Ghana–Togo Mountain languages

Ghana–Togo Mountain languages
Togo Remnant, Central Togo
Geographic
distribution:		 Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Togo
Linguistic classification:

Niger–Congo

Subdivisions:
Glottolog: kato1245  (Ka-Togo)[1]
nato1234  (Na-Togo)[2]
Picture of the main street leading into the mountain village of Logba Tota in the Volta Region of Ghana. The old (now derelict) Chiefs palace is visible on the skyline.

The Ghana–Togo Mountain languages, formerly called Togorestsprachen (Togo Remnant languages) and Central Togo languages, form a grouping of about fourteen languages spoken in the mountains of the Ghana–Togo borderland. They are part of the Kwa branch of the Niger–Congo family.

Bernhard Struck, in 1912, was the first to group together these languages under the label Semibantu von Mitteltogo. Westermann, in his classification of the then Sudanic languages, adopted the grouping but called it Togorestsprachen.[3] This was mainly a loose geographical-typological grouping based on the elaborate noun class systems of the languages; lack of comparative data prevented a more definitive phylogenetic classification. Bernd Heine (1968) carried out comparative research among the group, establishing a basic division between Ka-Togo and Na-Togo based on the word for 'flesh' in the languages. Dakubu and Ford (1988) renamed this cluster the Central Togo languages, a term still used by some (e.g. Blench 2001); since the mid-90s, the term Ghana–Togo Mountain languages has become more common. No comparative study of the languages has appeared in print since Heine (1968); Blench (unpublished) presented a tentative reclassification of the group in 2001, noting the internal diversity of the grouping. It is still unclear whether the grouping forms a branch on its own within Kwa.[4]

A much noted characteristic of these languages is their typical Niger–Congo noun class system, since in many surrounding languages only remnants of such a system are found. All Ghana–Togo Mountain languages are tonal and most have a nine or ten vowel system employing ATR vowel harmony. Both Ewe and Twi, the dominant regional languages, have exerted considerable influence on many GTM languages.

The languages

English names Autonyms
People Language
Na Adele Bidire Gidire
Anii, Basila
Giseme, Akpe
Logba Akpanawò Ikpana
Lelemi, Buem Lε-lεmi
Lefana, Buem Lε-fana
Siwu-Lolobi, Akpafu sg. Ɔwu,
pl. Mawu 		Siwu
Likpe sg. Ɔkpεlá,
pl. Bakpεlá 		Sεkpεlé
Santrokofí sg. Ɔlɛɛ,
pl. Balɛɛ 		Sεlεε
Ka Avatime Ke-dane-ma Sì-yà
Nyangbo Batrugbu Tùtrùgbù
Tafi Bàgbɔ̀ Tɛ̀gbɔ̀
IkposoAkpɔsɔ Ikpɔsɔ
Bowiri, ToraBawuliTuwuli
Ahlon Igo
Akebu Ǝkpǝǝβǝ Kɨkpǝǝkǝ
Animere Animere

Classification of GTM languages

Heine (1968) placed the GTM languages into two branches of Kwa, Na-Togo and Ka-Togo:

However, this classification was distorted by influence from Ewe on the one hand and Twi on the other. Blench (2006) makes the following tentative classification, which he expects to change as more data becomes available. One branch each of the Na and Ka languages are split off. As with Heine's classification, these may be independent branches of Kwa:

Ethnologue also lists Agotime, which they note is similar to Ahlo.

See also

Bibliography

  1. ↑ Nordhoff, Sebastian; Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin, eds. (2013). "Ka-Togo". Glottolog. Leipzig: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology.
  2. ↑ Nordhoff, Sebastian; Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin, eds. (2013). "Na-Togo". Glottolog. Leipzig: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology.
  3. ↑ E.g. Westermann 1935:146
  4. ↑ Blench (2001) says that 'Although much of the literature and in particular Heine (1968) treats the Central Togo languages as a unit, since Stewart (1989) it has generally been accepted that these form distinct branches showing no particular relationship.'
Seidel treats Avatime (203-218), Logba (218-227), Nyangbo-Tafi (227-229), Nkunya (230-234), Bórada (235-238), Boviri (239-242), Akpafu (242-246), 'Santrokofi' (246-250), Likpe (250-254), Axolo (254-257), Akposo (257-264), Kebu (264-267), Atakpame (267-272), the Fetischsprachen Agu (273-274), Gbelle/Muatse (275-286), and the extinct Boro (286).

External links

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