Ubangian
Geographic
distribution
Central African Republic, Cameroon, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan
Linguistic classificationNiger–Congo?
Subdivisions
Glottologuban1244  (Ubangian + Zande)

The Ubangian languages form a diverse linkage of some seventy languages centered on the Central African Republic and the DR Congo. They are the predominant languages of the CAR, spoken by 2–3 million people, including one of its official languages, Sango. They are also spoken in Cameroon, Chad, the Republic of Congo and South Sudan.

External classification

Joseph Greenberg (1963) classified the then-little-known Ubangian languages as Niger–Congo and placed them within the Adamawa languages as "Eastern Adamawa". They were soon removed to a separate branch of Niger–Congo, for example within Blench's Savanna languages.[1] However, this has become increasingly uncertain, and Dimmendaal (2008) states that, based on the lack of convincing evidence for a Niger–Congo classification ever being produced, Ubangian "probably constitutes an independent language family that cannot or can no longer be shown to be related to Niger–Congo (or any other family)."[2] Blench (2012) includes Ubangian within Niger–Congo.[3] Güldemann (2018) notes that although evidence for the inclusion of Ubangi within Niger-Congo is still weak, the same also applies to many other branches which are uncontested members of Niger-Congo.[4]

Internal classification

Boyd and Moñino (2010) removed the Gbaya and Zande languages.[5] The half dozen remaining branches are coherent, but their interrelationships are not straightforward. Williamson & Blench (2000) propose the following arrangement:

  • Ubangian
    • Banda
    • Ngbandi (Sango, with 2 million speakers total, is Ngbandi-based)
    • Sere–Mba
      • Sere
      • Ngbaka–Mba
        • Ngbaka (note the principal Gbaya language is also called Ngbaka)
        • Mba

In addition, there is the Ngombe language, whose placement is uncertain due to a paucity of data.

Note: The ambiguous name Ngbaka is used for various languages in the area. Generally, singular Ngbaka language refers to one of the main Gbaya languages, whereas plural Ngbaka languages refers to a branch of Ubangian.

Güldemann (2018)

Güldemann (2018) recognises seven coherent "genealogical units" within Ubangian, but is agnostic about their positions within Niger–Congo.[4]

Comparative vocabulary

Sample basic vocabulary of Ubangian languages from Moñino (1988):[6]

ClassificationLanguageeyeearnosetoothtonguemouthbloodbonewatertreeeatname
Gbaya Proto-Gbaya *gbà.l̥í/l̥í *zɛ̀rà *zɔ̰̀p *ɲín *léɓé ~ lémbè *nú *tɔ̀k *gbà̰là̰ *l̥ì *tè *ɲɔŋ/l̥i *l̥ín ~ l̥íŋ
Gbaya Gbaya Bodoe gbà.yík/yík zèr zɔ̀k ɲín léɓé tɔ̀k gbàɲà ɲɔŋ/yi ɲín
Gbaya Gbaya Biyanda gbà.lí/lí zàlà zɔ̀ yínì lémbè tɔ̀k gbàlà yɔŋ líŋ
Gbaya Gbeya gbà.rí/rí zɛ̀rà zɔ̰̀p ~ zɔ̰̀fɔ̰̀ ɲín lép ~ léfé tɔ̰̀k gbà̰rà̰ ɲɔŋ/ri ɲín
Gbaya Manza l̥ī zàrà zɔ̰̀ gòkò lɛ̀fɛ̀ tɔ̀ gbà̰l̥à̰ l̥ì ɲɔŋɔ l̥ī
Gbaya Mbodomo zàrà zɔ̀p ɲíní lémbé ngíà gbàlà ɲɔŋ líŋ
Gbaya Bangando gbà.lí/lí jàlà jɔ̀ ɲíì ɗàmbè mbɛ́ gbàà ɲɔŋgi/li
Gbaya Bofi gbà.lī/lī zàrà zɔ̰̀  ? lēmbé tɔ̀ʔɔ̀ gbàlà ɲɔŋ líŋ
Ngbandi Sango lɛ́ mɛ́ hɔ̰́ pēmbē mēngā yángá mɛ́nɛ̄ ~ ménē bìō ngú kɛ̄kɛ̄ ~ kēkē tɛ̀ īrī
Ngbandi Yakoma lɛ̄ mɛ̄ hɔ̰̄ tɛ̰̄ (lì.)mɛ̄ngá ɲɔ̄, yāngā mɛ́rɛ́ bỳō ngú kɛ̄kɛ̄ tɛ̀ ʔīrī
Ngbandi Kpatiri mɛ́ hɔ̄ tɛ́ mīngā.ɲɔ̄ ɲɔ̄ mɛ́lɛ̄ ngú tɛ̀ īrī
Baka Ngbaka Mabo zí.là/là zḛ̀- hṵ̄ tḛ̄- mīnī- mò- nzḛ̄- kúà- ngó náā hō̰ ʔēlē-
Baka Monzombo là- zḛ̀ ɲō̰ tḛ̄- mò- nzḛ̄ bēyè ngó zō̰ ʔē
Baka Gbanzili là/lí.là ʔō̰, ŋwū tɛ́- ~ té- mīlī ~ mēlē mò- nzɛ̄ kúà- ngó zɔ̄ yēlē
Baka Baka là- jɛ̀- ɓàngà- tɛ̄- mī(l)- mò- njɛ̄, māndā békè ngō ʔē-
Baka Mayogo jǐlà/bólà -jɛ́ (w)ó -tɛ́ -mí -bú ngɔ́tɛ́ běkì -ngú ndùlá -zō -lé
Baka Mundu jíà/rràgó gó.jɛ̀ tɛ́ kɔ́.mò ngɔ́tɛ́ bíkì ngú rró zózò írí
Mba Ndunga-le và-/bùlá- jɔ̀mbɔ́- mbētú- tɛ́- mí- mó- ɓíndá- ɓéɓé ngó- gá- -zɔ́- ɗe-
Mba Mba-ne lá-/sí- jɔ̄mbɔ̄- hɔ̄mbɔ̀- tɛ́- mí- cé-, mbɔ̀cɔ̀- zí- ɓēɓē ngó- gá- zɔ̄- ɗé-
Mba Dongo-ko lɔ̀-/sīē- gyê ŋù- tɛ̀- lyò- mò- nzì- ɓèɓè ngó- pá- zó- lì-
Mba Ama-lo -fá-/-kúmbú- -sí- -wá̰- -sɛ́- -mɛ́- -mú- -kúkú- ngátī- -ngù- -ngbúgà sú- -lí-
Sere Sere rɔ̄ hɔ̀ mɛ̀ nzɛ̄ zùmù kpɔ̀kpɔ́ ngɔ̄ zɔ̀
Sere Bare vʌ̄.lō/tì.ló ŋò vʌ̄.tì nzō mvēlē kʊ.ɓílì ngō ngʊ́
Banda Lìndá àlà/ēcī ə̄tū ngāwɨ̄ ə̄ʒī tīmà àmà ə̄njī gbābī ə́ngú āyɔ̄ zɨ̄ ʔɨ̄rɨ̄
Banda Yàngere làlà/cīcī tūtū màwō zīzī tìmè màmà njīnjī gbēbī ngúngú ndōjō (~ njōjō ?) ʔērē
Banda Ngàò àlà/cícī ūtū màwū, ūwū īʒī tīmà àmà īnjī gbāgbī úngú ōyō ʔīrī
Banda Vàrà àlà/cácū ōtū ngāwū ēʒī tīmà àmà ə̄njī gbābī ə́ngú āyɔ̄ zɨ̄ ʔārā
Banda Wójò àlà/cɛ́cū ūtū ṵ̄w̰ṵ̄ kājī tāmbī àmà (ʒ)īʒī gbābī úngú (y)ōyō ērē
Banda Dákpá àlà/cácū ōtū ə̄wū ə̄ʒī tīmà àmà ə̄ʒī gbābī ə́ngú ndɔ̄gɔ̄rɔ̄ zɨ̄ ʔīrē ~ ʔērē
Banda Làngbàsi làlà/cácù tūtū wūwū ʒīʒī tīmà màmà ʒīʒī gbābī ngúngú yōyō ʔēʁə̄
Banda Mbanza célà/cúcū tūtū w̰ṵ̄w̰ṵ̄ zīzī tīmbī màmà gbābī ə́ngú yɔ̄yɔ̄ zɨ ~ zi ʔēlē
Zande Zande bā̹ngìrī/kpā̹kpū tū̹ ō rīndē mīrā ngbā kūrē mēmē ī̹mè/dí ngūà ri rī̹mā ~ rū̹mā
Zande Nzakara bāngìlī ʔʊ̰̄ līndī mīnlā ngbā kʊ̄lɛ̄ mɛ̄mɛ̄ ndīgì ngʊ̄nlà nlūmā
Zande Geme índīrī/kpūkpū hɔ̄ līndī māl.ngbā ngbā kūlē mɛ̄mɛ̄ díī wīlì li lūmā

Numerals

Comparison of numerals in individual languages:[7]

ClassificationLanguage12345678910
BandaMbanza (Mabandja)baleɓìsivɔtɑvɑnɑminduɡɑzɑlɑɡɑzɑlɑ mɑnɑ bɑle (6 + 1)nɡebeɗeɗenɡebeɗeɗe mɑnɑ bɑle (8 + 1)ɓufu
Banda, Central Core, Banda-BambariBanda-Linda (1)balebiʃivɘtavanamīndūmīndū ama nɘ bale (5 + 1)̄mīndū ama nɘ bīʃi (5 + 2)mīndū ama nɘ vɘta (5 + 3)mīndū ama nɘ vana (5 + 4)moɾofo
Banda, Central Core, Banda-BambariBanda-Linda (2)bɑ̀lēbīʃìvə̀tɑ̀və̀nɑ̄mīndûmīndû ɑ̀ bɑ̀le (5 + 1)̄mīndû ɑ̀ bīʃì (5 + 2)mīndû ɑ̀ və̀tɑ̀ (5 + 3)mīndû ɑ̀ və̀nɑ̄ (5 + 4)mórófō
Banda, South CentralNgbugu (1)bàlēbīʃùwú ~ bīʃǔvɔ̄tǎvɔànə̄mīndúwù ~ mīndûmīndû ma.̀nə̄ bàlē ~ mīndû kàlá bàlēmīndû ma.̀nə̄ bīʃǔ ~ mīndû kàlá bīʃǔmīndû ma.̀nə̄ vɔ̄tǎ ~ mīndû kàlá vɔ̄tǎmīndû ma.̀nə̄ vɔànə̄ ~mīndû kàlá vɔànə̄lə́.kɔ̄nɔ́.ɡbá
Banda, South CentralNgbugu (2)bàlèbìʃùúvòtàávwànɔ̄mìndúùmìndúù mànɜ̄ bàlè (5 + 1)̄mìndúù mànɜ̄ bìʃùú (5 + 2)mìndúù mànɜ̄ vòtàá (5 + 3)mìndúù mànɜ̄ vwànɔ̄ (5 + 4)lɜ̀konòɡ͡bè (lit: all the fingers)
Banda, South CentralLangbasi (Langbashe)bɑ̀lēbīʃìvòtɑ̀vɔ̀ɑ̀nōmīndûmīndû mɑ̀nə̄ bɑ̀le (5 + 1)̄mīndû mɑ̀nə̄ bīʃì (5 + 2)mīndû mɑ̀nə̄ vòtɑ̀ (5 + 3)mīndû mɑ̀nə̄ vɔ̀ɑ̀nō (5 + 4)kpɔ́lɔ́ kɔ̄nɔ́ (litː ' two hands ')
Banda, West CentralBanda-Tangbagobɑ̀ɭēbīʃìvōtɑ̀vɑ̀nɑ̄mīndûmīndû ɑ̀mɑ̀ nə̀ bɑ̀ɭē (5 + 1)mīndû ɑ̀mɑ̀ nə̀ bīʃì (5 + 2)mīndû ɑ̀mɑ̀ nə̀ vōtɑ̀ (5 + 3)mīndû ɑ̀mɑ̀ nə̀ vɑ̀nɑ̄ (5 + 4)móɾófò
Gbaya-Manza-Ngbaka, CentralBokoton͡dáŋbùwátàɾnã́ɾmȭɾkȭmȭɾkȭ zã́ŋã́ n͡dáŋ (5 + 1)mȭɾkȭ zã́ŋã́ bùwá (5 + 2)mȭɾkȭ zã́ŋã́ tàɾ (5 + 3)mȭɾkȭ zã́ŋã́ nã́ɾ (5 + 4)ɓùkɔ̀
Gbaya-Manza-Ngbaka, CentralBossangoa Gbayak͡pémɾíːtòtàːnàːmɔ̃̀ːɾɔ̃̀ɗòŋ k͡pém (5 + 1)ɗòŋ ɾíːtò (5 + 2)nũ̀nã́ː (2 x 4) ?kùsìɓú
Gbaya-Manza-Ngbaka, EastNgabakakpóbɔ̀àtàlɛ̀nālɛ̄mɔ̀lɔ̄ɡàzɛ̀lɛ̀ɡàzɛ̀lɛ̀-nɡɔ́-nɛ-kpó (6 + 1), sambo *nɡbɛ̀ɗɛ̀ɗɛ̀kùsìɓū
Gbaya-Manza-Ngbaka, NorthwestNorthwest Gbayakpɔ́kyíítòótààrnáármɔ̀ɔ̀rɔ́mɔ̀ɔ̀rɔ́-ɗòŋ-kpɔ́k (5 + 1)mɔ̀ɔ̀rɔ́-ɗòŋ-yíítòó (5 + 2)mɔ̀ɔ̀rɔ́-ɗòŋ-tààr (5 + 3)mɔ̀ɔ̀rɔ́-ɗòŋ-náár (5 + 4)ɓú
NgbandiNorthern Ngbandikɔitasiɔkɔ̃manambara mbaramiambeɡumbayasui kɔi
NgbandiYakomaòkɔ̀, ̀kɔ̀ǒsɛ̀, ̌sɛ̀òtá, ̀táòsyɔ̄, ̀syɔ̄òkṵ̄, ̀kṵ̄òmɛ̀rɛ̄, ̀mɛ̀rɛ̄mbárámbárámyɔ̀mbèɡūmbáyābàlé.kɔ̀ {ten.one}
Sere-Ngbaka-Mba, Ngbaka-Mba, MbaDongoɓawɨɡ͡bwɔ̀àràanàvʉwɛ̀kázyázyálánɡya-iɲo-ɡ͡bwɔ̀ (10 - 2) ?nɡya-iɲyo-ɓayi (10 - 1) ?ànɡ͡bà
Sere-Ngbaka-Mba, Ngbaka-Mba, MbaMbaúmaɓinébyalaaⁿɡ͡boteɓúmaɓúma tele (5 + 1)ɓúma te sené (5 + 2)ɓúma te ɓyala (5 + 3)ɓúma te aⁿɡ͡bote (5 + 4)abusa
Sere-Ngbaka-Mba, Ngbaka-Mba, Ngbaka, Eastern, Mayogo-BangbaMayogoɓīnìɓīsīɓātāɓāɗābúlúvūèmāɗíàmānāníkàmādʒɛ́nàōdúkpábīnì (10 - 1)  ??ndʒɛ̄kpà
Sere-Ngbaka-Mba, Ngbaka-Mba, Ngbaka, Eastern, MunduMündübìrì, bìrìnɡ͡bɵɓəsùbatabalaɓúruvemàɗìyàlɵ̀rɵziɡ͡badzenamenewánzòkpa
Sere-Ngbaka-Mba, Ngbaka-Mba, Ngbaka, Western, Baka-GundiBakakpódebídebatàbànaθuwèθuwè tɛ kpóde (5+ 1)θuwè tɛ bíde (5+ 2)θuwè tɛ batà (5+ 3)θuwè tɛ bàna (5+ 4)kamo / θuwè tɛ θuwè (5+ 5)
Sere-Ngbaka-Mba, Ngbaka-Mba, Ngbaka, Western, Baka-GundiLimassakpódebídebáídebànavuesítatámbalisénavue lɛ bàna (5+ 4)kpa bo pɛ (lit. all/both hands of person)
Sere-Ngbaka-Mba, Ngbaka-Mba, Ngbaka, Western, BwakaNgabaka Ma'bok͡páàá ~ k͡páàkɔ́ɓīsìɓātàɡ͡bīānāʔèvè ~ vèsítà ~ sítāsílànāsɛ́nāvìíìnā (5+ 4)nzò k͡pā̰ (litː ' head / hand ')
Sere-Ngbaka-Mba, Ngbaka-Mba, Ngbaka, Western, GbanziliGbanzilik͡pókàɓīsìɓɔ̄tà ~ ɓōātàɓùānā ~ ɓɔ̄nāvūèsítàsélènā ~ sáɓásánāvūè-nà-ɓùānā (5+ 4) / liɓòà *nzò k͡pā ~ ɡ͡bà
Sere-Ngbaka-Mba, Ngbaka-Mba, Ngbaka, Western, MonzomboMonzombok͡póìbīʃìbālàbàānāvūèʃítàʃíēnāsɛ́nāʔi̋vúēnānʒò k͡pā̰ (litː 'head of hand or arm')
Sere-Ngbaka-Mba, Sere, Sere-Bviri, Bai-ViriBelanda Virinjẽesoótaúnãuvöö́vöö́-njoí-njẽe (5 + 1)vöö́-njoí-soó (5 + 2)vöö́-njoí-taú (5 + 3)vöö́-njoí-nãu (5 + 4)ɓï̃kürü
Sere-Ngbaka-Mba, Sere, Sere-Bviri, Ndogo-SereNdogoɡbaànjésó, sósò (used as an adjective)táʔònàʔòvó-njeé-ɡbaànjé(5 + 1)vó-njeé-só (5 + 2)vó-njeé-táʔò (5 + 3)vó-njeé-nàʔò (5 + 4)muʔɓì (litː 'on hands ')
Zande, Zande-NzakaraNzakara (1)kílīīyōātāālùìsìbēìsìbē-ālí-kílī (5 + 1)ìsìbē-ālí-īyō (5 + 2)ìsìbē-ālí-ātā (5 + 3)ìsìbē-ālí-ālù (5 + 4)ŋɡ͡bō
Zande, Zande-NzakaraNzakara (2)kílīījōātāālùìsìbēìsìbē-ālí-kílī (5 + 1)ìsìbē-ālí-ījō (5 + 2)ìsìbē-ālí-ātā (5 + 3)ìsìbē-ālí-ālù (5 + 4)ŋɡ͡bɔ̃̄
Zande, Zande-NzakaraZandeúébíátábīànɡì ~ bīàmà (according to dialects)bīsùèbīsùè bàtì̧ sá (litː 'five save one')bīsùè bàtì̧ úé (litː 'five save two')bīsùè bàtì̧ bíátá (litː 'five save three')bīsùè bàtì̧ bīànɡì ('five save four')bàwē

References

  1. Williamson, Kay; Blench, Roger (2000). "Niger–Congo". In Heine, Bernd; Nurse, Derek (eds.). African languages: an introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  2. Dimmendaal, Gerrit (2008). "Language Ecology and Linguistic Diversity on the African Continent". Language and Linguistics Compass. 2 (5): 841. doi:10.1111/j.1749-818X.2008.00085.x.
  3. Blench, Roger. "Niger-Congo: an alternative view" (PDF).
  4. 1 2 Güldemann, Tom (2018). "Historical linguistics and genealogical language classification in Africa". In Güldemann, Tom (ed.). The Languages and Linguistics of Africa. The World of Linguistics series. Vol. 11. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. pp. 58–444. doi:10.1515/9783110421668-002. ISBN 978-3-11-042606-9. S2CID 133888593.
  5. Moñino, Yves (2010). "The position of Gbaya-Manza-Ngbaka group among the Niger-Congo languages". Archived from the original on 2014-01-08.
  6. Moñino, Yves (1988). Lexique comparatif des langues oubanguiennes. Paris: Geuthner.
  7. Chan, Eugene (2019). "The Niger-Congo Language Phylum". Numeral Systems of the World's Languages.
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