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Periodical article Periodical article Leiden University catalogue Leiden University catalogue WorldCat catalogue WorldCat
Title:Liberian Languages
Author:Duitsman, John
Year:1982
Periodical:Liberian Studies Journal
Volume:10
Issue:1
Pages:27-36
Language:English
Geographic term:Liberia
Subjects:West Atlantic languages
Mande languages
Kru languages
Peoples of Africa (Ethnic Groups)
Abstract:Like the vast majority of Africa's two thousand languages, Liberia's indigenous languages belong to a major language family called NIGER-CONGO. Three subgroups of Niger-Congo are found in Liberia: Mande, West Atlantic (or Mel), and Kraun (or Kru). In July, 1981, personnel from the Institute for Liberian Languages (J. and K. Duitsman, M. Rodewald) were commissioned to plot language data collected by the Ministry of Planning onto a base map. An article was written by J. Duitsman to accompany that map in the forthcoming Liberian Atlas. That map, or a simplified version of it, and portions of that article are included here. Chart A lists all twenty-six Liberian languages within their respective subgroups and shows the position of the three language groups within Niger-Congo. It also shows the position of Niger-Congo within the larger set of African languages. Maps A and B present a general view of the primary areas in which Liberian languages are spoken and the approximate locations of the language family boundaries. - Bibliogr., chart, maps, notes.
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