Table Of ContentA COMPARATIVE-HISTORICAL study op the manenguba languages
(BANTU A.15, MBO CLUSTER) OP CAMEROON
by
ROBERT HEDINGER
Thesis submitted for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
of the
University of London
1984
Department of Phonetics and Linguistics
School of Oriental and African Studies
ProQuest Number: 10672687
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ABSTRACT
The Manenguba languages are a group of closely
related Bantu languages spoken on the north-western edge of
the Bantu area. The main goals of this, study are to
reconstruct Proto-Manenguba (PM) from which the present day
languages have developed and to examine how they are related
to each other.
In chapter two, the correspondences for consonants,
vowels and tones are established and oroto-phonemes
proposed. In chapter three, the sound changes that have
apparently taken place between PM and the different
languages are presented and discussed. Several diagrams are
included to highlight the kinds of splits and mergers that
have occurred.
Chapter four is devoted to a comparison and partial
reconstruction of the morphology of the noun class and
concord system.
In chapter five, PM roots are compared with
Proto-Bantu (PB) reconstructions in order to examine the
sound correspondences between the two proto-languages.
Special attention is given to the apparent double reflexes
of voiceless PB stops in North West Bantu languages which
have recently been attributed to a former lenis/non-lenis
distinction. Apparent non-productive morphophonemic
alternations in one of the languages (Akaase) are brought to
light involving reflexes of the above stops, although we are
not able to provide a satisfactory answer as to their
origin.
Chapter six is concerned with the classification of
the Manenguba languages. Previous classifications and some
rece'nt 1exicostatistica1 classifteat ions are surveyed. We
then present and discuss our own lextcostatistical
sub-grouping of the Manenguba languages plus their
relationship to some adjacent languages. This classification
is then related to the previous classifications and to
shared sound and morphological changes established in
chapters three and four.
The data on which the main part of this study is:
based is appended comprising some 700 comparative word lists
from fourteen languages/dialects. Also included where
possible are PB and proposed PM reconstructions of the
lexical items.
3
To
the peoole who speak the
Manenguba languages
4
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Ekaa eh'Sg ekaa7! dyom.
One hand cannot tie a bundle.
Akoose proverb.
The above proverb expresses very well the fact that
this study would have been impossible by exclusively my own
efforts. I would therefore like to express my thanks to all
those who, in one way or another, were instrumental in
bringing this study to fruition.
I would like first of all to express my gratitude to
the many speakers of the Manenguba languages who made this
study possible by their enthusiasm, their encouragement, by
making houses available to us and patiently working through
lengthy lists of words with me.
I would like to thank the Ministry of Higher
Education and Scientific Research (MESR5), formerly the
General Delegation for Scientific and Technical Research
CDGRST), the Institute of Human Sciences (ISH) and the
Centre for Anthropological Studies and Research (CREA) of
the Republic of Cameroon who granted me permission to carry
out my research.
My thanks and appreciation go to my colleagues of
the Summer Institute of Linguistics who first introduced me
to linguistics and who have provided stimulus over the
years, and especially Dr. J.T. Bendor-Samue1 who encouraged
me to pursue further studies. Many thanks, also, to
Mr. D.L. Estabrook who gave of his time to make it possible
to produce this thesis on a word processor.
Professor R.H. Robins of the School' of Oriental and
African Studies made it possible for me to embark on my
studies there. To him, and other members of Staff at SOAS
from whom I have gained new insights, go my thanks. I am
especially grateful to Dr. Th. Bynon, my supervisor,■who
provided guidance in an enthusiastic spirit and spent many
hours discussing and reading drafts of my thesis.
I also wish to express my thanks to the Committee of
Vice-Chancellors and Principals of the Universities of the
United Kingdom for granting an Award under the Overseas
Research Students Fees Support Scheme for the academic years
198.1/82 and 1983/84.
Finally, I wish to thank our many friends and
relatives in Switzerland and England who through moral and
financial support have made it possible for me to pursue
these studies. A special thanks goes to my wife, Sylvia, for
typing and correcting draft after draft with a critical eye
on my English style, without whose constant encouragement
and active support this thesis would not yet be finished.
In order not to ornit my ultimate apprec iat ion, I
would like to end with the Psalmist's words*
"To you alone, 0 Lord, to you alone, and not to us,
must glory be given because of your constant love
and faithfulness." Psalm 115*1.
5
CONTENTS
ABSTRACT 2
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 4
CONTENTS' 5
LIST OF CHARTS 1 |
LIST OF MAPS 15
ABBREVIATIONS AND SYMBOLS 16
CHAPTER ONE
INIRQttUCILflli 19
1.1 The aim of this study 19
1.2 The location 19
1.3 The people 23
1.4 The languages 28
1.4.1 General comments 28
1.4.2 The Manenguba languages 30
1.4.3 Ethnonyms and glossonyms 32
1.4.3.1 List of ethnonyms and glossonyms 34
1.4.3.2 The term "Manenguba" 36
1.4.4 The sociolinguistic situation 40
1.5 Previous linguistic work 42
1 .6 This study 48
FOOTNOTES TO CHAPTER ONE 5 2
CHAPTER TWO
RECONSTRUCTION OF PROTQ-MANENGIJBA 56
2.1 Introduction 56
2.2 The consonants 57
2.2.1 Consonants in Cl position 58
2.2.2 Consonants in C2 position 63
2.2.3 The PM consonants
2.3 The vowels
2.3.1 Short vowels
2.3.2 Long vowels
2.3.3 The PM vowels
2.4 Glides between C and V
2.5 Tone
FOOTNOTES TO CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
SOUND__CHAN GES_AND_REFLEXES OF PM SOUNDS :
3. 1 Introduct ion
3.2 Consonant changes between PM and the present
day languages
3.2.1 Sound changes involving stops
3.2.2 Sound changes involving continuants
3.2.3 Sound changes involving nasals
3.2.4 Consonant systems resulting from the sound
changes
3.2.4.] The AKO consonant system
3.2.4.2 The MvNK consonant system
3.2.4.3 The 8B0 consonant system
3.2.4.4 The MKA consonant system
3.2.4.5 The MBE consonant system
3.2.4.6 The MYE consonant system
3.2.4.7 The MBN consonant system
3.3 Vowel changes between PM and the present day
languages
3.3.1 Introduction
3.3.2 Changes of short vowels
3.3.2.1 Vowel changes of PM *i
7
3.3.2,3 Vowel changes of PM *e 1 15
3.3.2.4 Vowel changes of PM *a 116
3.3.2.5 Vowel changes of PM 1 18
3.3.2.6 Vowel changes of PM *o 1 19
3.3.2.7 Vowel changes of PM *u 1 22
3.3.3 Vowel systems and1 vowel changes 124
3.3.4 The second root vowel 127
3.3.5 Changes of long vowels 127
3.3.5.1 Vowel changes of PM *ii and *ee 1 28
3.3.5.2 ■Vowe1 changes of PM * 11 1 29
3.3.5.3 Vowel changes of PM *aa 130
3.3.5.4 Vowel changes of PM 130
3.3.5.5 Vowel changes of PM *oo 131
3.3.5.6 Vowel changes of PM *uu 132
3.3.6 Long vowel systems and vowel changes 132
3.4 Tone changes between PM and the present day
languages 134
FOOTNOTES TO CHAPTER THREE 136
CHAPTER FOUR
QF~IhlE_NQilN GLASS AJIQ-QQNQQEID-SX^IEM I 37
4.1 Introduction 137
4.2 Elements with noun class and concord prefixes 142
4.2.1 Elements governing concord 142
4.3 Elements governed by concord 143
4.3.1 Possessive pronouns 144
4.3.2 Pronouns, demonstratives and reflexive
pronouns w' 147
4.3.3 Numerals 148
4.3.4 Verbs 149
4.4 Noun, concord and person prefixes 150
8
4.4.1 The person prefixes 150
4.4.2 The noun and concord prefixes 152
4.4.3 Class one 154
4.4.4 Class two 156
4.4.5 ' Classes three and four 158
4.4.6 Class five 161
4.4.7 Class six 163
4.4.8 Class seven 165
4.4.9 Class eight 166
4.4.10 Classes nine and ten 168
4.4.11 Class fourteen 170
4.4.12 Classes nineteen and thirteen 172
4.4.13 Traces of other classes 174
4.5 Classes 9 and 10 reconsidered 174
FOOTNOTES TO CHAPTER FOUR 179
CHAPTER FIVE
PROTO-MANE N.GU3A,.AND PROTO-BANT1J 1 81
5.1 Introduction 181
5.2 "Double reflexes" of PB in north-west Bantu 183
5.2.1 The phonemic split solution 134
5.2.2 The lenis/non-lenis solution 186
5.3 PM and PB consonants 191
5.3.1 PM - PB correspondences in Cl position 192
5.3.2 PM - PB correspondences in C2 position 200
5.3.3 Consonant developments after Pre-PB 208
5.3.4 Classes 9 and 10 and the lenis/non-lenis
distinction 210
5.3.5 Noun prefix variants and the loss of
Clenis) Cl 2 11
5,4 The lenis/non-lenis distinction in lexical
relations 213
9
5.4.1 Introduction 213
5.4.2 Reflexes of lenis and non-lenis proto-phonemes
in AKO lexical relations 214
5.4.3 Reflexes of voiced and voiceless proto-phonemes
in AKO lexical relations 216
5.4.4 * Conclusion 219
5.5 Some observations about tone discrepancies in
related lexical items 220
5.6 PM and PB vowels and glides 222
5.7 PM and PB tones 225
FOOTNOTES TO CHAPTER FIVE 230
CHAPTER SIX
CLASSIFICATION QF_.THE_MANENGURA LANGUAGES 233
6.1 Introduction 233
6.2 Previous classifications 235
6.2.1 A survey 235
6.2.2 Summary 252
6.3 Lexicostatistica1 classification 254
6.3.1 Introduction 254
6.3.2 Lexicostatistical classification of the
Manenguba languages 260
6.3.2.1 General comments 260
6.3.2.2 Description of our lexicostatistical study 263
6.3.2.3 Our lexicostatistical classification 267
6.4 Lexicostatistica1 classification and shared
innovations 275
6.4.1 Sound changes and classification 276
6.4.2 Morphological changes and classification 279
6.4.3 Lexical isoglosses and classification 283
6.4.4 Conclusion 286
FOOTNOTES TO CHAPTER SIX 289
