ProtoBenueCongo

Proto-Benue-Congo is a hypothetical reconstructed proto-language, the ancestor of the Benue-Congo languages, which form the largest branch of the Niger-Congo language family. Linguists propose Proto-Benue-Congo existed in West Africa, likely in the region of southeastern Nigeria or southwestern Cameroon, several thousand years ago. Its descendants are spoken across a vast swathe of sub-Saharan Africa, from Nigeria and Cameroon eastward to the Great Lakes region and southward to South Africa.

The reconstruction of Proto-Benue-Congo relies on comparative linguistics, analyzing similarities and differences in vocabulary, grammar, and phonology among its descendant languages. Key features proposed for Proto-Benue-Congo include a system of noun classes, a common set of verbal structures, and a specific phonological inventory. The identification of these shared linguistic traits allows scholars to infer the characteristics of the parent language.

The Benue-Congo branch encompasses numerous language groups, including the Bantoid languages (which include the vast Bantu subgroup), the Southern Nigerian languages, and others. The study of Proto-Benue-Congo is crucial for understanding the historical migrations and linguistic diversification of peoples across Africa. While the exact time and place of its speakers' dispersal are debated, it is clear that Proto-Benue-Congo represents a significant linguistic ancestor for a substantial portion of Africa's population.