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  • 4 - Tracing Language Contact in Africa’s Past

  • from Part One - Language Contact and Genetic Linguistics
  • Edited by Salikoko S. Mufwene, University of Chicago, Anna María Escobar, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
  • Book:
    The Cambridge Handbook of Language Contact
    Published online:
    02 June 2022
    Print publication:
    30 June 2022, pp 84-121

  • Summary

    Medieval and classical periods in African history are a particular focus of this survey of language contact patterns seen on the African continent. The effects of languages associated with empires and kingdoms are shown to vary widely, with many such languages remaining influential even in the present day. Disentangling earlier patterns of language contact is a necessary step for those interested in reconstructing and classifying African languages. The great time depth and diversity found within each of the major African language phyla is mirrored by a dizzying array of contact patterns both within and across these phyla.