The Senufo or Senufic languages (Senoufo in French) has around 15 languages spoken by the Senufo in the north of Ivory Coast, the south of Mali and the southwest of Burkina Faso. An isolated language, Nafaanra, is also spoken in the west of Ghana. The Senufo languages constitute their own branch of the Atlantic–Congo sub-family of the Niger–Congo languages. Garber (1987) estimates the total number of Senufos at some 1.5 million; the Ethnologue, based on various population estimates, counts 2.7 million.[year needed] The Senufo languages are bounded to the west by Mande languages, to the south by Kwa languages, and to the north and east by Central Gur languages.
Map of the Senufo language area showing the major groups and some neighbouring languages.
The Senufo languages are like the Gur languages in that they have a suffixal noun class system and that verbs are marked for aspect. Most Gur languages to the north of Senufo have a two tone downstep system, but the tonal system of the Senufo languages is mostly analysed as a three level tone system (High, Mid, Low).
The Senufo languages have been influenced by the neighbouring Mande languages in numerous ways. Many words have been borrowed from the Mande languages Bambara and Jula. Carlson (1994:2) notes that ‘it is probable that several grammatical constructions are calques on the corresponding Bambara constructions’. Like Mande languages, the Senufo languages have a subject–object–verb (SOV) constituent order, rather than the subject–verb–object (SVO) order which is more common in Gur and in Niger–Congo as a whole.
Delafosse (1904:192–217) was the first linguist to write on the Senufo languages. He noted that the Senufo were often confused with the Mande, partly because use of Mande languages by the Senufo was widespread:
[L]a langue mandé s'est répandue parmi eux, des alliances nombreuses ont eu lieu... C'est là l'origine de la confusion que l'on a faite souvent entre Mandé et Sénoufo ... alors que, au triple point de vue ethnographique, antropologique et linguistique, la différence est profonde entre ces deux familles. (p. 193)
In the influential classifications of Westermann (1927, 1970[1952]) and Bendor-Samuel (1971), the Senufo languages were classified as Gur languages. Starting with Manessy (1975) however, this classification was called into doubt. In 1989, John Naden, in his overview of the Gur family, stated that ‘[t]he remaining languages, especially Senufo, may well be no more closely related to Central Gur than to Guang or Togo Remnant, or than these to Central Gur or Volta-Comoe’ (1989:143).
Subclassification
Early Senufo classifications (e.g. Bendor-Samuel 1971) were mainly geographically motivated, dividing the Senufo languages into Northern, Central, and Southern Senufo. In subsequent years, this terminology was adopted by several linguists working on Senufo languages (Garber 1987; Carlson 1983, 1994). Mensah (1983) and Mills (1984) avoided this geographical terms but used mainly the same grouping, according to Garber 1987. SIL International in its Ethnologue subdivides the Senufo languages in six groups. Combining the two classifications results in the grouping below.
Carlson, Robert (1994) A Grammar of Supyire. Berlin/New York: Mouton de Gruyter. ISBN3-11-014057-8.
Carlson, Robert (1997) The Senufo Languages. CP/CV 2: Actes du CILG1, 23–42.
Garber, Anne (1980) 'Word order change and the Senufo languages.' In Studies in the Linguistic Sciences, 10, 1, 45–57.
Garber, Anne (1987) A Tonal Analysis of Senufo: Sucite dialect (Gur; Burkina Faso). PhD dissertation, Urbana: University of Illinois / Ann Arbor: UMI.
Garber, Anne (1991) 'The phonological structure of the Senufo word (Sicite)', Journal of West African Languages, 21, 2, 3–20.
Manessy, Gabriel (1996a) 'La determination nominal en sénoufo', Linguistique Africaine, 16, 53–68.
Manessy, Gabriel (1996b) 'Observations sur la classification nominale en sénoufo', Afrika und Übersee, 79, 21–35.
Mills, Elizabeth (1984) Senoufo phonology, discourse to syllabe (a prosodic approach) SIL publications in linguistics (ISSN 1040-0850), 72.
Classification
Bendor-Samuel, John (1971) 'Niger–Congo: Gur' in: Thomas Sebeok & Jack Berry (eds.), Linguistics in sub-saharan Africa (Current trends in linguistics 7), The Hauge/Paris: Mouton, 141–178.
Delafosse, Maurice (1904) Vocabulaires comparatifs de plus de 60 langues ou dialects parlés à la Côte d' Ivoire ou dans les régions limitrophes (avec des notes linguistiques et ethnologiques, une bibliographie et une carte). Paris: Leroux.
Manessy, Gabriel (1975) Les langues Oti–Volta. Paris: SELAF.
Mensah, E.N.A. and Z. Tchagbale (1983) Atlas des langues Gur de Côte d’Ivoire. Abidjan: Institut de Linguistique Applique.
Westermann, Diedrich & Bryan, M.A. (1970 [1952]). The Languages of West Africa. Oxford: International African Institute / Oxford University Press.
Williamson, Kay & Blench, Roger (2000) 'Niger–Congo', in Heine, Bernd & Nurse, Derek (eds.) African languages: an introduction, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 11—42.
January 07, 2023
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This article includes inline citations but they are not properly formatted Please improve this article by correcting them Parenthetical referencing has been deprecated convert to shortened footnotes June 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Senufo or Senufic languages Senoufo in French has around 15 languages spoken by the Senufo in the north of Ivory Coast the south of Mali and the southwest of Burkina Faso An isolated language Nafaanra is also spoken in the west of Ghana The Senufo languages constitute their own branch of the Atlantic Congo sub family of the Niger Congo languages Garber 1987 estimates the total number of Senufos at some 1 5 million the Ethnologue based on various population estimates counts 2 7 million year needed The Senufo languages are bounded to the west by Mande languages to the south by Kwa languages and to the north and east by Central Gur languages SenufoSenoufoGeographicdistributionnorthern Ivory Coast southern Mali southwestern Burkina Faso western GhanaLinguistic classificationNiger Congo Atlantic CongoSenufoSubdivisionsSuppire Mamara Karaboro Senari Kpalaga Palaka Tagwana Djimini NafaanraGlottologsenu1239Map of the Senufo language area showing the major groups and some neighbouring languages The Senufo languages are like the Gur languages in that they have a suffixal noun class system and that verbs are marked for aspect Most Gur languages to the north of Senufo have a two tone downstep system but the tonal system of the Senufo languages is mostly analysed as a three level tone system High Mid Low The Senufo languages have been influenced by the neighbouring Mande languages in numerous ways Many words have been borrowed from the Mande languages Bambara and Jula Carlson 1994 2 notes that it is probable that several grammatical constructions are calques on the corresponding Bambara constructions Like Mande languages the Senufo languages have a subject object verb SOV constituent order rather than the subject verb object SVO order which is more common in Gur and in Niger Congo as a whole Contents 1 Classification 2 Subclassification 3 Footnotes 4 References 4 1 Linguistic features 4 2 ClassificationClassification EditDelafosse 1904 192 217 was the first linguist to write on the Senufo languages He noted that the Senufo were often confused with the Mande partly because use of Mande languages by the Senufo was widespread L a langue mande s est repandue parmi eux des alliances nombreuses ont eu lieu C est la l origine de la confusion que l on a faite souvent entre Mande et Senoufo alors que au triple point de vue ethnographique antropologique et linguistique la difference est profonde entre ces deux familles p 193 In the influential classifications of Westermann 1927 1970 1952 and Bendor Samuel 1971 the Senufo languages were classified as Gur languages Starting with Manessy 1975 however this classification was called into doubt In 1989 John Naden in his overview of the Gur family stated that t he remaining languages especially Senufo may well be no more closely related to Central Gur than to Guang or Togo Remnant or than these to Central Gur or Volta Comoe 1989 143 Subclassification EditEarly Senufo classifications e g Bendor Samuel 1971 were mainly geographically motivated dividing the Senufo languages into Northern Central and Southern Senufo In subsequent years this terminology was adopted by several linguists working on Senufo languages Garber 1987 Carlson 1983 1994 Mensah 1983 and Mills 1984 avoided this geographical terms but used mainly the same grouping according to Garber 1987 SIL International in its Ethnologue subdivides the Senufo languages in six groups Combining the two classifications results in the grouping below Northern Senufo Suppire Mamara languages Mamara Minyanka Mianka 740 000 speakers Nanerige Nanerge 50 000 speakers Sucite Sicite Sicite 38 000 speakers Supyire Suppire Shempire Syempire spoken in Mali 460 000 speakers Central Senufo Karaboro languages Eastern Karaboro Kar 40 000 speakers Western Karaboro Syer Tenyer 30 000 speakers Senari languages Cebaara Tyebaala 860 000 speakers Senara spoken in Cote d Ivoire 210 000 speakers Nyarafolo 60 000 speakers Kpalaga Palaka spoken in Cote d Ivoire 8 000 speakers Southern Senufo Tagwana Djimini languages Djimini Dyimini spoken in Cote d Ivoire 96 000 speakers Tagwana Tagouna 140 000 speakers Nafaanra Nafaara 61 000 speakers Footnotes EditReferences EditLinguistic features Edit Carlson Robert 1994 A Grammar of Supyire Berlin New York Mouton de Gruyter ISBN 3 11 014057 8 Carlson Robert 1997 The Senufo Languages CP CV 2 Actes du CILG1 23 42 Garber Anne 1980 Word order change and the Senufo languages In Studies in the Linguistic Sciences 10 1 45 57 Garber Anne 1987 A Tonal Analysis of Senufo Sucite dialect Gur Burkina Faso PhD dissertation Urbana University of Illinois Ann Arbor UMI Garber Anne 1991 The phonological structure of the Senufo word Sicite Journal of West African Languages 21 2 3 20 Manessy Gabriel 1996a La determination nominal en senoufo Linguistique Africaine 16 53 68 Manessy Gabriel 1996b Observations sur la classification nominale en senoufo Afrika und Ubersee 79 21 35 Mills Elizabeth 1984 Senoufo phonology discourse to syllabe a prosodic approach SIL publications in linguistics ISSN 1040 0850 72 Classification Edit Bendor Samuel John 1971 Niger Congo Gur in Thomas Sebeok amp Jack Berry eds Linguistics in sub saharan Africa Current trends in linguistics 7 The Hauge Paris Mouton 141 178 Delafosse Maurice 1904 Vocabulaires comparatifs de plus de 60 langues ou dialects parles a la Cote d Ivoire ou dans les regions limitrophes avec des notes linguistiques et ethnologiques une bibliographie et une carte Paris Leroux Manessy Gabriel 1975 Les langues Oti Volta Paris SELAF Mensah E N A and Z Tchagbale 1983 Atlas des langues Gur de Cote d Ivoire Abidjan Institut de Linguistique Applique Westermann Diedrich amp Bryan M A 1970 1952 The Languages of West Africa Oxford International African Institute Oxford University Press Williamson Kay amp Blench Roger 2000 Niger Congo in Heine Bernd amp Nurse Derek eds African languages an introduction Cambridge Cambridge University Press 11 42 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Senufo languages amp oldid 1093873350, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
