Book announced at https://linguistlist.org/issues/36-1273

Title: The Oxford Guide to the Atlantic Languages of West Africa
Series Title: Oxford Handbooks
Publication Year: 2025

Publisher: Oxford University Press
http://www.oup.com/us
Book URL: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-oxford-guide-to-the-atlantic-languages-of-west-africa-9780198736516?utm_source=linguistlist&utm_medium=listserv&utm_campaign=linguistics

Editor(s): Friederike Lüpke

Reviewer: Baqau Hassan Omotayo

SUMMARY

The “Oxford Guide to the Atlantic Languages of West Africa,” edited by Friederike Lüpke (2025), is a guide that systematically documents and typologises the Niger-Congo language family’s Atlantic branch in 32 chapters. The edited guide combines comprehensive grammatical overviews with comparative and sociocultural analyses, with four thematic parts anchoring its intellectual structure. Whereas Part I, “Background and Classification of the Atlantic Languages,” is dedicated to contextualising the genealogical classification of Atlantic languages, chapters in Part II, “Individual Languages and Language Clusters,” offer grammatical profiles of individual languages and clusters. Chapters in Part III, “Atlantic Languages from a Comparative and Typological Perspective,” cover features like noun classification, normalisation, and verbal extension while Part IV, “Atlantic Languages in Their Multilingual Environment,” chapters explore complex sociolinguistic ecologies under which the operation of these languages takes place. A full summary of each part is provided below to highlight the interconnections among the 32 chapters at the levels of description, typology, and sociolinguistic environment.

As mentioned before, Part I (Chapters 1-3) contextualises the genealogical classification of Atlantic languages. The first chapter, “Language, land, and languaging in the Atlantic space” by Friederike Lüpke sets the foundation by positioning the Atlantic languages within their ecological and sociopolitical contexts. The second chapter, “A genealogical classification of Atlantic languages” by Pozdniakov and Segerer revisits classificatory debates, critiques simplistic binary frameworks, and proposes refined subgroup hypotheses based on lexicostatistics and morphological markers, while “Genetically motivated clusters within Atlantic” by Childs explores internal subgroupings based on morphological and phonological evidence rather than solely lexical data. The first three chapters contribute to a historical and methodological complexity that informs the rest of the guide.

Part II (Chaps 4-20) is the main bulk of the guide, since it offers grammatical profiles of individual languages and clusters like Wolof, Fula, Balant, Joola, etc. Robert starts with Wolof and offers a broad grammatical sketch of the region’s most researched Atlantic language. He treats its phonology, morphology, syntax, and sociolinguistic usage. Kramer follows with Fula in Chapter 5 and describes the noun class system, morphophonological alternations, and the status as a cross-border lingua franca. In Chapter 6, Biagui, Nunez, and Quint introduce Casamance Creole, where they examine the emergence of a contact-based variety, morphosyntax, and the multilanguage influence of a Portuguese-based lexicon. Creissels’ chapter (7) further presents grammatical features of Mandinka and discusses linguistic roles in trade networks and historical diffusion in West Africa. Further chapters (8-20) apply the same logic to other subgroups, such as Bassari, Joola varieties, Baïnounk lects, Balant, and Sua, etc. The grammatical profile documentation of these Atlantic languages in these chapters contributes to making them scholarly accessible, allowing for cross-comparison, and providing a complement to later typological surveys.

Building on this empirical foundation, Part III (Chapters 21-25) moves into providing cross-linguistic typological syntheses. Creissels (Chapter 21) looks at noun inflection and gender, interpreting the nominal morphology in class and gender encoding in the entire family with some family-wide patterns and unique innovations. Cobbinah (Chapter 22) explores the semantic organisation of noun classes with regard to semantic motivations of class assignment and stability across languages. In Chapter 23, Watson further does a survey of nominalisation strategies, contrasting the derivational processes and their syntactic consequences, while Voisin (24) analyses valency and voice, with a focus on how they are affected by morphological derivations like the applicatives or causatives in different Atlantic languages. Chapter 25, “Atlantic Consonant Mutation” by McLaughlin is focused on stem-initial consonantal alternations, one of the typologically most striking features in several Atlantic languages. It is worth mentioning that all these chapters draw data directly from Part II to present structural patterns and variation across the family.

Part IV (Chapter 26-32) goes beyond grammar and looks at the complex sociolinguistic ecologies in which these languages exist, including multilingual settings, language vitality and language attitudes. In Chapter 26, Knörr treats creolisation in the context of Sierra Leone with an explanation on the genesis of Sierra Leone–based creoles resulting from colonial and multilingual pressure. McLaughlin (Chapter 27) surveys uses of Arabic script (Ajami) by Atlantic language communities, while Storch, Coly & Wade’s (Chapter 28) analysis investigates ritual or occupational cryptic codes. Chapter 29, Multilingual Children’s Language Socialization in Central Mali, by Cissé goes further to describe early language acquisition in multi-lingual settings, with emphasis on linguistic socialisation strategies. In Chapter 30, Boutché tracks the spread of Fula language beyond its genealogical territory and its status as a lingua franca in Northern Cameroon. Lexander & Alcón (Chapter 31) provide an ethnographic account of digital literacy practices, code-switching and emergent orthographies in cyberspace, while the final chapter (32) authored by Goodchild explores Casamance locals’ perceptions of language competence amid actual multilingual repertoires. Collectively, these chapters highlight how Atlantic languages are embedded in lived, shifting ecologies shaped by literacy, identity, and media.

Taken together, the chapters are explicitly bound together in a multi-directional manner, in such a way that the typological chapters were based on data from the language sketches and the sociolinguistic chapters make sense only alongside grammatical and historical insights. This unity enables readers to transcend granular language structure to macro-level sociocultural phenomena. Throughout the guide, contributors highlight collaborative, decolonial approaches and reflexive fieldwork ethics. As a whole, it works as a guide for theoretical reflection on language contact, typology and revitalisation efforts in the region.

EVALUATION

Part I

The first part of the guide provides the genealogical framing of Atlantic languages and problematises the existing classifications. It succeeds in offering a careful and data-driven overview of internal subgroupings of Atlantic languages. Therefore, the authors met their stipulated objective of positioning Atlantic as part of the greater Niger-Congo family, in addition to making careful descriptions of the internal subgroupings. This makes it especially valuable for researchers in need of an authoritative baseline reference. However, the discussion inherits older classificatory assumptions without adequately engaging contemporary debates. The guide could benefit from more integration with the recent computational approaches to phylogenetic inference or with models of contact linguistics, for example, Güldemann’s (2018) arguments about Niger-Congo phylogeny. This would help to consolidate the arguments. However, the clarity of exposition makes this part highly accessible to any linguists outside West Africa, filling a gap left by earlier works.

Part II

In part II of the guide, the authors provide high-quality grammatical sketches of individual Atlantic languages. It consolidates structural descriptions across dozens of languages, including both widely spoken and under-described languages. This ensures that the languages are not seen as isolated systems but rather as entities integrated in multilingual ecologies. Therefore, it makes the guide reach a level of comparative detail that no previous guide has achieved. Each chapter follows the same format, with sections on phonology, morphology, syntax, and sociolinguistic context. For phonology, the guide excels in its presentation of consonant mutation and ATR vowel harmony systems, which are great features of the Atlantic family (Casali, 2024). The treatment of morphology is also equally valuable, particularly in the in-depth exploration of noun class systems, which have always been at the center of debates on the history of Niger-Congo morphology (Miehe & Winkelmann 2007). Notably, the integration of sociolinguistic insights emphasises the changing nature of these languages in context.

This part is one of the most remarkable; yet it too is not without challenges. While some languages benefit from decades of descriptive scholarship, others receive necessarily preliminary sketches. This also means that some typological generalisations become susceptible to schematicity, especially when dealing with poorly documented languages. This asymmetry is a reflection of the realities in African linguistics, where descriptive and documentary work is unequally shared. Another limitation is the relative scarcity of text-based illustration, and most descriptions focus on grammatical rather than discourse descriptions. For readers who prefer examples that are ethnographically grounded, this can feel like a missed opportunity. In this respect, the chapters could have benefitted from closer engagement with comparative corpus-based studies, which are now increasingly available (McEnery & Hardie, 2011). That said, this part remains the backbone of the guide, as it provides a resource of unprecedented scope for the Atlantic family. Its comprehensiveness and clarity makes it indispensable for teaching and comparative research for specialists and advanced students.

Part III

The third part is perhaps the most innovative, as it moves beyond structural linguistics to explore the lived realities of Atlantic languages. It synthesises grammatical data from Part II into broader typological discussions. The chapters on noun class systems, valency, serialisation, and tone provide strong comparative analyses grounded in empirical data. These syntheses validate the methodological design of the volume, thereby showing how harmonised grammatical templates allow for typological generalisation. The noun class chapter, for example, successfully contrasts innovation and retention across subgroups, while the valency chapter contextualises morphosyntactic alignment within both language-internal and contact-induced change. Importantly, the authors ensured that smaller languages are not relegated to marginal status; their inclusion foregrounds the diversity of the family and underscores the urgency of documentation in contexts where endangerment is acute. Therefore, the strengths here are undeniable! Readers can gain access to primary data that is often unpublished, and the consistency of presentation enhances usability.

However, there are minor drawbacks. The sketches of the languages vary in depth and analyses, which is inevitable in edited collections, but can disrupt coherence. Some sketches, such as those of Wolof and Fula, are more expansive and theoretically engaged, while those of endangered languages tend to be more descriptive. This imbalance reflects broader disparities in documentation; yet it also raises the question of whether the guide could have provided more methodological reflection on fieldwork challenges in low-resource settings (Sands, 2017). Moreover, the part could have benefitted from more integration with current formal or computational models. While rich in descriptive generalisations, the chapters within it often stop short of engaging with broader theoretical implications. For example, the serialisation patterns described in multiple languages could be linked more explicitly to current discussions in construction grammar or role and reference grammar (Van Valin, 2023). Despite these limitations, the part offers a data-rich, accessible, and methodologically transparent contribution that positions Atlantic languages firmly within global typological research. It invites further theoretical engagement from both descriptive and formal perspectives.

Part IV

The last part highlights the sociolinguistic and applied aspects. The chapters explore language contact, endangerment, multilingual education, and revitalisation interventions. They rely on ethnographic and documentary research to provide evidence-based descriptions of language use, such as the intergenerational transmission and the community-led revitalisation efforts. For instance, it is important to note that the analyses of Fulisation in Northern Cameroon offer an overview of how an Atlantic language can act as both a lingua franca and a factor of linguistic shift, undermining and subordinating minor variants of the Atlantic languages (Safotso, 2021). Other chapters record revitalisation projects in Central Mali, Sierra Leone, and Senegal, showcasing how community-based initiatives and digital tools are reshaping the future of endangered languages. These chapters demonstrate that no Atlantic language can be conceptualised without reference to the multilingual and postcolonial contexts.

However, there are certain limitations. There is no doubt that the ethnographic richness is admirable; the treatment of language policy, however, is somewhat uneven. Stronger engagement with political economy perspectives could have helped to analyse how state structures, educational systems, and globalising ideologies constrain or enable revitalisation (Kamwangamalu, 2016). Besides, this part sometimes lacks theoretical integration. While the ethnographic data is strong, the analytical framing could have explicitly engaged more with sociolinguistic theory (e.g., Blommaert, 2013; Heller, 2011). Moreover, the links between sociolinguistic and structural features remain implicit, even though multilingualism clearly affects morphosyntactic outcomes. A chapter explicitly linking language contact and structural innovation would have benefitted this part’s contribution. Still, this part succeeds in widening the scope of the guide beyond structural linguistics to offer an indispensable perspective to its use by researchers and policymakers concerned with language vitality and language planning.

CONCLUSION

This book is a great contribution and addition to African linguistics. It integrates decades of research and at the same time, it presents new avenues for inquiry. Its four-part structure makes it a crucial resource for scholars in many subfields. The guide’s strengths include its empirical basis, balanced treatment of major and minor languages, and incorporation of sociolinguistic realities. It becomes a methodological standard for further documentation and comparison within and beyond Niger-Congo. More importantly, it decolonises linguistic practice by foregrounding collaborative, and speaker-oriented research. It should be a first reference for anyone working on the Atlantic or the languages of the West African region, and a catalyst for future theoretical and descriptive work in African linguistics. Since the shortcomings, in terms of uneven quality of the sketches and lack of extensive engagement with language ideology and policy, are outweighed by what the guide has achieved overall, it offers a model for how research can be both technically strong and socially responsible. Future research will certainly build upon its foundations, especially with regards to typological databases, multilingual ecologies, and revitalisation practices.

REFERENCES

Blommaert, J. (2013). Ethnography, Superdiversity and Linguistic Landscapes: Chronicles of Complexity. In Critical Language and Literacy Studies. Multilingual Matters. https://doi.org/10.21832/9781783090419

Casali, R. F. (2024). Tongue-Root Harmony [ATR]/[RTR]. In H. van der Hulst & and A.R. Nancy (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Vowel Harmony (pp. 76–83). https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198826804.013.7

Güldemann, T. (2018). Historical Linguistics and Genealogical Language classification in Africa. In T. Güldemann (Ed.), The Languages and Linguistics of Africa (pp. 58–444). De Gruyter Mouton. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110421668-002

Heller, M. (2011). Paths to Post-Nationalism: A Critical Ethnography of Language and Identity. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199746866.001.0001

Kamwangamalu, N. M. (2016). Language Policy and Economics: The Language Question in Africa. Palgrave Macmillan London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-31623-3

McEnery, T., & Hardie, A. (2011). Corpus Linguistics: Method, Theory and Practice. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511981395

Miehe, G., & Winkelmann, K. (2007). Noun Class Systems in Gur Languages: Southwestern Gur languages (without Gurunsi). Köln: Rüdiger Köppe.

Safotso, G. T. (2021). Towards a multiple language shift in Cameroon. English Linguistics Research, 10(4), 22–36. https://doi.org/10.5430/elr.v10n4p22

Sands, B. (2017). The challenge of documenting Africa’s Least-Known languages. In J. Kandybowicz & H. Torrence, Africa’s Endangered Languages: Documentary and Theoretical Approaches (eds). Oxford Academic. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190256340.003.0002

Van Valin, R. D. (2023). Principles of Role and Reference Grammar. In D. Bentley, R. Mairal Usón, W. Nakamura, & R. D. Van Valin, Jr (Eds.), The Cambridge Handbook of Role and Reference Grammar (pp. 17–178). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316418086.003

ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Baqau Hassan Omotayo (he/him) is a graduate of BRAC University, where he majored in Applied Linguistics and ELT. His research interests include sociolinguistics, discourse analysis, corpus linguistics, and computer-assisted language learning (CALL), with a particular focus on political and social media discourses as lenses for interrogating social issues and power relations.