Eastern Nilotic languages


The Eastern Nilotic languages are one of the three primary branches of the Nilotic languages, themselves belonging to the Eastern Sudanic subfamily of Nilo-Saharan; they are believed to have begun to diverge about 3,000 years ago, and have spread southwards from an original home in Equatoria in South Sudan. They are spoken across a large area in East Africa, ranging from Equatoria to the highlands of Tanzania. Their speakers are mostly cattle herders living in semi-arid or arid plains.

Classification

According to Vossen, the Eastern Nilotic languages are basically classified as follows by the comparative method. Vossen also provides a reconstruction of Proto-Eastern Nilotic.
;Eastern Nilotic
It is generally agreed upon that Bari forms a primary branch, but lower-level splits are less clear.

Swadesh approach (Vossen 1982)

Vossen's classification using the Swadesh approach is as follows.
;Eastern Nilotic
Vossen's classification using the Gleason approach is as follows.
;Eastern Nilotic
Sample basic vocabulary of Eastern Nilotic languages from Vossen :
Languageeyeearnosetoothtonguemouthbloodbonetreewaterto eatname
Proto-Eastern Nilotic*-k₃ɔŋ- / *-k₃ɔɲ-*-ku-me / *-ku-me-t₂ik*-k₃ela-*-ŋa-dʸɛp- / *-ŋa-dʸɛp-a*-k₁ʊ-t₁ʊk-*-k₃ɔt*-k₃oyV-t₁-*-tʸani*-pi-*-ɲa-*-k₃a-rɪn-
Tesoa-kɔ́ŋ-ʊ̀á-kí-te-kúmèe-kíàl-àìá-ŋǎjɛ̀pá-kɪ̀tʊ̀ká-àkɔ́tá-kóì-tɛ́-kɪ́tɔ́-ɪ̀a-ki-píakí-ɲám-àé-kɪ́-rɔ́-rɪ̀
Turkanaá-kɔŋ-ʊá-kí-té-kumeɛ́-kɛl-aɪa-ŋajɛpa-kʊtukŋá-akɔtá-koí-tɛ-kɪtɔ-ɛŋá-kɪpɪakɪ-ɲamɛ́-kɪ-rɔ
Nyangatom-kɔɲaːngɪ-t̪e-kumen-kɛl-ŋajɛb-kutʊːk-qɔtŋ-qöy-ɔŋa-kitɔŋá-kɪ́-pìtɛ-nɛm-kurɔː
Karimojonga-kɔŋ-ua-ki-té-kùméɛ́-qɛ̀l-áea-ŋadyɛ́pa-kit̪ukŋa-akɔɔtá-qɔ̀ɪ́-tɛ-kitɔ-ɪŋa-ki-piʔaki-ɲame-ke-ro
Maasaiɛŋ-kɔŋ-ʊ́ɛŋ-kɪ-ɔɔkeŋ-kuméɔl-alá-ɪ̀ɔl-ŋɛ́jɛ́pɛŋ-kʊ́tʊ́kɔ-sárɠɛ́ol-óì-tòɔl-caníɛŋ-kár-ɛ́a-ɲáɛŋ-kárn-á
Camusŋ-kɔŋ-ʊ́ŋ-ké-okŋ-kawar-íél-alá-ɪ̀l-ŋɛjɛpŋ-kʊtʊ́kl-ɔɗɔ́l-óì-tòl-caníŋ-kár-ɛ́a-ɲáŋ-kárn-á
Sampurŋ-kɔŋ-ʊ́ŋ-kɪ́-yyɔkŋ-kwar-íél-alá-ɪ̀l-ŋɛ́jɛ́pŋ-kʊtʊ́kl-ɔɗɔ́l-óì-tòl-caníŋ-kár-ɛ́a-ɲáŋ-kárn-á
Ongamona-hɔŋ-ʊ́na-ʃɔ́ɔʃaɽ-íéɔ-háa-ɪɔ-ŋɛ́jɛ́β-ɪ́na-kutókna-hɔ́ɔ́t-ʊ́o-hóí-toɔ-ʃɛtána-si-βí-am-/ɲ-na-hárn-á
Lotukoɔ́ɲ-ɛ̀ké-yyòká-ttàrɪ̀álà-ɪ̀ɔ́ŋàjɛ̀pɛ́-ðùkɔ́-ɔ̀ðɔ̀a-xó-tìòá-yyànìá-àr-èá-ŋíyóá-fùrè
Oxorioka-xɔɲ-ɛke-yoka-xar-iɛɔ-xala-iu-ŋadiepa-xutuka-xɔtɔo-xoi-toŋo-xyania-xar-ɛɲoo-furɛ
Lopitxɔɲ-ɛkhí-yókhi-móxalá-tìŋájɛ́pxʊ́tʊ́kxɔ́tɔ́xoɪ́t-òìyyánìhi-ɸí-òŋdáxáɸúré
Dongotonoxɔɲ-ɛkcyɔ̂khí-mèxalá-tɪ̀ŋádɛ́pxʊ́tʊ́kɔ-xɔ́t-ɔ́xoít-òsánìxár-ɪ́ɔ-dɔŋɔ́ɸúrè-ì
Lokoyaa-ɣɔɲ-ɛke-xi-yôko-xi-môŋo-ɣalá-íʊ-ŋájɪ́pa-kʊ́tʊ́ka-ɣɔ́tɔ́ɔ-ɣɔ́t-ɔ̀ŋó-yán-dɪ́ka-ɣar-ɛa-ɲûo-vúré
Barikɔŋ-ɛ́súö̀-tkúmékélêŋɛ́dɛ́pkʊ́tʊ́krɪ́màkuyú-tìòkódínípí-òŋɲésùkarɛ́n
Kakwakɔɲ-ɛ́súèkúmékáláɲɛ́dɛ́pkʊ́tʊ́rɪ́màkʊ́yʊ́kodiŋípíòɲósùkarɛ́n
Kukukɔ́ŋ-ɛ́súö̀-tkumékölö́-ìŋɛ́dɛ́pkʊ́tʊ́kɓíyètkúú-tö̀nködin-îpí-òŋyésùkarɪ́n
Ngyepukɔŋ-ɛ́súö̀-tkumékölö́-ìŋyɛ́dɛ́pkútúkrɪ́màkuyú-tyòködin-ípí-òŋɲésukarɛ́n
Pöjulukɔŋ-ɪ́nsúö̀-tkumékelêŋyɛ́dɛ́pkutúkrɪ́màkuí-sòködin-ípí-òŋɲésùkarɛ́n
Nyanggwarakɔŋ-ɛ́ʃwö́-tkumékeléŋɛ́dɛ́pkʊ́tʊ́krɪ́màkuyú-tíoködin-ípí-òŋɲésùkarɛ́n
Mondarikɔŋ-ɛ́sʊ́-tkʊmɪ́kɛlɛ́ŋɛ́dɛ́pkʊ́tʊ́krɪ́màkú-cö̀ködíci-píɲö́sútkarɛ́n

Footnotes