@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ I strongly believe that it is in the interest of Nubian Studies and its stakehol
The seventh issue of *Dotawo* is dedicated to Comparative Northern East Sudanic (NES) linguistics, offering new insights in the historical connections between the Nubian languages and other members of the NES family such as Nyima, Taman, Nara, and Meroitic. A special focus is placed on comparative morphology.
The Nilo-Saharan phylum was first proposed by Joseph Greenberg as a linguistic remainder grouping whose internal affiliations remained unclear.[^a1] The Nilo-Saharan phylum contained what Greenberg then called Chari-Nile languages, which in turn included the Eastern Sudanic family. The coherence of this larger linguistic grouping will be investigated in the contribution by Roger Blench, ["Morphological Evidence for the Coherence of East Sudanic.”](article:blench.md)
The Nilo-Saharan phylum was first proposed by Joseph Greenberg as a linguistic remainder grouping whose internal affiliations remained unclear.[^a1] The Nilo-Saharan phylum contained what Greenberg then called Chari-Nile languages, which in turn included the Eastern Sudanic family. The coherence of this larger linguistic grouping will be investigated in the contribution by Roger Blench, 
Within Eastern Sudanic,[^a12] there is a further subdivision between what Lionel Bender referred to as the Ek- and En-branch, based on the shape of the [1sg]({sc}) pronoun.[^a2] Bender's Ek-branch contains the Nubian language, Nara, as well as the Nyima and Taman languages. This group of languages is now commonly referred to as Northern East Sudanic.
@ -60,15 +60,15 @@ Although the contours of NES are relatively well established, much of the detail
Robin Thelwall proposed that the apparent proximity between Nile Nubian languages Nobiin and Mattokki–Andaandi was not the result of their belonging to the same branch within the Nubian language family, but due to prolonged language contact.[^a4] In other words, he proposed that there was no such thing as "Nile Nubian.” This proposal was further developed by Marianne Bechhaus-Gerst using lexicostatistical methods.[^a5]
Based on comparative NES phonology, Claude Rilly concluded on the contrary that Nobiin and Mattokki–Andaandi were closely related, and that the divergence between the two in terms of vocabulary was due to the influence of a substrate language underneath Nobiin.[^a6] Rilly's arguments are supported independently by lexicostatistical evidence presented by George Starostin in his contribution ["Restoring 'Nile Nubian': How to Balance Lexicostatistics and Etymology in Historical Research on Nubian Languages.”](article:starostin.md) Angelika Jakobi's ["Nubian Verb Extensions and Some Nyima Correspondences”](article:jakobi.md) provides further morphological evidence for the coherence of Nile Nubian.[^a10]
Based on comparative NES phonology, Claude Rilly concluded on the contrary that Nobiin and Mattokki–Andaandi were closely related, and that the divergence between the two in terms of vocabulary was due to the influence of a substrate language underneath Nobiin.[^a6] Rilly's arguments are supported independently by lexicostatistical evidence presented by George Starostin in his contribution  Angelika Jakobi's  provides further morphological evidence for the coherence of Nile Nubian.[^a10]
### The Inclusion of Nyima
Although Bender, Rilly, and Dimmendaal include the Nyima languages within NES,[^a7] these are excluded by Christopher Ehret in his *Historical-Comparative Reconstruction of Nilo-Saharan.*[^a8] Rejecting Ehret's proposition, Russell Norton's contribution ["Ama Verbs in Comparative Perspective”](article:norton.md) provides morphological evidence for inclusion of Nyima in NES. This is reinforced by several correspondences discussed in Jakobi's contribution between Nubian and Nyima.
Although Bender, Rilly, and Dimmendaal include the Nyima languages within NES,[^a7] these are excluded by Christopher Ehret in his *Historical-Comparative Reconstruction of Nilo-Saharan.*[^a8] Rejecting Ehret's proposition, Russell Norton's contribution  provides morphological evidence for inclusion of Nyima in NES. This is reinforced by several correspondences discussed in Jakobi's contribution between Nubian and Nyima.
### The Inclusion of Meroitic
Finally, the inclusion of Meroitic in NES has long been a point of contention owing to our fragmentary comprehension of the language.[^a9] In this respect, the work of Claude Rilly represents an enormous leap forward in our understanding, which can now with relatively strong certainty be classified as Nilo-Saharan, in particular Northern East Sudanic.[^a11] His contribution ["Personal Markers and Verbal Number in Meroitic”](article:rilly.md) provides for the first time a systematic overview of person marking in Meroitic, no doubt opening up further avenues in comparative Northern East Sudanic linguistics.
Finally, the inclusion of Meroitic in NES has long been a point of contention owing to our fragmentary comprehension of the language.[^a9] In this respect, the work of Claude Rilly represents an enormous leap forward in our understanding, which can now with relatively strong certainty be classified as Nilo-Saharan, in particular Northern East Sudanic.[^a11] His contribution  provides for the first time a systematic overview of person marking in Meroitic, no doubt opening up further avenues in comparative Northern East Sudanic linguistics.
[^a1]: Greenberg, *The Languages of Africa,* p. 130.
[^a2]: Bender, *The East Sudanic Languages,* p. 1.
