Senufo Languages - Subclassification

Subclassification

Early Senufo classifications (e.g. Bendor-Samuel 1971) were mainly geographically motivated, dividing the Senufo languages into Northern, Central, and Southern Senufo. In subsequent years, this terminology was adopted by several linguists working on Senufo languages (Garber 1987; Carlson 1983, 1994). Mensah (1983) and Mills (1984) avoided this geographical terms but used mainly the same grouping, according to Garber 1987. SIL International in its Ethnologue subdivides the Senufo languages in six groups. Combining the two classifications results in the grouping below.

Northern Senufo

• Suppire–Mamara languages
  • Mamara (Minyanka, Mianka)
  • Nanerige (Nanergé)
  • Sucite (Sicite, Sìcìté)
  • Supyire (Suppire)
  • Shempire (Syempire)

Central Senufo

• Karaboro languages
  • Eastern Karaboro (Kar)
  • Western Karaboro (Syer-Tenyer)
• Senari languages
  • Cebaara (Tyebaala)
  • Senara
  • Nyarafolo
  • Syenara
• Kpalaga (Palaka)

Southern Senufo

• Tagwana–Djimini languages
  • Djimini (Dyimini)
  • Tagwana (Tagouna)
• Nafaanra (Nafaara)