Towards a Dialect History of the Baggara Belt

The Baggara Belt constitutes the southernmost periphery of Arabic-speaking world. It stretches over 2500 km from Nigeria to Sudan and it is largely inhabited by Arab semi-nomadic cattle herders. Despite its common sociohistorical background, ethnography nomads complex, being result a long series longitudinal migrations contacts with different ethnolinguistic groups. Thanks number comparative works, there broad agreement on inclusion dialects within West Sudanic Arabic. However, little or nothing known internal classification This paper seeks provide overview Arabic explain dialect convergences divergences in light both internally externally motivated changes. By providing qualitative analysis selected phonological, morphosyntactic, lexical features, this study demonstrates that no overlapping between ethnic borders Belt. Furthermore, argued contact phenomena affecting cannot be reduced single substrate language, as these are rather induced areal diffusion language attrition. These elements support hypothesis gradual process Baggarization than sudden hybridization Fulani agropastoralist Over above, aims at contributing debate refining isoglosses commonly adopted for identification subtype.