Macro-Somali languages

Last updated
Macro-Somali
Somaloid, Eastern Omo–Tana, Sam
Geographic
distribution
Somalia, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya
Linguistic classification Afro-Asiatic
Subdivisions
Language codes
Glottolog east2653
Omo-Tana language family.png

The Macro-Somali or Somaloid languages, or (in the conception of Bernd Heine, who does not include Baiso [2] ) Sam languages, are a branch of the Lowland East Cushitic languages. They are spoken in Somalia, Djibouti, eastern Ethiopia, and northern Kenya. The most widely spoken member is Somali. [3]

Contents

Languages

Heine, 1978

The primary division is between Rendille versus the remaining languages, for which Heine proposes the terms "Eastern Sam" or "Dad". [4] In this proposal, Baiso forms a Northern branch of Omo–Tana.

Blench, 2006

Within Blench's proposal, the primary division of Macro-Somali is first between Baiso, Sam, and Somali. Then within Sam, the primary split is between Rendille and Aweer. Girirra is left unclassified within Lowland East Cushitic. [5]

Sound correspondences

The following sound correspondences hold between Rendille, Aweer and Somali:

Proto-SamRendilleAweerSomalinotes
*bbbb
*dddd
*ggk, -g-g
ʃjBefore the vowel *i (palatalization).
*ttt, -d-t, -d-
*cʃ, -y-ʃ sh, -j- y
*kkk, -g-k, -g-
ʃBefore the vowel *i.
ɖɗ, -r-ɖ dhContinues Proto-East Cushitic implosive *ɗ.
*qxʔqContinues Proto-East Cushitic ejective *kʼ.
*ffff
*ssss
ħħ, -h-ħ x
*hh, -ħ-hh
*zjdd
ħʔʕ c
ħʔlost
*mmm, -nm, -n
*nnnn
*llll
*rrrr
*wwww, -b-
*jjjj y

The Eastern Sam or Dad group is characterized by the following four changes: [6]

In Boni, several consonant clusters simplify: [7]

Notes

  1. "Somali languages". Ethnologue. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  2. Heine 1978, p. 8.
  3. Roger Blench, 2006. The Afro-Asiatic Languages: Classification and Reference List (ms)
  4. Heine 1978, p. 39.
  5. Blench, Roger (2006). "The Afro-Asiatic Languages: Classification and Reference List" (PDF). p. 3.
  6. Heine 1978, p. 40.
  7. Heine 1978, pp. 18–19.

References