Kru languages

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Kru
Geographic distribution:	Côte d'Ivoire, Liberia, Burkina Faso
Genetic classification:	Niger-Congo  Atlantic-Congo   Volta-Congo    Kru
Subdivisions:	Aizi Eastern Kru Kuwaa Siamou Western Kru
ISO 639-2:	kro

The Kru languages belong to the Niger-Congo language family and are spoken in the area ranging from the south-east of Liberia to the east of Côte d'Ivoire. The name Kru is of unknown origin and is according to Westermann (1952) 'used by Europeans to denote a number of tribes speaking related dialects, and the dialects as a whole'; Marchese (1989) notes that the term might be derived from the fact that many of these peoples were recruited as 'crew' by European seafarers.

The classification of Kru languages is as follows:

• Aizi
• Eastern Kru
  • Bakwe
  • Bété
  • Dida
  • Kodia
• Kuwaa
• Siamou
• Western Kru
  • Bassa
  • Dewoin
  • Gbii
  • Glio-Oubi
  • Grebo
    • Jabo
  • Klao
  • Krumen
  • Tajuasohn
  • Wee
    • Daho-Doo
    • Glaro-Twabo
    • Konobo
    • Krahn
    • Nyabwa
    • Sapo
    • Wè
    • Wobe

[edit] References

• Westerman, Diedrich Hermann (1952) Languages of West Africa (Part II). London/New York/Toronto: Oxford University Press.

[edit] External links

• Kru family tree at Ethnologue
• PanAfrican L10n page on Kru/Bassa

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