Department of African Languages

The Department of African languages exists since 1965.
It deals mainly with the languages of Sub-Saharan Africa.

Research focuses

  • documentation and description of African languages
  • historical linguistics, areal typology and microtypology
  • sociolinguistics, ethnolinguistics, language contact, translation studies

Language families, language groups and languages currently dealt with

  • Afroasiatic, including
    • Chadic, including
      • Kotoko
      • Hausa
    • Semitic, including
      • Soqotri
  • Bantu, including
    • Swahili
    • Zulul
    • Dabida
  • Mande, including
    • Bamana
    • Susu
    • Kla-Dan
    • Kpelle
    • Kono
    • Ngen
  • Kwa, including
    • Ewe
    • Akebu
    • Ginyanga
  • Atlantic, including
    • Pulaar-Fulfulde (Fula)
  • Dogon

Edited

  • “Language in Africa” Journal (since 2020)
  • “Fundamentals of African linguistics” (1997–2018)
  • “Studies in the languages of Africa” (2006–2016)

Upcoming events

Projects in progress

“Languages of West Africa: description and comparative analysis” (supported by RSCF)

Contact

Russia, 125009, Moscow, Bolshoy Kislovskiy per. 1/12
office 35
E-mail: africa (at) iling-ran.ru