Editing Niger–Congo languages (section)

==== Tone ====
The large majority of present-day Niger–Congo languages are [[tone (linguistics)|tonal]]. A typical Niger–Congo tone system involves two or three contrastive level tones. Four-level systems are less widespread, and five-level systems are rare. Only a few Niger–Congo languages are non-tonal; Swahili is perhaps the best known, but within the [[Atlantic languages|Atlantic]] branch some others are found. [[Proto-Niger-Congo|Proto–Niger–Congo]] is thought to have been a tone language with two contrastive levels. Synchronic and comparative-historical studies of tone systems show that such a basic system can easily develop more tonal contrasts under the influence of depressor consonants or through the introduction of a [[downstep]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Niger-Congo languages – Widespread characteristics of Niger-Congo languages {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Niger-Congo-languages/Widespread-characteristics-of-Niger-Congo-languages |access-date=2022-05-13 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref> Languages which have more tonal levels tend to use tone more for lexical and less for grammatical contrasts.
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Contrastive levels of tone in some Niger–Congo languages
! Tones !! Languages
|-
| H, L || [[Dyula language|Dyula]]-[[Bambara language|Bambara]], [[Maninka language|Maninka]], [[Temne language|Temne]], [[Dogon languages|Dogon]], [[Dagbani language|Dagbani]], [[Gbaya language|Gbaya]], [[Efik language|Efik]], [[Lingala]]
|-
| H, M, L || [[Yakuba language|Yakuba]], [[Nafaanra language|Nafaanra]], [[Kasena language|Kasem]], [[Banda languages|Banda]], [[Yoruba language|Yoruba]], [[Jukun Takum language|Jukun]], [[Dangme language|Dangme]], [[Yukuben language|Yukuben]], [[Akan languages|Akan]], [[Anyi language|Anyi]], [[Ewe language|Ewe]], [[Igbo language|Igbo]]
|-
| T, H, M, L || [[Gban language|Gban]], [[Wobe language|Wobe]], [[Monzombo language|Monzombo]], [[Igede language|Igede]], [[Mambila language|Mambila]], [[Fon language|Fon]]
|-
| T, H, M, L, B || [[Tigon language|Ashuku]] (Benue–Congo), [[Dan-Santa language|Dan-Santa]] (Mande)
|-
| PA/S ||[[Mandinka language|Mandinka (Senegambia)]], [[Fula language|Fula]], [[Wolof language|Wolof]], [[Mwani language|Kimwani]]
|-
| none || [[Swahili language|Swahili]]
|-
|colspan=2|Abbreviations used: T top, H high, M mid, L low, B bottom, PA/S pitch-accent or stress<br /> Adapted from Williamson 1989:27
|}