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Glite Dictionary
Niger-Kordofanian language

Niger-Kordofanian language

9.8
A family of languages spoken in parts of Africa south of the Sahara, including Swahili and Fula
  • noun
  • Archaic
translation icon : idioma niger-kordofaniano
  • Many linguists consider Swahili to be a member of the Niger-Kordofanian language family.

Examples

  • The Niger-Kordofanian language family includes many tonal languages.

  • The Niger-Kordofanian language group encompasses hundreds of African languages.

  • Comparative studies of the Niger-Kordofanian language family reveal both similarities and significant differences.

  • Many people in West Africa speak a Niger-Kordofanian language.

  • Many linguists consider Swahili to be a member of the Niger-Kordofanian language family.

  • The Niger-Kordofanian language group encompasses hundreds of African languages.

  • The Niger-Kordofanian language family includes many tonal languages.

Synonyms

Niger-Kordofanian
vsNiger-Kordofanian language
  • Archaic
9.9

A group of languages spoken across much of Africa south of the Sahara

emphasizes tonal nature and mentions inclusion of Swahili and Fula
Niger-Congo
vsNiger-Kordofanian language
  • Specialized
8.2

A large family of languages spoken across much of Africa south of the Sahara, like Swahili and Yoruba

is presented with a tonal focus and cites Swahili and Fula as examples

Surface Forms

Niger-Kordofanian language singular
Niger-Kordofanian languages plural

Morphology

Niger-Kordofanian + language

The structure is simply a proper-name modifier plus the noun 'language' so the meaning — a language belonging to the Niger‑Kordofanian family — is directly compositional. Even though 'Niger‑Kordofanian' may be an unfamiliar label, if a learner knows that constituent as a family name the combined phrase is transparent (this follows the common cross‑linguistic pattern of family-name + language).

Etymology

The name Niger-Kordofanian language comes from joining two place names, Niger and Kordofan, which point to regions where many related languages are spoken. So the name was used to mean a large 'family of languages' from those areas today.