ | fant͡ʃet͡ʃeŋ (10 - 1) ? | tə | |
Left Bank, Kebu-Animere | bɛɹi | din | tʰa | aɳe | atʰuŋ | akʰuɹuŋ | ɳotʰa | ɳoɳa | fʊɳe | tʰi | ||
Left Bank, Kposo-Ahlo-Bowili | ili | ìwà | ìtã | àlã̀ | ùtɔ | uɡo | ùzòni | ùmàlà | úkàli | ɔ̀wú | ||
Left Bank, Kposo-Ahlo-Bowili | ɛ̀dɪ | ɛ̀fʷà | ɛ̀la | ɛ̀na | ɛ̀tʊ | ɛ̀wlʊ | ɛ̀wlʊdɪ (6 + 1) ? | ɛ̀lɛ | ɛ̀lɛdɪ (8 + 1) ? | ìd͡ʒo | ||
Left Bank, Kposo-Ahlo-Bowili | kédì | kɛ́ɛ́yá | kààlɛ̀ | kɛ́ɛ́ná | kùùló | kévũ̀ | kɛ́kɔ̀nɔ̀ | kɛ̀ɛ̀lɛ̃̀ | kàvèdí (10 - 1) ? | kùwà | ||
Nyo, Agneby | ŋ̀k͡pɔ̄ | āɲʊ̃́ | āɾí | àlɛ́ | ōní | lɔ̀hɔ̃̀ | lɔ̀hʍ̃ã̄ɾí | èpʲè | ɲāàkó | ǹnɛ̀ | ||
Nyo, Agneby | ń̩nɔ̀ | áānʊ̄ | ɛ̃́ɛ̃̄tɪ̄ | ã́ã̄lā | éēnē | náhʊ̃̀ã̀ | nɔ̃́ᵐbʊ̀ | nówò | nɛ̃́ᵐbrɛ̀ | ń̩díɔ̀ | ||
Nyo, Agneby | ɲâm | ɲóɲ | ɲâhǹ | jâr | jên | nɔ̂hǹ | lɔ́bŋ̀ | níwǹ | líbárm̀ | lɛ̂w | ||
Nyo, Attie | èk | kɛ́mwʌ̃́ | kɛ́hã́ | kɛ́dʒí | kɛ̋bʌ̃́ | kɛ̋mũ̄ | n̩ső | mɔ̃̀kɥɛ́ | ŋ̩ɡʷã | kɛ̃̋ŋ | ||
Nyo, Attie | ékòmé | éɲɔ̀ | étɛ̃ | éɟwɛ̀ | énùmɔ̃ | ék͡pàa | k͡pàwo (6 + 1) ? | k͡pàaɲɔ̃ (6 + 2) ? | nɛ̀ɛhṹ | ɲɔ̀ŋmá | ||
Nyo, Ga-Dangme | kákē | éɲɔ̃̀ | étɛ̃̄ | éywɛ̀ / éwìɛ̀ | énũ̄ɔ̃̄ | ék͡pà | k͡pààɡō (6 + 1) ? | k͡pàaɲɔ̃̄ (6 + 2) ? | nɛ̃̀ɛ̃́ | ɲɔ̃̀ŋ͡mã́ (plural formː ɲĩ̀ŋ͡mĩ́) | ||
Nyo, Potou-Tano, Basila-Adele | ɛ̀kí | ɛ̀nyɔ̀ɔ̀n | àsì | ɛ̀nàà | tòn | kòòròn | kɔ̀rɔ̀nkí (6 + 1) ? | nìyɛ̀ | yɛ̀kí (10 - 1) ? | fò | ||
Nyo, Potou-Tano, Basila-Adele | dɨ̄ŋ, ɡādɨ̄ŋ, ɡīdɨ̄ŋ, ɡūdɨ̄ŋ | īɲīʊ̄, bʊ̄ɲīʊ̄, bāɲīʊ̄, | īrīū, īrīū, īrīū | īnāŋ, īnāŋ, īnāŋ | īnʊ̄ŋ, īnʊ̄ŋ, īnʊ̄ŋ | īkōlōŋ, īkōlōŋ, īkōlōŋ | kūlūmī | ɡánááná | tʃīīnī | tɘ̄b | ||
Nyo, Potou-Tano, Lelemi, Lelemi-Akpafu | ùnwì | íɲɔ́ | ɛ̀tɛ̀ | ínɛ́ | ɛ̀lɔ́ | ɛ̀kú | máátɛ̀ (4 + 3) ? | máánɛ́ (4 + 4) ? | lɛ́yàlìnwì (10 - 1) ? | lèèvù | ||
Nyo, Potou-Tano, Lelemi, Lelemi-Akpafu | ɔ̀wɛ̃̂ | íɲɔ̂ | ìtɛ́ | ínâ | írù | íkùɔ̀ | ìkɔ́dzɛ̂ (4 + 3) ? | fàráfánà (4 + 4) ? | káiwɛ̃̂ (10 - 1) ? | ìwéó | ||
Nyo, Potou-Tano, Lelemi, Likpe-Santrokofi | Sekpele (1) | nʊ̀ɛ́ (lɛ̀wɛ́) | núə̀ | ǹtsyə́ | ńnà | ǹnɔ́ | ǹkùá | kùánsè | yèní | nàsé | lèfòsì | |
Nyo, Potou-Tano, Lelemi, Likpe-Santrokofi | Sekpele (2) | nùɛ́ | núə̀ | ǹtsyə́ | ǹná | ǹnɔ́ | ǹkúa | kúansè | yèní | nàsé | lèfósì | |
Nyo, Potou-Tano, Lelemi, Likpe-Santrokofi | ònwíì | ɔ̀ɲɔ́ | òtìɛ́ | ɔ́nà | ɔ̀nɔ́ɔ̀ | òkúɔ́ | kùɛ́nsĩ́ | ɔ̀nɛ́ | nàásĩ́ | lèfósì | ||
Nyo, Potou-Tano, Logba | Logba (1) | ik͡pɛ | inyɔ | ita | ina | inú | iɡló | ɡlaŋk͡pe | mlaminá | ɡɔkwaɖu | uɖú | |
Nyo, Potou-Tano, Logba | Logba (2) | ik͡pɛ | iɲɔ | ita | ina | inú | iɡló | ɡlaŋk͡pe | mlaminá | ɡɔkwaɖu | uɖú | |
Nyo, Potou-Tano, Tano, Central, Akan | baakó̃ | mienu | miensá | nain | num | nsiã | nsɔ | ŋɔt͡ʃwie | ŋkrɔŋ | du | ||
Nyo, Potou-Tano, Tano, Central, Akan | Akan (Akuapem Twi) (1) | baakó~ | ə̀bìéń | ə̀bìèsá~ | ànáń | ə̀núḿ | ə̀sìá~ | ə̀sɔ́ń | àwòtɕɥé /tw/ | àkróń | dú | |
Nyo, Potou-Tano, Tano, Central, Akan | Akan (2) | baakó̃ | mmienú | mmeɛnsã́ | (ɛ)náń | (e)núḿ | (e)nsĩã́ | (ɛ)nsóń | nwɔtwé | (ɛ)nkróń | (e)dú | |
Nyo, Potou-Tano, Tano, Central, Bia, Northern | kũ | ɲ̀ɲɔ̀ | ǹzã̀ | ǹná | ǹnú | ǹʒɛ̃́ | ǹzô | mɔ̀cᵘɛ́ | ŋ̀ɡɔ̀ná | búɾú | ||
Nyo, Potou-Tano, Tano, Central, Bia, Northern | ɛ̀kʊ̃ (in counting)/ kʊ̃ (after a noun) | ɲɲṹã | nsɑ̃ | nnɑ̃́ | nnṹ | nsĩ́ã́ | nsʊ̂ | mɔcuɛ́ | ŋɡʊ̃ɑ̃lɑ̃́ | búlú | ||
Nyo, Potou-Tano, Tano, Central, Bia, Northern | kùn | ǹɲɔ̀n | ǹsàn | ǹnán | ǹnún | ǹsiɛ́n | ǹsô | ǹmɔ̀cuɛ́ | ǹɡwlàn | blú | ||
Nyo, Potou-Tano, Tano, Central, Bia, Northern | kʊ̃̀ | ɲɔ̀ | ǹzã̀ | ǹná | ǹnú | ǹziã́ | ǹzɔ́ː | mɔ̀tʃwɛ́ | ǹɡɔ̃̀lã̀ | bʊ́lʊ́ | ||
Nyo, Potou-Tano, Tano, Central, Bia, Southern | ɔ̀kʊ́n | àɥɪ̀n | àsàn | ànlà | ə̀nlù | ə̀ʃiə̀ | ə̀súŋwà | àwɔ̀twɛ̀ | àhɔ́nlà | bùnlù | ||
Nyo, Potou-Tano, Tano, Central, Bia, Southern | ɛ̀kʊ̃ (in counting)/ kʊ̃ (after a noun) | ɲ́ɲʊ̃ (tone reversals after nouns) | ńsɑ̃ | ńnɑ̃ | ńnṹ | ńsĩ́ã | ńsṹũ | mɔ́cʊɛ | ŋɡʊ̃lɑ̃́ | bulú | ||
Nyo, Potou-Tano, Tano, Central, Bia, Southern | ko | ńwia | ńsa | ńna | ńnu | ńsiã | ńsuw | mɔ́twɛ | nɡhoalá | eburú | ||
Nyo, Potou-Tano, Tano, Guang, North Guang | kɔ́ | ɪ̀ɲɔ́ | ɪ̀sá | ɪ̀ná | ɪ̀núː | ìsíyé | ìsúnóː | ìbùrùwá | ɪ̀kpánɔ́ː | kúdú | ||
Nyo, Potou-Tano, Tano, Guang, North Guang | kɔ́ɔ́ | aɲó | asá | aná | anú | asíé | asʊ́nɔ | at͡ʃwé | ak͡pɔ́nɔ | ídú | ||
Nyo, Potou-Tano, Tano, Guang, North Guang | ǹkɔ́ /ɔkʊlam | ǹɲʸɔ́ | ǹsá | ǹnáàŋ | ǹnṹũ̀ / ǹnúŋ | ǹséè | ǹsínō | dùkwéè / dùkoi | ǹk͡pánɔ̀ | dúdu | ||
Nyo, Potou-Tano, Tano, Guang, North Guang | okou | iɡno | issa | ina | inoun | issi | sono | ɡuikoe | sonʔou | ɡuidou | ||
Nyo, Potou-Tano, Tano, Guang, North Guang | à-kô | à-ɲɔ́ | à-sá | à-ná | à-nú | à-ʃé | à-ʃúnù | à-bùrùwá | à-k͡pánà | kùdú | ||
Nyo, Potou-Tano, Tano, Guang, North Guang | kɔ̃ / ɛkʊ́nkɔ́ | áɲɔ | asa | aná | ɛnʊ́ | esé | ɛsʊ́nʊ́ | ɛkwé | apʊ́nɔ́ | ídú | ||
Nyo, Potou-Tano, Tano, Guang, North Guang | kɔ́ɔ́ | aɲɔ́ | asá | aná | ɛnʊ̂ | ɛsíɛ́ | asʊ́nɔ́ | kukwé | ak͡pʊ́nɔ́ | kúdú | ||
Nyo, Potou-Tano, Tano, Guang, North Guang | kʊ́ːʔ | aɲɔ́ | asá | aná | anû | asíjé | asúnɔ̂ | abᵘɾuwá | akpʌ́nɔ̂ | ɡúdú | ||
Nyo, Potou-Tano, Tano, Guang, North Guang | ɛ̀-kʊ̃̀ (ɔ̀-kʊ̀ Northern Dialect) / ɪ̀-kʊ̀lɛ̀ | à-ɲɔ̀ | à-sà | à-nà | à-nù | à-sìè | à-sìènɔ́ | ɪ̀-kʷè | ɪ̀-kʷèbá | ɪ̀-dú | ||
Nyo, Potou-Tano, Tano, Guang, South Guang | kòmé | ìɲɔ́ | èsã́ | ènaː́ ̀ | ènú | ìsɛ̃́ː ̀ | ìsɔ̃́ | itʃwé | ɛ̀pán | ìdù | ||
Nyo, Potou-Tano, Tano, Guang, South Guang | àkʊ́ | ìɲɔ́ | ìsã́ | ìnɛ̂ | ìnî | ìsíɛ̃̀ | ìsúnɔ̋ | ìtwî | ìk͡púnɔ̋ | ìdû | ||
Nyo, Potou-Tano, Tano, Guang, South Guang | ákò | nyɔ́ | sã́ | nɛ̃̀ | nĩ́ | sĩ̀ɛ̀ | sùnɔ̃́ | twí | k͡plɔ̃́ | ìdú | ||
Nyo, Potou-Tano, Tano, Guang, South Guang | Larteh (1) | kɔ́ | ɲyɔ́ | sá | nɛ́ | nú | síɛ̀ | súnɔ́ | tɕɥí | k͡pʋ́nɔ́ | dú | |
Nyo, Potou-Tano, Tano, Guang, South Guang | Larteh (2) | kõ | ɲɔ̃ | sã | nɛ̃ | nũ | sĩɛ̃ | sũnɔ̃ | cui | k͡plɔ̃ | du | |
Nyo, Potou-Tano, Tano, Western | okuè | aɲù | nɳà | nnàn | nnú | ncɪɛ̀ | ncʋ̀n | mɔ̀kʋ̀ɛ́ | puálɛ́hʋ̀n | óblún |
"except at the lower levels of classification such as the Tano, Potou–Tano, and Ewe-Fon (Gbe) groups, genetic relationships among these languages are quite distant. It has never been adequately demonstrated using the comparative method that Akan, Ga, Ewe, and the Togo Mountain languages are more closely related to one another than to any other languages."