Western Nilotic languages
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| Western Nilotic | |
|---|---|
| Geographic distribution | southwestern Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan, northeastern Congo (DRC), northern and eastern Uganda, southwestern Kenya, northern Tanzania |
| Linguistic classification | Nilo-Saharan?
|
| Subdivisions | |
| Language codes | |
| Glottolog | west2493 |
The Western Nilotic languages are one of the three primary branches of the Nilotic languages, along with the Eastern Nilotic languages and Southern Nilotic languages; Themselves belonging to the Eastern Sudanic subfamily of Nilo-Saharan.[1] The about 22 (SIL estimate) Western Nilotic languages are spoken in an area ranging from southwestern Ethiopia and South Sudan via northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and northern Uganda to southwestern Kenya (with one of the Luo languages extending into northern Tanzania).
Families
[edit]The Western Nilotic languages are Nilotic languages, which themselves are part of the Kir–Abbaian and Eastern Sudan subfamilies of the much larger Nilo-Saharan language family.
Subdivisions
[edit]Western Nilotic is divided into three main clusters: Dinka–Nuer, Luo and Burun.[2] The Luo Languages are languages spoken by the Luo peoples. They include but are not fully limited to, Shilluk, Luwo, Thuri, Belanda Bor, Burun, Päri, Anuak, and Southern Luo. The Luo languages are the most spoken of the three groupings.[3]
- Dinka–Nuer (Nuer–Reel (Atuot), Dinka or Thuongjang)
- Luo (Shilluk, Luwo (Jur), Thuri, Belanda Bor, Päri, Anuak, Southern Luo)
- Burun (Northern and Southern Burun)
