Comparative grammar reconstruction and language sub-classification; The North Victorian Bantu

Abstract

The twin goals of this dissertation arc to effect a linguistically based subclassification of the Bantu languages of Eastern Uganda and Western Kenya, and to reconstruct a partial grammar of the immediate proto-languagl? The languages involved. in this study are Ganda and Soga, spoken in Eastern Uganda, and Luhyia--four dialects of which are included and Gusii, spoken in Western Kenya. The four than to Luhyia, was approached with an open mind. It wa-:s dialects of Luhyia are Saamia, Wanga, Bukusu and maragoli. The original hypotheses underlying the research were that Ganda, Saga and Luhyia would consstitute a genetic sub-: grouping, to be called North victorian Bantu. The status of Logooli, widely agreed to be related to Gussi