The area covered by this book, originally published in 1953, is one that has long been recognized as presenting many problems from the point of view of Bantu linguistic studies. Almost all the material set out in this present work is based on notes taken in the field, and in many cases presented completely new facts. The sources of the information used are listed at the end of the linguistic description of each of the groups of languages dealt with. Since there are so many languages to be covered it would be impracticable to give even an outline of the main features of each of them, so an outline is given of the main characteristics of each separate group. One language is used as the type for each group, for the purpose of listing examples of the nominal prefixes, verbal conjugation, and personal prefixes. Other features are illustrated from whichever language is the most suitable.

For the purposes of this volume, originally published in 1954, two southern zones of Bantu have been included - south of the Zambesi and east of the Kalahari. The book discusses the phonetic and morphological characteristics of these 2 zones and a classification of the groups, clusters and dialects is provided. For comparative purposes detailed information on some striking dialectical forms is given in the appendices.

Half Title Page -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Original Title Page -- Original Copyright Page -- Contents -- Introduction -- Sources, Acknowledgements -- Note On Typography: Symbols And Abbreviations -- Addenda -- 1. Moru-Mangbetu Languages -- 2. Bongo-Bagirmi Languages -- 3· Sere-Mundu Languages -- 4· Mba Group -- 5· Zande -- 6. Banda-Gbaya-Ngbandi Languages -- 7· Bua Group -- 8. Somrai Group -- 9· East Saharan Languages -- 10. Mimi -- 11. Maba Group -- 12. Tama Group -- 13. Fur -- 14· Daju Group -- 15. Nyimang Group -- 16. Temein Group -- 17. Katla Group -- 18. Koalib-Tagoi Languages -- 19. Kadugli-Krongo Group -- 20. Nubian Group -- 21. Barea -- 22. Kunama -- 23. Berta -- 24. Tabi -- 25. 'Gule' -- 26. Koma Group -- 27. Didinga-Murle Group -- 28. Bako Group -- 29. Teuso -- 30. Nilotic Languages -- 31. Nilo-Hamitic Languages -- 32. Cushitic Languages -- 33· African Semitic Languages -- 34· Iraqw Group -- 35· Mbugu -- 36. Sanye -- Linguistic Notes -- Supplement: The Non-Bantu Languages Of Southern Africa. By E.O.J. Westphal -- 37· Sandawe-Hottentot Languages -- 38. Bushman-Hadza Languages -- Linguistic Notes -- Bibliography -- Index

This book introduces beginning students and non-specialists to the diversity and richness of African languages. In addition to providing a solid background to the study of African languages, the book presents linguistic phenomena not found in European languages. A goal of this book is to stimulate interest in African languages and address the question: What makes African languages so fascinating? The orientation adopted throughout the book is a descriptive one, which seeks to characterize African languages in a relatively succinct and neutral manner, and to make the facts accessible to a wide variety of readers. The author’s lengthy acquaintance with the continent and field experiences in western, eastern, and southern Africa allow for both a broad perspective and considerable depth in selected areas. The original examples are often the author’s own but also come from other sources and languages not often referenced in the literature. This text also includes a set of sound files illustrating the phenomena under discussion, be they the clicks of Khoisan, talking drums, or the ideophones (words like English lickety-split) found almost everywhere, which will make this book a valuable resource for teacher and student alike.

Gerard Philippson is Professor of Bantu Languages at the Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales and is a member of the Dyamique de Langage research team of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Lyon II University. He has mainly worked on comparative Bantu tonology. Other areas of interest include Afro-Asiatic, general phonology, linguistic classification and its correlation with population genetics.

First published in 1919, this volume provides a detailed linguistic breakdown of the Bantu language family of Central and Southern Africa. Its author held in-situ expertise in Nanja, Swahili, Zulu, Giryama and Pokomo. A professor of Swahili and Bantu languages, she was the author of several books on Bantu languages and African peoples. The volume aims to depict the broad principles underlying the structure of the Bantu language family and attempts a classification of those languages. Contemporaneous with the colonization of Tanzania, many of the areas to which this volume was relevant were under British control at the time of publication.