Links between Cushitic, Omotic, Chadic and the position of Kujarge

Abstract

It has long been claimed that Cushitic languages show a special link with Chadic; in an extreme case, it has been claimed some East Chadic languages are Cushitic (e.g. Whitehouse 2005 on Kujarge). This seems reasonable in terms of geography but inadequate data has meant that the issue is far from resolved. In recent years there has been a significant expansion of data available on Chadic languages and it is an appropriate time to revisit this question. The paper examines the lexical and morphological evidence linking Cushitic and Chadic and also considers specific similarities between Central Chadic languages and Cushitic, particularly in the area of verbal morphology. It asks what model of genesis can developed to account for these similarities and how these might be linked to recent developments in the palaeoclimatology of the south-central Sahara.