Ninzic languages

Last updated
Ninzic
Plateau IV
Geographic
distribution		Nigeria
Linguistic classification Niger–Congo
Glottolog ninz1247 [1]

The dozen or so Ninzic languages are a branch of the Plateau family spoken in central Nigeria.

Contents

Classification

There is little data on the Ninzic languages, and it is not clear that all of the following languages are related. Blench (2008) lists the following languages, twice as many as Greenberg 1963 ("Plateau IV"). They are not subclassified apart from a few obvious dialect clusters.

Ce (Che, Rukuba), Ninzo (Ninzam), Mada, Ninkyop (Kaninkwom)–Nindem, Kanufi (Anib), Gwantu (Gbantu), Bu-Ninkada (Bu), Ningye, Nungu, Ninka, Gbətsu, Nkɔ

and perhaps Ayu.

Names and locations

Below is a list of language names, populations, and locations from Blench (2019). [2]


LanguageClusterDialectsAlternate spellingsOwn name for language Endonym(s)Other names (location-based)Other names for language Exonym(s)SpeakersLocation(s)
Anib KanufiAnibAninibKarshi2000 (est. 2006) Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA. Anib is spoken in two villages about 5 km. west of Gimi, the junction on the Akwanga road which leads towards Kafanchan. Kanufi I is locally called Ákpúrkpòd, and Kanufi II called Ákob.
Bu-Ningkada clusterBu-NingkadaJida, Abu, Raga (dialect of Abu)Jidda, IbutNakare Nasarawa State, Akwanga LGA
Bu Bu-Ningkada
Ningkada Bu-Ningkada
Che CeKucheBacheRukubaSale, Inchazi15,600 (1936 HDG); 50,000 (1973 SIL) Plateau State, Bassa LGA
Mada Northern and Western clusters. Dialect survey results in Price 1991).MәdaYidda25,628 (1922 Temple); 15,145 (1934 Ames); 30,000 (1973 SIL) Nasarawa State, Akwanga, Kokona and Keffi LGAs; Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA
Ninkyop–Nindem clusterNinkyop–Nindem Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA
Ninkyop Ninkyop–NindemKaningkwom, KaninkonNinkyop, Ninkyob2,291 (1934)
Nindem Ninkyop–NindemInidem, Nindam, Nidem
Ningye NingesheNingyeNingye<5000 (Blench 2003) Kaduna State. 5 villages along the Fadan Karshe-Akwanga road, directly north of Gwantu. Villages are: Kobin, Akwankwan, Wambe, Ningeshen Kurmi, Ningeshen Sarki.
Ninka Sanga<5000 Kaduna State, Sanga LGA
Ninzo Ámàr Ràndá, Ámàr Tìtá, Ancha (Închà), Kwásù (Ákìzà), Sàmbè, Fadan Wate (Hátè)Ninzam, NinzomGbhu6,999 (1934 Ames); 35,000 (1973 SIL) 50,000 (Blench 2003) Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA; Nasarawa State, Akwanga LGA
Numbu–Gbantu-Nunku–Numana clusterNumbu–Gbantu-Nunku–Numana clusterSanga [mistakenly applied to this cluster, but see entry under Ninka]11,000 (1922 Temple); 3,818 (1934 Ames); 15,000 (SIL) Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA; Nasarawa State, Akwanga LGA
Numbu Numbu–Gbantu-Nunku–(Numana)–clusterThe main settlements of the Numbu are àzà Wúùn, Ambεntɔ̀k, Anepwa, Akoshey, Amkpong, Gbancûn, Amfɔɔr and Adaŋgaŋ. There are likely several thousand speakers. Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA; Nasarawa State, Akwanga LGA
Gbantu Numbu–Gbantu-Nunku–(Numana)–clusterGwanto Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA; Nasarawa State, Akwanga LGA
Nunku Numbu–Gbantu-Nunku–(Numana)–clusterNunku has three sub-dialects, Nunku [spoken in Nunku and Ungwar Mallam], Nunkucu [in Nunkucu and Anku] and a sub-dialect spoken in Nicok (Ungwar Jatau) and Ungwan Makama villages. Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA; Nasarawa State, Akwanga LGA
Numana Numbu–Gbantu-Nunku–(Numana)–clusterNimana Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA; Nasarawa State, Akwanga LGA
Rindre Rindre, GudiRendre, Rindiri, LindiriWamba, Nungu10,000 (1972 Welmers); 25,000 (SIL) Nasarawa State, Akwanga LGA
Ayu Aya2,642 (Ames 1934) Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA
Gbǝtsu MadaKatanza5000 (2008 est.) Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA. About six villages east of the road north of Akwanga
Nko MadaAgyaga1000 (2008 est.) Nasarawa State, Akwanga West LGA. Single village about 15 km southwest of Nunku, which is 20 km north of Akwanga

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin, eds. (2017). "Ninzic". Glottolog 3.0 . Jena, Germany: Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.
  2. ↑ Blench, Roger (2019). An Atlas of Nigerian Languages (4th ed.). Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.

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References

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