The Volta–Niger family of languages, also known as West Benue–Congo or East Kwa, is one of the branches of the Niger–Congo language family, with perhaps 70 million speakers. Among these are the most important languages of southern Nigeria, Benin, Togo, and southeast Ghana: Yoruba, Igbo, Bini, and Gbe.
Volta–Niger
West Benue–Congo or East Kwa
Geographic distribution
West Africa, from Eastern Ghana to central Nigeria
Map cut-out of Volta-Niger family of languages area, with most of the languages bounded by the Volta river, in modern-day Ghana, and the Niger river, found in modern-day Nigeria
These languages have variously been placed within the Kwa or Benue–Congo families or, starting in the 1970s, combined with them altogether. Williamson & Blench (2000) separate the languages here called Volta-Niger from the others. Güldemann (2018) fails to see clear criteria for dividing the languages into two or three families and maintains the broad grouping and name of Benue-Kwa for all them.
The constituent groups of the Volta–Niger family, along with the most important languages in terms of number of speakers, are as follows (with number of languages for each branch in parentheses):[according to whom?]
The Yoruboid languages and Akoko were once linked as the Defoid branch, but more recently they, Edoid, and Igboid have been suggested to be primary branches of an as-yet unnamed group, often abbreviated yeai. Similarly, Oko, Nupoid, and Idomoid are often grouped together under the acronym noi. Ukaan is an Atlantic–Congo language, but it is unclear if it belongs to the Volta–Niger family; Blench suspects it is closer to Benue–Congo.
In an automated computational analysis (ASJP 4) by Müller et al. (2013):[1]
Systematic graphic of the Niger–Congo languages with numbers of speakers
Referencesedit
^Müller, André, Viveka Velupillai, Søren Wichmann, Cecil H. Brown, Eric W. Holman, Sebastian Sauppe, Pamela Brown, Harald Hammarström, Oleg Belyaev, Johann-Mattis List, Dik Bakker, Dmitri Egorov, Matthias Urban, Robert Mailhammer, Matthew S. Dryer, Evgenia Korovina, David Beck, Helen Geyer, Pattie Epps, Anthony Grant, and Pilar Valenzuela. 2013. ASJP World Language Trees of Lexical Similarity: Version 4 (October 2013).
^ abBlench, Roger (2019). An Atlas of Nigerian Languages (4th ed.). Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.
^Akinkugbe, Olufẹmi Odutayo. 1978. A comparative phonology of Yoruba dialects, Iṣẹkiri and Igala. Doctoral dissertation, University of Ibadan.
^Aubry, N., H. Friedman & K. Pozdniakov. 2004. Proto-Yoruba-Igala Swadesh list. Manuscript. Paris: Langage, Langues et Cultures d’Afrique (LLACAN), Centre National de la Récherche Sciéntifique (CNRS).
^Elugbe, Ben Ohiọmamhẹ. 1989. Comparative Edoid: phonology and lexicon. Delta Series No. 6. Port Harcourt: University of Port Harcourt Press.
^Capo, Hounkpati B.C. 1991. A Comparative Phonology of Gbe. Publications in African Languages and Linguistics, 14. Berlin/New York: Foris Publications & Garome, Bénin: Labo Gbe (Int).
^Fadọrọ, Jacob Oludare. 2010. Phonological and lexical variations in Akokoid. Doctoral dissertation, University of Ibadan.
^Ibrahim-Arirabiyi, Femi 1989. A comparative reconstruction of Akpes lects: Akoko North, Ondo State. MA thesis. Department of Linguistics and Nigerian Languages, University of Port Harcourt.
^ abBlench, Roger. 2007. The Ayere and Ahan languages of Central Nigeria and their affinities.
^ abBankale, Oyetayo Abiodun. 2006. Comparative Ebiroid and Nupoid. Doctoral dissertation, University of Ibadan.
^Jungraithmayr, Herrmann. 1973. Eine Wortliste des Ọkọ, der Sprache von Ogori (Nigeria). Africana Marburgensia 6: 58-66.
^Armstrong, Robert G. 1983. The Idomoid Languages of the Benue and Cross River Valleys. Journal of West African Languages 13: 91-147.
^Abiodun, Michael Ajibola. 1999. A comparative phonology and morphology of Ukaan dialects of Old Akoko division. Doctoral dissertation. University of Ilorin.
^de Wolf, Paul. 1971. The Noun-Class System of Proto-Benue-Congo. Janua Linguarum. Series Practica 167. The Hague: Mouton.
^Chan, Eugene (2019). "The Niger-Congo Language Phylum". Numeral Systems of the World's Languages.
Güldemann, Tom (2018). The Languages and Linguistics of Africa. Berlin Boston: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. ISBN 978-3-11-042166-8.
Wolf, Paul Polydoor de (1971) The Noun Class System of Proto-Benue–Congo (Thesis, Leiden University). The Hague/Paris: Mouton.
Williamson, Kay (1989) 'Benue–Congo Overview', pp. 248–274 in Bendor-Samuel, John & Rhonda L. Hartell (eds.) The Niger–Congo Languages — A classification and description of Africa's largest language family. Lanham, Maryland: University Press of America.
Williamson & Blench (2000) 'Niger–Congo', in Heine & Nurse, African Languages
January 01, 1970
volta, niger, languages, confused, with, eastern, mande, languages, also, known, niger, volta, volta, niger, family, languages, also, known, west, benue, congo, east, branches, niger, congo, language, family, with, perhaps, million, speakers, among, these, mos. Not to be confused with the Eastern Mande languages also known as Niger Volta The Volta Niger family of languages also known as West Benue Congo or East Kwa is one of the branches of the Niger Congo language family with perhaps 70 million speakers Among these are the most important languages of southern Nigeria Benin Togo and southeast Ghana Yoruba Igbo Bini and Gbe Volta NigerWest Benue Congo or East KwaGeographicdistributionWest Africa from Eastern Ghana to central NigeriaLinguistic classificationNiger Congo Atlantic CongoVolta CongoVolta NigerSubdivisionsAkpes Ayere Ahan Gbe yeai Defoid noi UkaanGlottologNoneMap cut out of Volta Niger family of languages area with most of the languages bounded by the Volta river in modern day Ghana and the Niger river found in modern day Nigeria These languages have variously been placed within the Kwa or Benue Congo families or starting in the 1970s combined with them altogether Williamson amp Blench 2000 separate the languages here called Volta Niger from the others Guldemann 2018 fails to see clear criteria for dividing the languages into two or three families and maintains the broad grouping and name of Benue Kwa for all them Contents 1 Branches 2 Branches and locations 3 Comparative vocabulary 3 1 Numerals 4 See also 5 ReferencesBranches editThe constituent groups of the Volta Niger family along with the most important languages in terms of number of speakers are as follows with number of languages for each branch in parentheses according to whom Volta Niger Akpes 1 Ayere Ahan 2 Gbe 21 Fon 2 million Ewe 3 million Adja 550 000 Phla Phera languages 600 000 yeai Yoruboid Igala 1 million Yoruba 47 million Ede languages 800 000 Itsekiri 800 000 Edoid 27 Edo 2 million Urhobo 2 million Isoko 420 000 Esan 300 000 Etsako 270 000 Akoko 1 Igboid 7 Igbo 30 million Ikwerre 3 million noi Nupoid 12 Ebira 1 million Nupe 1 million Oko 1 Idomoid 9 Idoma 600 000 Ukaan 1 The Yoruboid languages and Akoko were once linked as the Defoid branch but more recently they Edoid and Igboid have been suggested to be primary branches of an as yet unnamed group often abbreviated yeai Similarly Oko Nupoid and Idomoid are often grouped together under the acronym noi Ukaan is an Atlantic Congo language but it is unclear if it belongs to the Volta Niger family Blench suspects it is closer to Benue Congo In an automated computational analysis ASJP 4 by Muller et al 2013 1 Gbe and Yoruboid are subsumed within Kwa Edoid and Cross River group together Akpes and Ukaan group together Oko is grouped within Idomoid Branches and locations edit nbsp Clickable Volta Niger languages displayed in pink Below is a list of major Volta Niger branches and their primary locations centres of diversity in Nigeria based on Blench 2019 2 Distributions of Volta Niger branches 2 Branch Primary locations Akpes Akoko North LGA Ondo State Ayere Ahan Akoko North LGA Ondo State Gbe Badagry LGA Lagos State and adjacent areas Yoruboid Southwestern Nigeria Edoid Rivers Edo Ondo Delta States Akoko Akoko North LGA Ondo State Igboid Anambra Rivers Delta States excluding Igbo proper Nupoid Niger Kwara Nasarawa States Oko Okene LGA Kogi State Idomoid Benue Cross River Nasarawa States Ukaan Akoko North LGA Ondo StateComparative vocabulary edit nbsp Some important branches of the Volta Niger and Benue Congo families are concentrated in Nigeria Cameroon and Benin Sample basic vocabulary in different Volta Niger branches Language eye ear nose tooth tongue mouth blood bone tree water eat name Yoruba oju eti imu eyin ahọ n ẹnu ẹ jẹ egungun igi omi jẹ orukọ Proto Yoruboid 3 e ju e tĩ ɪ ŋmʊ e ɲĩ ʊ ɓa a rʊ a ɛ byɛ V k ĩk ũ e gĩ i o mĩ jɛ o ɗu Proto Yoruboid 4 eju eti imṵ eŋḭ Yor aha ɛ lṵ ɛ gyɛ egbṵ gbṵ Yor igi omḭ jɛṵ oru Proto Edoid 5 dhI dhw ghU chɔGɪ I chueNi chuveNi dhI kwN U dhamhɪ A nue U ɟɪ ɟɪa U thaNɪ A mɪN dhɪ dhI ni Proto Gbe 6 to aɖu ɖɛ ɖũ ɖũkpa ʁʷũ xʷu tĩ tsĩ ɖu yĩ kɔ Akoko Arigidi 7 odʒu oto odʒ uw ɔ eɲi ɛŕɛ orũ ɛ dʒɛ ɛ dʒɛ ɔ hɔ edʒĩ dʒō Proto Akpes 8 Akpes Ajowa 9 eyo asugu ahũ iyũ indali onu ikɔ n ɔhuni imi imũ nũ Ayere 10 ɛ jɛ endi owṹ eyĩ unu anu eʃwe egbe oŋwu oyin ʃe ewu Ahan 10 ewu endi owũ eɲĩ irɛ arũ ese igbegbe oɲĩ Proto Nupoid 11 e wie CV tuNukpua V bhʊe jiNkɔN a giNtara V gie CV kiukuNu V cigbɔNa nuNŋʷa gi CV jɛ Proto Ebiroid 11 e ji ʊ tɔkpa a ʃɪ a ɲɪ ɪra rɛ aɲa ʧʊku ɔ tʃɪ e ɲi rɪ ɪrɛ ʃa Oko 12 aɲẽ ɔ tɔ ɔ mɔ dɔ rɛ iru ɛ laarɛ owo ɛ ŋɔ ofu esama ebi je iwuru Proto Idomoid 13 eyi ʊrʊ a eŋgwu imaǹji imanyi ma yeni ri ɛɲɪ Proto Ukaan 14 idʒi ʊrʊgV ɔ kɔ rɔ ʊ ɲʊ gV jɔ r ɛ ɲʊ oŋʷṍ uɲṹ oɣʷo ɔ hʊ nṽ umɔ je inĩ Proto Benue Congo 15 lito tuŋi zua nini nino sana gaŋgo lemi lake zi luŋ kupe titi kwon izi ni zina Numerals edit Comparison of numerals in individual languages 16 Classification Language 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Akpes Akpes iɡbōn ekini idian i isas i iniŋ i iʃōn i itʃanas i itʃenetʃ i anaaniŋ i ɔ kpɔ lɔ ʃ i iyōf i Defoid Akokoid Ariɡidi Iɡasi kɛ ɛ ɲɛ keji keda kenɛ kentɔ kefa keɸi kero kenda keje Defoid Akokoid Oɡe ekan iyi idaː inɛ itɔ ifa idʒui iro ĩ ŋa iye Defoid Ayere Ahan Ayere Uwu ĩ ka id ʒi ita ĩ jẽ ĩ tṹ ifa id ʒʷi irō ĩ da iɡʷa Defoid Ayere Ahan Ayu ɪdɪ ahwa afah ataar anaŋaʃ atuɡen atɛɛr ataraŋaʃ 3 anababoɡ 4 atuluboɡ 5 iʃoɡ ajalaboɡ Defoid Yoruboid Edekiri Cabe Ede Cabe ɔ kɛ mɛ d ʒi mɛ ta mɛ hɛ mɛ hu mɛ fa med ʒe mɛ d ʒɔ mɛ sɛ mɛ wa Defoid Yoruboid Edekiri Ede Ica Ica ɔkɔ eɟi ɛta ɛ ɛ ɛwu ɛfa ɛɟɛ ɛɟɔ ɛsɔ ɛya Defoid Yoruboid Edekiri Idaca Ede Idaca obu med ʒi mɛ ta mirĩ mɛru mɛ fa med ʒe mɛ d ʒɔ mɛ sa maa Defoid Yoruboid Edekiri Ife 1 ɛnɛ meedzi mɛ ɛta mɛ ɛrɛ mɛ ɛru mɛ ɛfa meedze mɛ ɛdzɔ mɛsa maa Defoid Yoruboid Edekiri Ife 2 ɛ nɛ ɔ kɔ meedzi mɛ ɛta mɛ ɛrɛ mɛ ɛru mɛ ɛfa meedze mɛ ɛdzɔ mɛsa maa Defoid Yoruboid Edekiri Ulukwumi ɔ kɑ mɛ zi mɛ tɑ mɛ rɛ mɛ ru mɛ fɑ meze mɛ zɔ mɛ hɑ mɛ ɡʷɑ Defoid Yoruboid Edekiri Yoruba ookan ookɔ eeji eeɟi ẹẹ ta ɛɛ ta ẹẹ rin ɛɛ ɾĩ aarun un aaɾũ ṹ ẹẹ fa ɛɛ fa eeje eeɟe ẹẹ jọ ɛɛ ɟɔ ẹẹ san an ɛɛ sɔ ɔ ẹẹ waa ɛɛ waa Defoid Yoruboid Igala Igala 1 eɲɛ ǒka edʒi ɛ ta ɛ lɛ ɛ lu ɛ fa ebʲe ɛ dʒɔ ɛ la ɛ ɡʷa Defoid Yoruboid Igala Igala 2 inye iɲɛ eji edʒi ẹ ta ɛ ta ẹ le ɛ lɛ e lu ɛ lu ẹ fe ɛ fɛ ẹ bie ebjie ẹ jọ ɛ dʒɔ ẹ la ɛ la ẹ ɡwa ɛ ɡwa Ukaan Ukaan Ikaan dialect ʃi wa taːs hrahr naʲ na hrʊ ːn toːn hrada hraneʃi naːnaʲ naːna hraoʃi opu Edoid Delta Degema ɔbʊ ibe saj ɪsaj ini suwon ɪsuwon jɪ sa ɪjɪ sa sijebe isije ba anɪ ɪnʊ man esi ɔbʊ ote mʊ iɡ beɲ 10 1 eɡ beɲ iɡ beɲ Edoid Delta Engenni avʊ iva ɛ saa inii isyoni ɛ nyisa isyova ɛ nʊ mani avʊ mo 10 1 iɡ bei Edoid North Central Edo Esan Ora Ẹdo 1 owo owo used only to count eva eva eha eha ene enɛ isen isɛ or isɛ ehan eha ihirọ n ihĩɺɔ erẹ nrẹ n eɺɛ ɺɛ ihinrin ihĩɺĩ iɡ be iɡ be Edoid North Central Edo Esan Ora Edo Bini 2 ɔ k pa owo used only to count eva eha enɛ isɛ n ehan ihinrɔ n erɛ nrɛ n ihinrin iɡ be Edoid North Central Edo Esan Ora Emai Emai luleha Ora ɔ k pa eva eea eele iihiɛ n eehan ihiɔ n eɛ n isin iɡ be Edoid North Central Edo Esan Ora Esan ɔ k pa eva ea enɛ isɛ eha ihĩ lɔ elɛ lɛ ĩ sɪ lɪ iɡ be Edoid North Central Ghotuo Uneme Yekhee Etsako Yekhee ọkpa ɔk pa eva eva ela ela ejiẹ eʒie ise ise esa esa isevha isevha eleeh eːleː ithi itii iɡbe iɡ be Edoid North Central Ghotuo Uneme Yekhee Ghotuo ɔ k pa eva eesa eene iiʒe iiʒie ijheha ieha jh a week vd ihiɲa enhie nh n voiceless n isi iɡ be LM L Edoid North Central Ghotuo Uneme Yekhee Okphela 1 oɡ ɣʷo evɑ esɛ ene iʃe esesa iʃilʷɑ elele itili iɡ be Edoid North Central Ghotuo Uneme Yekhee Ivbie North Okphele Arhe 2 oɣuo eva esɛ ene iʃie esesa iʃilua elele itili iɡ be Edoid North Central Ghotuo Uneme Yekhee Ososo oɡwo oɡwo eva eva esa esa ene ene ichie it ʃe esesa esasa ifuena ifwena inyenye iɲeɲẽ isini isĩ nĩ iɡbe iɡ be Edoid Northwestern Southern Okpamheri ɔkpa eva esa enen ishe eaza izuonua ɛnien isie iɡ be Edoid Southwestern Isoko 1 ɔvʊ ɪ vɛ ɪ sa ɪ nɪ ɪ sɔɪ ɪ zɪ za ɪ hɾɛ ɪ rɪ ː ɪ zɪ ː ɪ kpe Edoid Southwestern Isoko 2 ọvụ ịvẹ ịsạ ịnị isoi ịzịza ihrẹ ịrịị izii ikpe Edoid Southwestern Urhobo ɔ vo ǐvɛ era ɛ ne ǐjoɾĩ esa ǐɣwɾɛ ɛ ɾeɾẽ ǐriɾĩ ǐxwe Igboid Ekpeye Ekpeye nwurner ŋinɛ ɓɨ bɔ bh IPA ɓ ɓɨ tɔ ir IPA ɨ ɓɨ nɔ o r IPA ɔ ɓise ɓisu ɓɨ sabɔ ɓɨ satɔ ɓɨ sanɔ or nazama or nazama ɗi ɗi dh IPA ɗ Igboid Igbo Igbo 1 otu abʊ ɔ atɔ anɔ ise isii asaa asatɔ itolu iri Igboid Igbo Echie Igbo 2 otu abʊ ɔ m bʊ ɔ nam tɔ atɔ ǹ nɔ anɔ se ise ʃii iʃii saa asaa satɔ asatɔ totu itolu iri Igboid Igbo Igbo 3 otu abʊ ɔ atɔ anɔ ise isii asaa asa tɔ ito lu to lu iri Igboid Igbo Ikwere otu ɛ bɔ ɛ tɔ ɛ nɔ isẽ isinu ɛ sa ɛ sa tɔ to lu ǹri Oko Oko Oko Eni Osayen ɔ ɔ rɛ ɔ jɛ rɛ ɛ bɔ rɛ ɛ ta ɛ na upi ɔ pɔ nɔ ɔ rɛ 5 1 ufɔ mbɔ rɛ 5 2 ɔ nɔ kɔ nɔkɔ nɔ ubɔ ɔ rɛ lt ten is less than one ɛ fɔ Nupoid Ebira Gade Ebira ɔ ɔ nyɪ ɛ ɛ va ɛ ɛ ta ɛ ɛ na ɛ ɛ hɪ hɪ nɔ nyɪ 5 1 hɪ m ba 5 2 hɪ n ta 5 3 hɪ ǹna 5 4 ɛ ɛ wʊ Nupoid Nupe Gbagyi Gbagyi Gbari Gbari ɡ bᵐaːɾi ŋʷa ba ŋʷa t ʃa ŋʷa ɲi ŋʷa tⁿu tⁿuwĩ 5 1 tⁿaba 5 2 tⁿẫ t ʃa 5 3 tⁿaɲi 5 4 ŋʷa wo Nupoid Nupe Gbagyi Nupe Kakanda ɡuni ɡuba ɡuta ɡuni ɡutũ ɡutuaɲĩ 5 1 ɡutuaba 5 2 ɡutota 5 3 ɡutuani 5 4 ɡuwo Nupoid Nupe Gbagyi Nupe Nupe nini ɡuba ɡuta ɡuni ɡutsũ ɡutswaɲĩ 5 1 ɡutwaba 5 2 ɡutota 5 3 ɡutwa ni 5 4 ɡuwo Idomoid Akweya Eloyi Eloyi Afo 1 nɡwonze nɡwopo nɡwola nɡwondo nɡwolɔ nɡwɔ rɛ nyi nɡworowo nɡworanda nɡworondo uwo Idomoid Akweya Eloyi Eloyi Afo 2 onze opa ōla ōndō ɔ lɔ o ɔ ōrowo ɔ rɛ nyi ōranda orondō uwo Idomoid Akweya Eloyi Eloyi 3 onze opa ōla ōndō ō lo ōrowo o rɛ nyi ōranda orondō uwo Idomoid Akweya Etulo Idoma Idoma Agatu oye ɔ je ẹ pa ɛ pa ẹ ta ɛ ta ẹ nẹ ɛ nɛ ẹ họ ɛ hɔ ẹ hili ɛ hili ahapa ahapa ahata ahata ahane ahane iɡwo iɡwo Idomoid Akweya Etulo Idoma Idoma Alago oje epa eta enɛ ɛ hɔ ihiri ahapa ahata ahanɛ iɡʷo Idomoid Akweya Etulo Idoma Idoma Idoma eye eje ẹpa ɛ pa ẹta ɛta ẹhẹ ɛ hɛ ẹhọ ɛ hɔ ẹhili ɛ hili ahapa ahapa ahata ahata ahanẹ ahanɛ iɡwo iɡwo Idomoid Akweya Etulo Idoma Idoma Igede ook pok poh imiiyeh ita ineh erʊ irʊ irʷɔ nyɛ iruyeh inekuh ihikitʃu iwō Idomoid Akweya Etulo Idoma Idoma Yala ose ɛ pa ɛ ta ɛ nɛ erwɔ eriwi arapa arata aranɛ iɡwoSee also editSystematic graphic of the Niger Congo languages with numbers of speakersReferences edit Muller Andre Viveka Velupillai Soren Wichmann Cecil H Brown Eric W Holman Sebastian Sauppe Pamela Brown Harald Hammarstrom Oleg Belyaev Johann Mattis List Dik Bakker Dmitri Egorov Matthias Urban Robert Mailhammer Matthew S Dryer Evgenia Korovina David Beck Helen Geyer Pattie Epps Anthony Grant and Pilar Valenzuela 2013 ASJP World Language Trees of Lexical Similarity Version 4 October 2013 a b Blench Roger 2019 An Atlas of Nigerian Languages 4th ed Cambridge Kay Williamson Educational Foundation Akinkugbe Olufẹmi Odutayo 1978 A comparative phonology of Yoruba dialects Iṣẹkiri and Igala Doctoral dissertation University of Ibadan Aubry N H Friedman amp K Pozdniakov 2004 Proto Yoruba Igala Swadesh list Manuscript Paris Langage Langues et Cultures d Afrique LLACAN Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique CNRS Elugbe Ben Ohiọmamhẹ 1989 Comparative Edoid phonology and lexicon Delta Series No 6 Port Harcourt University of Port Harcourt Press Capo Hounkpati B C 1991 A Comparative Phonology of Gbe Publications in African Languages and Linguistics 14 Berlin New York Foris Publications amp Garome Benin Labo Gbe Int Fadọrọ Jacob Oludare 2010 Phonological and lexical variations in Akokoid Doctoral dissertation University of Ibadan Blench Roger 2011 Comparative Akpes m s Ibrahim Arirabiyi Femi 1989 A comparative reconstruction of Akpes lects Akoko North Ondo State MA thesis Department of Linguistics and Nigerian Languages University of Port Harcourt a b Blench Roger 2007 The Ayere and Ahan languages of Central Nigeria and their affinities a b Bankale Oyetayo Abiodun 2006 Comparative Ebiroid and Nupoid Doctoral dissertation University of Ibadan Jungraithmayr Herrmann 1973 Eine Wortliste des Ọkọ der Sprache von Ogori Nigeria Africana Marburgensia 6 58 66 Armstrong Robert G 1983 The Idomoid Languages of the Benue and Cross River Valleys Journal of West African Languages 13 91 147 Abiodun Michael Ajibola 1999 A comparative phonology and morphology of Ukaan dialects of Old Akoko division Doctoral dissertation University of Ilorin de Wolf Paul 1971 The Noun Class System of Proto Benue Congo Janua Linguarum Series Practica 167 The Hague Mouton Chan Eugene 2019 The Niger Congo Language Phylum Numeral Systems of the World s Languages Guldemann Tom 2018 The Languages and Linguistics of Africa Berlin Boston Walter de Gruyter GmbH amp Co KG ISBN 978 3 11 042166 8 Wolf Paul Polydoor de 1971 The Noun Class System of Proto Benue Congo Thesis Leiden University The Hague Paris Mouton Williamson Kay 1989 Benue Congo Overview pp 248 274 in Bendor Samuel John amp Rhonda L Hartell eds The Niger Congo Languages A classification and description of Africa s largest language family Lanham Maryland University Press of America Williamson amp Blench 2000 Niger Congo in Heine amp Nurse African Languages Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Volta Niger languages amp oldid 1202732704, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
