| Limba-Mel
Southern (West) Atlantic
|
|
|---|---|
| Geographic distribution: |
Guinea-Bissau through Liberia |
| Genetic classification: |
Niger-Congo Atlantic-Congo Limba-Mel |
| Subdivisions: |
Limba
Sua
|
The Limba-Mel languages are a branch of Niger-Congo languages spoken in Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. The most populous is Temne, with about two million speakers; Kissi is next, with half a million.
Limba-Mel has traditionally been classified as a southern branch of West Atlantic. However, the unity of West Atlantic has never been demonstrated, and linguists such as Dimmendahl and Blench treat Limba-Mel (Southern Atlantic), Senegal-Guinea (Northern Atlantic), and Bijago as independent components of Niger-Congo pending such a demonstration.
Limba-Mel consists of the Limba language, the Sua language, and the Mel languages, the latter of which constitutes the bulk of the family:
| Limba-Mel |
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See also
- Atlantic languages, for discussion of some common features of the languages
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