Maps
Map of the Bantoid languages of Nigeria and Cameroon
Map of the Mambiloid languages
Map of the Dakoid languages
Map of the Fam language
| Northern Bantoid | |
|---|---|
| North Bantoid | |
| Geographic distribution | Nigeria and Cameroon |
| Linguistic classification | Niger–Congo?
|
| Proto-language | Proto-Northern bantoid |
| Subdivisions | |
| Glottolog | nort3168 |
Northern Bantoid (or North Bantoid) is a branch of the Bantoid languages. It consists of the Mambiloid, Dakoid, and Tikar languages of eastern Nigeria and west-central Cameroon.
A proposal that divided Bantoid into North and South Bantoid was introduced by Williamson. [1] [2]
Blench argues for the unity of North Bantoid by citing phonological, lexical, and morphological evidence. [3]
Dakoid languages have had long-term contact with Adamawa languages, while the Tikar language shares many similarities with the Bafia languages (also known as the A50 Bantu languages). [3]
Comparison of numerals in individual languages: [4]
| Classification | Language | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dakoid | Chamba-Daka | nòòní | bààrá | tárā | nààsá | túùná | túnìn | dùtím | dùtím-kə́rə́rə́ (7+ 1) | kúūm | kúūm-kə́rə́rə́ (9+ 1) |
| Mambiloid, Mambila-Konja, Konja | Kwanja (Konja) | mán | fèè | tar | nàà | cùn | cánmán (5+ 1) | cɛnfèè (5+ 2) | cɛtar (5+ 3) | cɛnàà (5+ 4) | bɨfɛ́ŋ |
| Mambiloid, Mambila-Konja, Konja | Twendi (Cambap) | tʃínī | fèː | táːr | nɑː̀ | tʃúên | tʃɛ́n də̄r tʃínī (5+ 1) | tʃɛ́n fèjè (5+ 2) | tʃɛ́táːr (5+ 3) | tʃɛ́n nàː (5+ 4) | jūtār |
| Mambiloid, Mambila-Konja, Magu-Kamkam-Kila | Somyev (Kila Yang) | mwē | hàːn | tàːr | nàːn | tíɛ̂n | tɛ́mwē (5+ 1) | tɛ́nàːn (5+ 2) | tɛ́ntàːr (5+ 3) | tɛ́nnàːn (5+ 4) | tʃɔ́ŋ |
| Mambiloid, Mambila-Konja, Mambila | Cameroun Mambila | tʃɛ́n | fàl | taɡár | neà | tîn | téndʒɛ́n (5+ 1) | tébɛl (5+ 2) | téndɛle (5+ 3) | tárɛ̀neà (5+ 4) | julà |
| Mambiloid, Mambila-Konja, Mambila | Nigerian Mambila | tʃɛ́n * c = tʃ | fàl | tar | nà | tín | téndʒɛ́n (5+ 1) * j = dʒ | téfɛ́l (5+ 2) | téndɛll (5+ 3) | tárɛ́nà (5+ 4) | jullà * y = j |
| Mambiloid, Ndoro | Ndoola (Doori) (1) | jér | hàːlā | tāːɾā | njẽ́ | sónī | sóŋ kér (5+ 1) | sóŋ kwàlà (5+ 2) | sóŋ tāːrā (5+ 3) | sóŋ njẽ́ (5+ 4) | jóbə̄t |
| Mambiloid, Ndoro | Ndoola (Doori) (2) | jíɾə̀ | hàːlā | tāːɾā | njã́ | sónī | ʃóŋkíɾə̀ (5+ 1) | ʃóŋkwàlà (5+ 2) | ʃóŋtāːrā (5+ 3) | ʃóŋnjá (5+ 4) | jóbə̄t |
| Mambiloid, Suga-Vute, Suga | Suga (Nizaa) | mum | ɓaara | taara | naànà | tɛ́ɛ́ŋna | tánmum (5+ 1) | tánɓáára (5+ 2) | sɛ́ɛ̀ | tínáànà (5+ 4) | ɟer |
| Mambiloid, Suga-Vute, Vute | Vute (1) | mwĩ | ɓɨrɨ́b / ɓaám | taarɨ́b | nààsɨ̀b | ŋɡiiì | tínmwĩ (5+ 1; old #5 is tíŋ) | tɨɓáam (5+ 2) | sə́r | ɓwécṍ | cóóŋ |
| Mambiloid, Suga-Vute, Vute | Vute (2) | mūí | ɓāám / ɓɨ̄rɨ́p | tāārɨ́p | nààsɨ́b | ŋɡīì | tín mūí (5+ 1) | tɨ́ ɓāám (5+ 2) | sə́r | ɓwé cóŋ (? 10 ) | cóŋ |
| Mambiloid, Suga-Vute, Vute | Wawa (1) | mǒsī; mǒī * | bə̀mbə́ | tābə́ | nǎrə̄bə̀ | téēnbə̄ | té-mōī (5+ 1) | té-bə̀mbə́ (5+ 2) | tén-tābə́ (5+ 3) | té-nàrə̄bə́ (5+ 4) | tʃɔ́ŋ / bə̌ntə̄ |
| Mambiloid, Suga-Vute, Vute | Wawa (2) | mʊ́ɾsī | bɔ̄mbə̀ | tábə̀ | náɾbə̀ | tɛ̄nbə́ | tɛ̄mʊ́ɪ / dʒuiɡɔ (5+ 1) * | tɛ́bɔ̀mbə̀ / dʒuididi (5+ 2) | tɛ́nàɾbə̀ / dʒuitati (5+ 3) | tɛ́tàbə̀ / dʒuːənai (5+ 4) | tʃɔ̄ŋ (< from Vute) |
| Beboid | Bebe (Naami) | mʷɛ | bifʷé | bitɔ | binwà | bitîŋ | buɬɔ | fùmáɲàŋ (8 - 1) | ɲàŋ | fùmájufi (10 - 1) | jufi |
| Beboid | Cung (Mbuk) (1) | ḿmū | fā | tálé | n̄nā | ítī | só | ńnānítá | ńɲáŋ | bʷùkə̀ | dʒófí |
| Beboid | Cung (Chung) (2) | mu | fa | tale | ə́nà | tè | so | nânita | ɲaŋ | bùkə | dʒofi |
| Beboid | Kemedzung (1) | mò (miu) / kɨ̀tɨ́ kɨ́mó (Gender 7/8) | fé / bɨ̀tɨ́ bífé | té / bɨ̀tɨ́ bíté | nà / bɨ̀tɨ́ bínɑ̀ | tɨ̀ŋ / bɨ̀tɨ́ bítɨ̀ŋ | búsí / bɨ̀tɨ́ búsí | fùmbá / bɨ̀tɨ́ fùmbɑ́ | yàŋ / bɨ̀tɨ́ yàŋ | fùmbóò / bɨ̀tɨ́ fùmbóò | yɔ́(yɔfu) / bɨ̀tɨ́ yɔ́(yɔfu) |
| Beboid | Kemedzung (2) | mmȍ | bifɛ́ | bitɛ | binà | bitɨ̃̀ | buse | fũ̀mbà | jã̏ | fũ̀mbɔ̀ | jɔ̀ː |
| Beboid | Naki | āmū | ífə | ítāt | īnāː | ítɪː | úsiː | fùmádʒâŋ (? 8) | dʒàŋ | fùmádzófu (? 10) | dzófú |
| Beboid | Nchane (Mungong) (1) | m⁴ba³ka⁴ | fĩ³ | tə³lə² | nə³⁴ | tĩ³⁴ | so³⁴ | bu³so³fwɪ⁴ | nja³⁴ | bvu³kə⁴ | ju³fə⁴ |
| Beboid | Nchane (Ncane) (2) | mɪ3ma4 | fɛː2 | tʰɛ3dɪ3 | nɛ34 | tʰəŋ34 | bu3so23 | bu3so3ʃwɪ23 | ɲa34 | bvu3ɡə2 | ʒu3fɛ4 |
| Beboid | Noone (Noni) | māŋ̀ | fɛ́ɛ́ | tɛɛ | nɛ * | tin | sɔɔtʃàn c = [tʃ] | sɔɔʃwî sh = [ʃ] | ɲàŋ ñ= [ɲ] | bvùùkɛ | joofè y = [j] |
| Beboid | Nsari (Nsaari) | ŋk͡paŋ3 | fɛː4 | tɛː4 | nɛː42 | tiŋ42 | bu3sɔː3 | ɱfo2mɛ4ɲaːŋ2 (8 - 1) | ɲaːŋ2 | ɱfo2mɛ4joː24fi42 (10 - 1) | joː24fi42 |
| Ekoid | Ejagham | yə́t | éβáé | ésá | énî | érôn | èsáɡàsá (3 + 3) | èníɡìsá (4 + 3) | èníɡànî (4 + 4) | érôn énî (5 + 4) | ófó |
| Ekoid, Bakor | Ekajuk | njɛŋ | mbal | nra | nni | nlɔn | nrakera (3 + 3 ?) | eʃɛma | nɛkeni (4 + 4 ?) | eʃɛmʷubu (10 - 1?) | ewubu |
| Ekoid, Bakor | Nde-Ndele-Nta | n-dʒi | m-ba | n-sa | n-nɛ | n-dɔːn | asighasa (3 + 3 ?) | asimma | aneɡhane (4 + 4 ?) | asima-wobo (10 -1?) | wobo |
| Ekoid, Bakor | Nkem-Nkum (Nkim) | njirəng [ńjírə́ŋ] | ibal [íbâ] | ira [írá] | ini [ínî] | iro⃬n [írô̱n] | irara [ìrârà] | arimini [àrímī̱nî] | anigini [àníɡīnî] | arumiɡol [àrúmīɡôl] | iɡol [íɡôl] |
| Jarawan, Nigerian | Bada | ɗɪ́k | ɓâr | tàːt | jìːn | tʷàːn | tʷàŋsɔ̀lmʷák | kʲɛ́stàˑt (5 + 2) | kʲɛ́ʃìn (5 + 3) | kʲɛ́stʷàn (5 + 4) | lʊ̀m |
| Jarawan, Nigerian | Mbula-Bwazaa | mon / mwashat | rap | taru | ine | tonɡno | tonɡno war mwashat (5 + 1) | tonɡno war rap (5 + 2) | tonɡno war taru (5 + 3) | tonɡno war ine (5 + 4) | lum |
| Mamfe | Denya | ɡɛ́mâ | ópéá | ólɛ́ | ónì | ótà | òkéné | òkénàmà (6 + 1) | ónè | ónēnàmà (8 + 1) | ófíà |
| Mamfe | Kenyang | ɛ́mɔ̂t | bɛpây | bɛ́rát | mɛ́nwî | bɛ́tây | bɛ́tándât (2 x 3) ? * | tándrámɔ̂t (6 + 1) ? ** | mɛ́nɛ̀n | mɛ́nɛ̀n nɛ̀ àmɔ̀t (' 8 + 1 ') | byó |
| Mbe | Mbe | k. bɛ̀tép lètêl lé èjì bɛ́pʷâl lè bɛ̀tépbɛ́fwɔ̂r* | bɛ́pʷâl | bɛ́sá | bɛ́ñî | bɛ́tʃân | bɛ̀sêsár (3 + 3) | bɛ̀tânèbɛ́pʷâl (5 + 2) | bɛ̀ñîbɛ̀ñî (4 + 2) | bɛ́tânèbɛ́ñî (5 + 4) | bɛ́fwɔ̂r |
Niger-Congo is a hypothetical language family spoken over the majority of sub-Saharan Africa. It unites the Mande languages, the Atlantic-Congo languages, and possibly several smaller groups of languages that are difficult to classify. If valid, Niger-Congo would be the world's largest in terms of member languages, the third-largest in terms of speakers, and Africa's largest in terms of geographical area. It is generally considered to be the world's largest language family in terms of the number of distinct languages, just ahead of Austronesian, although this is complicated by the ambiguity about what constitutes a distinct language; the number of named Niger–Congo languages listed by Ethnologue is 1,540.
Benue–Congo is a major branch of the Volta-Congo languages which covers most of Sub-Saharan Africa.
Southern Bantoid is a branch of the Bantoid language family. It consists of the Bantu languages along with several small branches and isolates of eastern Nigeria and west-central Cameroon. Since the Bantu languages are spoken across most of Sub-Saharan Africa, Southern Bantoid comprises 643 languages as counted by Ethnologue, though many of these are mutually intelligible.
Bantoid is a major branch of the Benue–Congo language family. It consists of the Northern Bantoid languages and the Southern Bantoid languages, a division which also includes the Bantu languages that constitute the overwhelming majority and to which Bantoid is named after.
Ijoid is a proposed but undemonstrated group of languages linking the Ijaw languages (Ịjọ) with the endangered Defaka language. The similarities, however, may be due to Ijaw influence on Defaka.
There are over 525 native languages spoken in Nigeria. The official language of Nigeria is English, the language of former colonial British Nigeria. As reported in 2003, Nigerian English and Nigerian Pidgin were spoken as a second language by 60 million people in Nigeria. Communication in the English language is much more popular in the country's urban communities than it is in the rural areas, due to globalization.
The Ekoid languages are a dialect cluster of Southern Bantoid languages spoken principally in southeastern Nigeria and in adjacent regions of Cameroon. They have long been associated with the Bantu languages, without their status being precisely defined. Crabb (1969) remains the major monograph on these languages, although regrettably, Part II, which was to contain grammatical analyses, was never published. Crabb also reviews the literature on Ekoid up to the date of publication.
The Cross River or Delta–Cross languages are a branch of the Benue–Congo language family spoken in south-easternmost Nigeria, with some speakers in south-westernmost Cameroon. The branch was first formulated by Joseph Greenberg; it is one of the few of his branches of Niger–Congo that has withstood the test of time.
The Grassfields languages are a branch of Southern Bantoid spoken in the Western High Plateau of Cameroon and some parts of Taraba state, Nigeria. Better known Grassfields languages include the Eastern Grassfields languages Bamun, Yamba and the Ring language, Kom, Nso, Oku, Bali, Bafut. Almost all of these languages are closely related, sharing approximately half of their vocabulary.
The twelve Mambiloid languages are languages spoken by the Mambila and related peoples mostly in eastern Nigeria and in Cameroon. In Nigeria the largest group is Mambila. In Cameroon the largest group is Vute.
Ukaan is a poorly described Niger–Congo language or dialect cluster of uncertain affiliation. Roger Blench suspects, based on wordlists, that it might be closest to the (East) Benue–Congo languages. Blench (2012) states that "noun-classes and concord make it look Benue-Congo, but evidence is weak."
The Dakoid languages are a branch of the Northern Bantoid languages spoken in Taraba and Adamawa states of eastern Nigeria.
The Bendi languages are a small group of languages spoken in Cross River State, southeastern Nigeria, with one (Bokyi) having some speakers in Cameroon. Once counted among the Cross River languages, Blench (2011) suggests that they may actually be a branch of Southern Bantoid, and observes similarities especially with the Ekoid languages.
Tikar is a Northern Bantoid, semi-Bantu language spoken in Cameroon by the Tikar people, as well as by the Bedzan Pygmies, who speak a dialect of the language.
The Congo Pygmies are those "forest people" who have, or recently had, a hunter-gatherer economy and a simple, non-hierarchical societal structure based on bands, are of short stature, have a deep cultural and religious affinity with the Congo forest and live in a generally subservient relationship with agricultural "patrons", with which they trade forest products such as meat and honey for agricultural and iron products.
Daka is one of two languages spoken by the Chamba people in Nigeria, the other being Chamba Leko.
Ndoola (Ndoro) or Njoyamɛ in Cameroon is a Bantoid language of Nigeria, with several thousand speakers in Cameroon. It is either among or related to the Mambiloid languages.
Fam is a Bantoid language of Bali LGA in Taraba State, Nigeria. It is now usually left as unclassified within Bantoid, however Blench (2011) classifies it as a divergent Mambiloid language potentially related to Ndoola.
Gaa, or Tiba, is a poorly documented language of Nigeria. It is apparently one of the Dakoid languages.
Dong, or Donga, is a poorly documented language in Nigeria. Though clearly Niger–Congo, it is difficult to classify; British linguist Roger Blench proposes that it is one of the Dakoid languages, the closest to Gaa.