Saharan languages
The Saharan languages are a small family of languages across parts of the eastern Sahara, extending from northwestern Darfur to southern Libya, north and central Chad, eastern Niger and northeastern Nigeria. Noted Saharan languages include Kanuri, Daza, Teda, and Zaghawa. They are a part of the proposed Nilo-Saharan family.
A comparative word list of the Saharan languages has been compiled by Václav Blažek.
Internal classification
External classification
argues that the Saharan and Songhay languages form a Songhay-Saharan branch with each other within the wider Nilo-Saharan linguistic phylum.Comparative vocabulary
Sample basic vocabulary of Saharan languages from Blažek :| Language | eye | ear | nose | tooth | tongue | mouth | blood | bone | tree | water | eat | name |
| Kanuri | shîm | sə́mò | kə́nzà | tímì; shélì | tə́làm | cî | bû | shíllà | kə̀ská | njî | bù | cû |
| Tubu | *samo > sómo > sao / sā /sa | súmo/šímo > sĩ/šiĩ /si/ši | kya / ca | tomai / tẽ̱ < *temi, pl. toa / tī́ | tirmḗsu > tirišī́ / tərše > tərhi | kai > kī > ci | gẹrε | súru / súrki | akkέ, pl. akká / εkέ | iyī́ / yi | bo / bu | súro / súru |
| Daza | sama, sa, pl. saã | ši, pl. šiĩ | ca | tei, pl. teẽ / tiĩ | teleši / East terihi | ci, pl. ka | gəre | sọr | ekke, pl. akka | yi / ii | bọr / owe / bọdər | sorọ, pl. sora |
| Teda | samo, saõ, pl. sama | šimi, šiĩ, pl. šima | ca | tome, pl. toma | termeso | koe, pl. ka | gɔrε, gəre | sọr, sọrce | ekke, pl. akka | yi | bọr / cọbo / bọdər | cεr / cero / curo |
| Zaghawa | í | kέbέ | síná | màrgi: | tàmsi: | áá | ógú | úrú | bɛ̀gìdi: | bí | sε:gì | tír |
| Beria | íī: | kέbέ | sɪ́na: | màrgi: | tàmsi: | áá | ógu: | úrú | bɛ̀gìdi: | bíi: | sέ- | tɪ́r |
| Bideyat | ’é | kèmé | šéna | margé | tamišé | a | uru | ʔèbè | bi | šé | ||
| Berti / Sagato | keng | sano / sāno | tamsi | a / á / ā | àkú | shuru / shírung | mi / mī /mī́ | tir |
Numerals
Comparison of numerals in individual languages:| Classification | Language | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| Eastern | nɔ́kkɔ | súyi | wɛɛ | ístîː | hóíyi | dɛ́stɛ́ | dístiː | ɔ́ttɛ́ | dístî | sóɡódí | |
| Western, Kanuri | tūló | yìndí | yàkú | dīyə̄u | úù | àràkú | túlùr | ùskú | lár | mìyò̬u | |
| Western, Kanuri | fál, tiló | indí | yakkə́ | déɣə́ | úwu | arakkə́ | túlur | wuskú | ləɣár | mewú | |
| Western, Kanuri | tìlo / fal / lasku | ìndi | yàkkə | deɡə | uwù | àràkkə | tulùr | wùskú | lə̀ɡar / làar | mèwu | |
| Western, Kanuri | fál, tìló | yìndí | yàkkú | déwú | úwù | àràkkú | túlùr | wùskú | ləɡár | mèwú | |
| Western, Kanuri | tìló | jìndí | jàkú | dʲíjó | úù | àɾàkú | túúlù | ùskú | lááɽú | mèʲó | |
| Western, Tebu | tə̀ɾɔ̌n | tʃúú | àɡʊ̀zʊ́ʊ́ | tʊ̀zɔ́ɔ́ | fòú | dìsí | túɾùsù | wʊ́ssʊ̀ | jìsìí | mʊ́rdə̀m | |
| Western, Tebu | tɾɔ̀ɔ́ | cúː | òɡòzú | tʊ̀zɔ́ː | fɔ́ː | dɪ̀sɪ́ː | túɾùsù | jʊ́sʊ̀ | jìsíː | mʊ́rdɔ̀m | |
| Western, Tebu | tʊrɔ | cu | oɡuzuu | tʊzɔɔ | hɔɔ | diʃee | tuduʃu | yʊsʊ | yisii | mʊrdɔm |