Eastern Nilotic languages

Eastern Nilotic
Eastern Nilotic
Geographic; distribution	southwestern Ethiopia, eastern South Sudan, northeastern Uganda, western Kenya, northern Tanzania
Linguistic classification	Nilo-Saharan? Eastern Sudanic Nilotic Eastern Nilotic; ; ;
Subdivisions	Bari; Ateker–Lotuko–Maa;
Language codes
Glottolog	east2418

The Eastern Nilotic languages are one of the three primary branches of the Nilotic languages, themselves belonging to the Eastern Sudanic subfamily of Nilo-Saharan; they are believed to have begun to diverge about 3,000 years ago, and have spread southwards from an original home in Equatoria in South Sudan. They are spoken across a large area in East Africa, ranging from Equatoria to the highlands of Tanzania. Their speakers are mostly cattle herders living in semi-arid or arid plains.

Classification

According to Vossen (1982), the Eastern Nilotic languages are basically classified as follows by the comparative method. Vossen (1982) also provides a reconstruction of Proto-Eastern Nilotic.

Eastern Nilotic

Bari languages
Teso–Lotuko–Maa:
- Teso–Turkana (or Ateker; incl. Karimojong)
- Lotuko–Maa:
  - Lotuko languages
  - Ongamo–Maa
    - Ongamo language
    - Maa languages
      - Maasai language (see also Mukogodo-Maasai)
      - Camus language
      - Samburu language (see also Elmolo-Samburu)

It is generally agreed upon that Bari forms a primary branch, but lower-level splits are less clear.

Swadesh approach (Vossen 1982)

Vossen's classification using the Swadesh approach is as follows (Vossen 1982:114).

Eastern Nilotic

Bari languages
- Mondari
- Kakwa
- Nyanggwara
- Kuku
- Pöjulu
- Ngyepu
- Bari
Lotuko–Maa languages
- Lotuko languages
  - Lopit, Dongotono
  - Lotuko, Lokoya
- Ongamo–Maa languages
  - Ongamo
    - Maasai
      - Camus, Samburu
Teso–Turkana languages
- Teso
  - Nyangatom
    - Turkana, Karimojong

Gleason approach (Vossen 1982)

Vossen's classification using the Gleason approach is as follows (Vossen 1982:119).

Eastern Nilotic

Bari languages
- Kuku, Ngyepu
- Pöjulu
- Kakwa
- Bari
- Nyanggwara, Mondari
Lotuko languages
- Lopit, Dongotono
- Lotuko, Lokoya
Teso–Turkana languages
- Nyangatom
  - Teso
    - Turkana, Karimojong
- Ongamo–Maa languages
  - Ongamo
    - Maasai
      - Camus, Samburu

Comparative vocabulary

Sample basic vocabulary of Eastern Nilotic languages from Vossen (1982):

Language	eye	ear	nose	tooth	tongue	mouth	blood	bone	tree	water	to eat	name
Proto-Eastern Nilotic	-k₃ɔŋ- / -k₃ɔɲ-		-ku-me / -ku-me-t₂ik	*-k₃ela-	-ŋa-dʸɛp- / -ŋa-dʸɛp-a	*-k₁ʊ-t₁ʊk-	*-(a)k₃ɔt^[1]	*-k₃oyV-t₁-	*-tʸani^[2]	*-pi-	*-ɲa(m)-	*-k₃a-rɪn-
Teso	a-kɔ́ŋ-ʊ̀	á-kí-t	e-kúmè	e-kíàl-àì	á-ŋǎjɛ̀p	á-kɪ̀tʊ̀k	á-àkɔ́t	á-kóì-t	ɛ́-kɪ́tɔ́-ɪ̀	a-ki-pí	akí-ɲám-à	é-kɪ́-rɔ́-rɪ̀
Turkana	á-kɔŋ-ʊ	á-kí-t	é-kume	ɛ́-kɛl-aɪ	a-ŋajɛp	a-kʊtuk	ŋá-akɔt	á-koí-t	ɛ-kɪtɔ-ɛ	ŋá-kɪpɪ	akɪ-ɲam	ɛ́-kɪ-rɔ
Nyangatom	-kɔɲaːn	gɪ-t̪e	-kume	n-kɛl	-ŋajɛb	-kutʊːk	-qɔt	ŋ-qöy-ɔ	ŋa-kitɔ	ŋá-kɪ́-pì	tɛ-nɛm	-kurɔː
Karimojong	a-kɔŋ-u	a-ki-t	é-kùmé	ɛ́-qɛ̀l-áe	a-ŋadyɛ́p	a-kit̪uk	ŋa-akɔɔt	á-qɔ̀ɪ́-t	ɛ-kitɔ-ɪ	ŋa-ki-piʔ	aki-ɲam	e-ke-ro
Maasai	ɛŋ-kɔŋ-ʊ́	ɛŋ-kɪ-ɔɔk	eŋ-kumé	ɔl-alá-ɪ̀	ɔl-ŋɛ́jɛ́p	ɛŋ-kʊ́tʊ́k	ɔ-sárɠɛ́	ol-óì-tò	ɔl-caní	ɛŋ-kár-ɛ́	a-ɲá	ɛŋ-kárn-á
Camus	ŋ-kɔŋ-ʊ́	ŋ-ké-ok	ŋ-kawar-íé	l-alá-ɪ̀	l-ŋɛjɛp	ŋ-kʊtʊ́k	l-ɔɗɔ́	l-óì-tò	l-caní	ŋ-kár-ɛ́	a-ɲá	ŋ-kárn-á
Sampur	ŋ-kɔŋ-ʊ́	ŋ-kɪ́-yyɔk	ŋ-kwar-íé	l-alá-ɪ̀	l-ŋɛ́jɛ́p	ŋ-kʊtʊ́k	l-ɔɗɔ́	l-óì-tò	l-caní	ŋ-kár-ɛ́	a-ɲá	ŋ-kárn-á
Ongamo	na-hɔŋ-ʊ́	na-ʃɔ́ɔ	ʃaɽ-íé	ɔ-háa-ɪ	ɔ-ŋɛ́jɛ́β-ɪ́	na-kutók	na-hɔ́ɔ́t-ʊ́	o-hóí-to	ɔ-ʃɛtá	na-si-βí	-am-/ɲ-	na-hárn-á
Lotuko	ɔ́ɲ-ɛ̀k	é-yyòk	á-ttàrɪ̀	álà-ɪ̀	ɔ́ŋàjɛ̀p	ɛ́-ðùk	ɔ́-ɔ̀ðɔ̀	a-xó-tìò	á-yyànì	á-àr-è	á-ŋíyó	á-fùrè
Oxoriok	a-xɔɲ-ɛk	e-yok	a-xar-iɛ	ɔ-xala-i	u-ŋadiep	a-xutuk	a-xɔtɔ	o-xoi-toŋ	o-xyani	a-xar-ɛ	ɲo	o-furɛ
Lopit	xɔɲ-ɛk	hí-yók	hi-mó	xalá-tì	ŋájɛ́p	xʊ́tʊ́k	xɔ́tɔ́	xoɪ́t-òì	yyánì	hi-ɸí-òŋ	dáxá	ɸúré
Dongotono	xɔɲ-ɛk	cyɔ̂k	hí-mè	xalá-tɪ̀	ŋádɛ́p	xʊ́tʊ́k	ɔ-xɔ́t-ɔ́	xoít-ò	sánì	xár-ɪ́	ɔ-dɔŋɔ́	ɸúrè-ì
Lokoya	a-ɣɔɲ-ɛk	e-xi-yôk	o-xi-môŋ	o-ɣalá-í	ʊ-ŋájɪ́p	a-kʊ́tʊ́k	a-ɣɔ́tɔ́	ɔ-ɣɔ́t-ɔ̀ŋ	ó-yán-dɪ́k	a-ɣar-ɛ	a-ɲû	o-vúré
Bari	kɔŋ-ɛ́	súö̀-t	kúmé	kélê	ŋɛ́dɛ́p	kʊ́tʊ́k	rɪ́mà	kuyú-tìò	kódíní	pí-òŋ	ɲésù	karɛ́n
Kakwa	kɔɲ-ɛ́	súè	kúmé	kálá	ɲɛ́dɛ́p	kʊ́tʊ́	rɪ́mà	kʊ́yʊ́	kodiŋí	píò	ɲósù	karɛ́n
Kuku	kɔ́ŋ-ɛ́	súö̀-t	kumé	kölö́-ì	ŋɛ́dɛ́p	kʊ́tʊ́k	ɓíyèt	kú(y)ú-tö̀n	ködin-î	pí-òŋ	yésù	karɪ́n
Ngyepu	kɔŋ-ɛ́	súö̀-t	kumé	kölö́-ì	ŋyɛ́dɛ́p	kútúk	rɪ́mà	kuyú-tyò	ködin-í	pí-òŋ	ɲésu	karɛ́n
Pöjulu	kɔŋ-ɪ́n	súö̀-t	kumé	kelê	ŋyɛ́dɛ́p	kutúk	rɪ́mà	kuí-sò	ködin-í	pí-òŋ	ɲésù	karɛ́n
Nyanggwara	kɔŋ-ɛ́	ʃwö́-t	kumé	kelé	ŋɛ́dɛ́p	kʊ́tʊ́k	rɪ́mà	kuyú-tío	ködin-í	pí-òŋ	ɲésù	karɛ́n
Mondari	kɔŋ-ɛ́	sʊ́-t	kʊmɪ́	kɛlɛ́	ŋɛ́dɛ́p	kʊ́tʊ́k	rɪ́mà	kú-cö̀	ködí	ci-pí	ɲö́sút	karɛ́n

Footnotes

^ Proto-Teso-Lotuko-Maasai
^ Proto-Lotuko-Maasai

Bibliography

Vossen, Rainer. 1982. The Eastern Nilotes: Linguistic and Historical Reconstructions. Berlin: Dietrich Reimer Verlag. ISBN 3-496-00698-6.

External links

A Classified Vocabulary of the Turkana in Northwestern Kenya, by Itaru Ohta, 1989.
Vowel Harmony and Cyclicity in Eastern Nilotic, Eric Bakovic
The Consequences of Microvariation in Eastern Nilotic, Eric Bakovic

[1] Proto-Teso-Lotuko-Maasai

[2] Proto-Lotuko-Maasai

[1]

[2]