Context: The Somali language is a member of the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic family. Its nearest relatives are the Afar and Saho languages. Somali is the best documented of the Cushitic languages, with academic studies of it dating from before 1900.

Question: What language family does the Somali language belong to?
Answer: Afro-Asiatic

Question: What branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family does the Somali language belong to?
Answer: Cushitic

Question: Along with Saho, what language is closely related to Somali?
Answer: Afar

Question: Among the Cushitic languages, which is the most well-documented?
Answer: Somali

Question: Before what year did studies on the Somali language exist?
Answer: 1900