Maban languages
The Maban languages are a small family of languages which have been included in the proposed Nilo-Saharan family. Maban languages are spoken in eastern Chad, the Central African Republic and western Sudan.
Languages
The Maban branch includes the following languages:- Mimi of Nachtigal
- Maban proper
- * Kenjeje
- * Masalit: Surbakhal, Masalit
- * Aiki
- * Mabang: Karanga, Marfa, Maba
Comparative vocabulary
Sample basic vocabulary for Maban languages:| Language | eye | ear | nose | tooth | tongue | mouth | blood | bone | tree | water | eat | name |
| Maba | kàʃì-k/-ñi | koi-k | boiñ | sati-k | delmi-k | kan-a/-tu | àríi | kàñjí-k | soŋgo-k | inji | -añ- | mílí-i/-síi |
| Masalit | kóo-gí/-sí | kwóyɛ̀ | dúrmì | kácìŋgi | gélmèdì | kánà | fàríŋ | kónjì | síŋgì | sá | -iny- | mirsi/-ldiŋ |
| Aiki | kàs-`k/-ò | kàsá | mùndú | sàdí | àdìyím | yù-k | pày/-ó; fáai | jìŋg`r/jùŋgɔ̀rɔ̀ | rí-k | tà-k | -ñɔ̀- | mèek-í/-ú |
| Kibet | kàs/-u | kàsá | mùndù | sàdí | àd`lɛ́m | yù-k | fal/-u; ari | njekedi/njùkùdú | ri-k | ta | -ñɔ̀- | m lk-i/-udɔ |
| Mimi of Nachtigal | kal | kuyi | hur | ziːk | mil | ari | kadʒi | sun | ||||
| Mimi of Decorse | dyo | feɾ | fir | ɲain | ɲyo | su | engi | ɲyam |
Numerals
Comparison of numerals in individual languages:| Classification | Language | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| Maba | tɛ́ɡ, tɔ́ː | mbàːr, mbíːr, mbùl | kùŋàːl, káyáŋ | àssàːl, ássíː | tùːr, túːr | sit̀tàːl, síttíː < Arabic sitta | mɛ́ndrìː | íyyáː | ɔ̀ddɔ̀yí | ɔ̀ttúɡ | |
| Masalit | tíyóŋ | mbárá | káaŋ | áás | tóór | ít̪í | màrí | àd̪á | àyi | ùt̪úk | |
| Masalit | tîyom, tîle | mbara | kaŋ | as | tur | iti | mâri | aya | adey | ûtuk | |
| Masalit | tyǒm, tíiilò | mbárá | káaŋ | ás | túr | ítí | màrí | àyá | àdɛ́i | ùtúk | |
| Runga-Kibet | doˈwai | mbaʀ | kʰasaŋˈɡal | ʔaːtal | tor | ʔiˈsal | mɪndɪrˈsɪʔ | mbaːkʰl | kʰaˈdɛijə | juˈtʊk̚ | |
| Runga-Kibet | kʰanˈda | mba | kʰazaŋɡa | attɛi | tur | izɛi | mɪnˈdirsi | mbɑkadeli | kʰaddɛl | jtuk̚ |