Nupoid languages
The Nupoid languages are a branch of Volta–Niger spoken in west-central Nigeria, particularly in southeastern Niger State and northern Kogi State. They include the Nupe, Gbagyi and Ebira languages, each with about 3 million speakers.
| Nupoid | |
|---|---|
| Geographic distribution | Central Nigeria; along the Niger River from the confluence of the Benue and north |
| Linguistic classification | Niger–Congo
|
| Subdivisions |
|
| Glottolog | nupo1239 |
Most Nupoid languages have 3 level tones.[1]
Languages
Roger Blench (2013: 4) classifies the Nupoid languages as follows.[1]
Names and locations
Below is a list of language names, populations, and locations from Blench (2019).[2]
| Language | Cluster | Dialects | Alternate spellings | Own name for language | Endonym(s) | Other names (location-based) | Other names for language | Exonym(s) | Speakers | Location(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dibo | Dibo | Dibo | Shitako, Zitako, Zhitako | Ganagawa, Ganagana | 4 18,200 (1931 DF); estimate more than 100,000 (1990) – an unknown number of Dibo living among the Gbari no longer speak their own language. | Niger State, Lapai LGA; Federal Capital Territory; Nasarawa State, Nasarawa LGA | ||||
| Nupe–Nupe Tako cluster | Nupe–Nupe Tako | Central Nupe has become the accepted literary form. | 360,000 (1952); 1,000,000 (1987 UBS) may include closely related languages | Niger State, Lavun, Mariga, Gbako, Agaie, and Lapai LGAs; Kwara State, Edu and Kogi LGAs; Federal Capital Territory; Kogi State, Bassa LGA. | ||||||
| Nupe (Central) | Nupe–Nupe Tako | Nife, Nyffe, Anupe | Nupe | Nupe | Nupe Central | Ampeyi, Anupecwayi, Anuperi, Tappah, Takpa, Tapa, Nupenci, Nupencizi | Anufawa, Nyffe | 283,000 (1931 DF); estimated 1,000,000 (2000) | ||
| Nupe Tako | Nupe–Nupe Tako | Ibara | Basa Nge | 19,100 (1931 DF) | Kogi State, Bassa LGA, Kwara State | |||||
| Gade | Gede | Gade | Gade | 60,000 (Sterk 1977) | Federal Capital Territory; Nasarawa State, Nasarawa LGA | |||||
| Ebira cluster | Ebira | Igbirra, Igbira, Egbira, Egbura | 154,500 (1952 P.Bruns), 500,000 (1980 UBS); about 1M (1989 Adive)[3] | Kwara State, Okene, Okehi, and Kogi LGAs; Nasarawa State, Nasarawa LGA; Edo State, Akoko–Edo LGA | ||||||
| Okene | Ebira | Kwara State, Okene, Okehi, and Kogi LGAs | ||||||||
| Etuno | Ebira | tụnọ | Igara | Edo State, Akoko–Edo LGA, Igara town | ||||||
| Koto | Ebira | Igu (Egu, Ika, Bira, Birĩ, Panda | Nasarawa State, Nasarawa LGA, Toto and Umaisha towns, Kogi State, Bassa LGA | |||||||
| Gbagyi | A spread of lects not clearly defined but the variation represented here by town names: Vwezhi, Ngenge (Genge, Gyange), or Tawari, Kuta, Diko, Karu, Louome, Kaduna | Ibagyi, Gbagye | East Gwari, Gwari Matai | Gwari | 200,000 (1952 G&C) including Gbari; 250,000 (1985 UBS) | Niger State, Rafi, Chanchaga, Shiroro and Suleija LGAs; Federal Capital Territory; Kaduna State, Kachia LGA; Nasarawa State, Keffi and Nasarawa LGAs | ||||
| Gbagyi Nkwa | Gbagyi | Gbagyi | more than 50,000 (1989 est.) | Niger State, Rafi LGA | ||||||
| Gbari | A spread of lects are named according to town names: Botai, Jezhu, Konge, Kwange (Agbawi, Wake, Wĩ Wahe, or Kwali, Paiko, Izom, Gayegi, Yamma (Gwari Gamma); other lects are also based on river locations: Shigokpna, Zubakpna, Abokpna, Sumwakpna | Gwari Yamma, West Gwari | 200,000 (1952 G&C) including Gbagyi | Niger State, Chanchaga, Suleija, Agaie and Lapai LGAs; Federal Capital Territory; Kaduna State, Kachia LGA; Nasarawa State, Nasarawa LGA | ||||||
| Gupa–Abawa | Gupa, Abawa | estimated more than 10,000 Gupa and 5,000 Abawa (1989) | Niger State, Lapai LGA around Gupa and Edzu villages | |||||||
| Kami | more than 5000 (Blench 1989 est.) | Niger State, Lapai LGA, Ebo town & 11 villages | ||||||||
| Asu | Asu | Asu | Abewa | Ebe | 5000 (Blench 1987) | Niger State: Mariga LGA: several villages south of Kontagora on the Mokwa road | ||||
| Kakanda | Kakanda | Kakanda–Budon, Kakanda–Gbanmi/Sokun | Akanda | Hyabe, Adyaktye | 4,500 (1931); 20,000 (1989 Blench) | Kwara State, Kogi LGA; Niger State, Agaie and Lapai LGAs; communities along the Niger centered on Bida) | ||||
| Kupa | Kwara State, Kogi LGA, around Abugi (52 villages) |
Reconstructions
The following Proto-Nupoid reconstructions are from Blench (2013).
| Gloss | Proto-Nupoid |
|---|---|
| tree | *ɔ́ʧĩ́ |
| leaf | #avini |
| charcoal | *ekana |
| sand | *mu-ʒin |
| smoke | *àmʷú |
| fire | *n-ra |
| wind | *efè |
| rain | *ègbã |
| to sharpen | *rɛ́ |
| elephant | *-dogba |
| buffalo | *ɛ̀ya; *ʊ̀-fá (?) |
| Dioscorea guineensis | *iti |
| Colocasia esculenta (cocoyam) | *-koko |
| Sorghum bicolor (guinea corn, sorghum) | *àkwʊ́ |
| one | *ɔ̀ɲɪ |
| three | *ɛ̀tá |
| four | *ɛ̀ɲi |
| five | *ɛ̀tsun |
| six | *twaɲi |
| seven | *ǹtwaba |
| ten | *ɛ̀bwʊ́n |
Some Proto-Nupe-Gbari crop name reconstructions are (Blench 2013):
| Gloss | Proto-Nupe-Gbari |
|---|---|
| Pennisetum americanum (long-season millet) | *màkwú |
| Pennisetum americanum (short-season millet) | *sàkwú; *kpàyì |
| Digitaria exilis | *-furu |
References
- Blench, Roger. 2013. The Nupoid languages of west-central Nigeria: overview and comparative word list.
- Blench, Roger (2019). An Atlas of Nigerian Languages (4th ed.). Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.
- Adive, John R. 1989. The verbal piece in Ebira. Arlington: Summer Institute of Linguistics and University of Texas, Arlington.
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