LINGUIST List 12.1054

Fri Apr 13 2001

Qs: Lang Family Trees, W African Lang Identity

Editor for this issue: Karen Milligan <karenlinguistlist.org>

Directory

1. Abdellatif Sellami, Language family trees
2. Ellalou and Ray Zirblis, West African Languages

Dear fellow linguists,

I'd be more than grateful if you could emlighten me about where to find 
trees pertaining to the language family trees for English 
(ProtoIndoEuropean) and Arabic (Hamito-Semitic).
Thanks very much in anticipation.
Dr Abdel Salmi

I am researching a man who was kidnapped and enslaved from West Africa
about 1750 and brought to the United States. In 1806, at this point
blind, he dictated his life story and I am trying to find out where he
came from and/or who his people were. Perhaps someone will be able to
identify some of the following words.(I realize that the recorder may
not have taken down the words accurately or tinkered with
them. However, perhaps something will strike a cord with someone on
this list.)

He came from a town called Deauyah, on the Niger River, and his people
paid tribute to the Kingdom of Morocco and his father sometimes
traveled to what I think was the Barbary Coast. He notes the
following words: Naughn-chua (palm tree); Zenamah (lion); Wallah
(leopard); Sopeah (horse); Oblea (cow) Bowh & Auvaun (goat); Auwolah
(camel). 
He also noted that his true name was Boyereau Brinch, his father was Whryn
Brinch, his grandfather, Yarra Brinch, his mother, Whryn Douden
Wrogan, his mother's father, Crassee Youghgon.

I would be grateful for any help or
advice. Thank you!

Ray Zirblis
zirblistogether.net