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Investigating Language Isolates: Typological and diachronic perspectives
Edited by Iker Salaberri, Dorota Krajewska, Ekaitz Santazilia and Eneko Zuloaga
[Typological Studies in Language 135] 2025
► pp. 142–175

The Small Bang

A pilot study investigating the origins of a language and population isolate through loan words

ORCID logo | Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
Language isolates, often viewed as remnants of past linguistic diversity, are predominantly spoken at the edges of dominant linguistic areas. This study explores the origins of the Bangime isolate and its Bangande speakers. By correlating loan words associated with agriculture with interdisciplinary data, the paper focuses on West African crops like millet and sorghum to suggest a Bangande migration timeline. This research contributes to a study on the origins of loan words for plants and animals linked to their domestication in West Africa. Preliminary results indicate a link between early Bangime speakers and Mande communities, especially the Soninke-Bozo. It is yet to be determined if the Bangande originally farmed in their present territories or elsewhere.
Keywords: loan words, pre-colonial West Africa, migration, agriculture, language isolates
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Background
    • 2.1Geographic position
    • 2.2Genealogical classification
    • 2.3Genetic affiliation
    • 2.4Archeological context
    • 2.5Historical context
    • 2.6Multilingualism
  • 3.Previous findings
  • 4.Materials and methods
    • 4.1Materials
    • 4.2Methods
  • 5.Results
    • 5.1millet ‘pearl millet’ Pennisetum glaucum
    • 5.2fonio ‘fonio’ Digitaria exilis
    • 5.3sorghum ‘sorghum’ Sorghum bicolor
    • 5.4okra ‘okra’ Abelmoschus esculentus
    • 5.5rice ‘African rice’ Oryza glaberrima
    • 5.6maize ‘corn’ Zea mays
    • 5.7groundnut (peanut) ‘Bambara groundnut’ Vigna subterranea
  • 6.Discussion
  • Author queries
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
This content is being prepared for publication; it may be subject to changes.
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