Tula–Waja languages

Tula–Waja
	Tula–Wiyaa
Geographic; distribution	northeastern Nigeria
Linguistic classification	Niger–Congo Atlantic–Congo Savannas greater Gur Waja–Kam Tula–Waja; ; ; ; ;
Subdivisions	Awak; Cham–Mona; Dadiya; Tula;
Glottolog	tula1250

The Tula–Waja, or Tula–Wiyaa languages are a branch of the provisional Savanna languages, closest to Kam (Nyingwom), spoken in northeastern Nigeria. They are spoken primarily in southeastern Gombe State and other neighbouring states.

They were labeled "G1" in Joseph Greenberg's Adamawa language-family proposal and later placed in a Waja–Jen branch of that family.

Guldemann (2018) observes significant internal lexical diversity within Tula-Waja, partly as a result of word tabooing accelerating lexical change.[1] Although noun classes have been lost in Dadiya, Maa, and Yebu, Waja and Tula retain complex noun class systems.[2] Kleinewillinghöfer (1996) also observes many morphological similarities between the Tula–Waja and Central Gur languages,[3] a view shared by Bennett (1983) and Bennett & Sterk (1977).[4][5]

Languages

Awak: Awak (Yebu), Kamo
Cham–Mona: Dijim-Bwilim, Tso
Dadiya
Tula: Bangwinji, Tula, Waja

Classification

Ulrich Kleinewillinghöfer (2014), in the Adamawa Languages Project website, classifies the Tula–Waja languages as follows. Kleinewillinghöfer considers Tso and Cham to be branches that had diverged earlier. Waja is considered by Kleinewillinghöfer to be a distinct branch, although its exact position within Tula-Waja remains uncertain.[2]

Tula–Waja

Core Tula group
- Tula
  - Kutule
    - Wange
    - Baule
  - Yiri (Yili)
- Dadiya (local variants)
- Bangwinji
  - Kaalo
  - Naabaŋ
Yebu (Awak) (local variants)
Ma (Kamo, Kamu)
Cham
- Dijim of Kindiyo
- Bwilim (of Mɔna and Loojaa)
Tso (Lotsu-Piri)
- Tso of the Swaabou
- Tso of the Bərbou
  - Tso of the Gusubo
  - Tso of Luuzo
Waja
- Waja of Wɩɩ (Wajan Kasa) (local variants)
- Waja of Deri (Wajan Dutse) (two variants)

Names and locations

Below is a list of language names, populations, and locations from Blench (2019).[6]

Language	Dialects	Alternate spellings	Own name for language	Endonym(s)	Other names (location-based)	Other names for language	Speakers	Location(s)
Dijim–Bwilim							7,545 (1968). ca. 20 villages	Gombe State, Balanga LGA, Adamawa State, Lamurde LGA
Dijim			Dijim	sg Níi Dìjí pl. Dìjím	Cham, Cam, Kindiyo,
Bwilim			Bwilə́m	sg Níi Bwilí pl. Bwilə́m	Mwana, Mwona [Hausa name], Fitilai [village name]		4,282
Dadiya		Nda Dia, Dadia	Bwe Daddiya pl. Daddiyab	Nyíyò Daddiya			3,986 (1961), 20,000 (1992 est.).	Gombe State, Balanga LGA, Taraba State, Karim Lamido LGA and Adamawa State, Lamurde LGA. Between Dadiya and Bambam.
Ma			Ma sg. nụbá Ma pl.	nyii Ma	Kamo, Kamu		3000 (SIL)	Gombe State, Kaltungo and Akko LGAs
Tsobo	Bәrbou, Guzubo, Swabou	Cibbo	Tsóbó	nyi Tsó	Lotsu–Piri, Pire, Fire	Kitta	2,000 (1952)	Gombe State, Kaltungo LGA, Adamawa State, Numan LGA
Tula	Baule, Wangke [used for literacy development], Yiri	Ture	yii Kitule	Naba Kitule pl. Kitule			19,209 (1952 W&B); 12,204 (1961–2 Jungraithmayr); 19,000 (1973 SIL). ca. 50 villages ?100,000 est.	Gombe State, Kaltungo LGA. Tula is 30 km. east of Billiri.
Wiyaa	Plain and Hills	Wagga	Nyan Wịyáù	Wịyáà	Waja		19,700 (1952 W&B); 50,000 (1992 est.)	Gombe State, Balanga and Kaltungo LGAs, Waja district. Taraba State, Bali LGA.
Bangjinge	Nabang, Kaloh [orthography based on Nabang]	Bangunji, Bangunje, Bangwinji	Báŋjìŋè sg. Báŋjìŋèb pl.	nyii Bánjòŋ			8000 CAPRO (1995a).[7] 25 villages (2008)	Gombe State, Shongom LGA
Yebu			Yěbù	Nìín Yěbù	Awok		2,035 (1962)	Gombe State, Kaltungo LGA: 10 km northeast of Kaltungo

References

Güldemann, Tom (2018). "Historical linguistics and genealogical language classification in Africa". In Güldemann, Tom (ed.). The Languages and Linguistics of Africa. The World of Linguistics series. 11. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. pp. 58–444. doi:10.1515/9783110421668-002. ISBN 978-3-11-042606-9.
Kleinewillinghöfer, Ulrich. 2014. The languages of the Tula – Waja Group. Adamawa Languages Project.
Kleinewillinghöfer, Ulrich (1996). Relationship between Adamawa and Gur languages: The case of Waja and Tula.
Bennett, Patrick R. 1983. Adamawa-Eastern: Problems and prospects. In: Dihoff, Ivan R. (ed). Current Approaches to African Linguistics 1. Dordrecht: Foris Publications; 23-48.
Bennett, Patrick R. & Jan P. Sterk. 1977. South Central Niger-Congo: A reclassification. Studies in African Linguistics, 8: 241-273.
Blench, Roger (2019). An Atlas of Nigerian Languages (4th ed.). Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.
CAPRO Research Office 1995a. Unmask the giant. Jos: CAPRO Media. [Bauchi]

This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 3.0 license.

External links

Tula-Wiyaa languages – Blench
Tula-Waja - Adamawa Languages Project
- Tula-Waja comparative wordlist (Swadesh 100)
- Tula-Waja pronouns and numbers

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[Guldemann-1] Güldemann, Tom (2018). "Historical linguistics and genealogical language classification in Africa". In Güldemann, Tom (ed.). The Languages and Linguistics of Africa. The World of Linguistics series. 11. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. pp. 58–444. doi:10.1515/9783110421668-002. ISBN 978-3-11-042606-9.

[Kleinewillinghöfer-2] Kleinewillinghöfer, Ulrich. 2014. The languages of the Tula – Waja Group. Adamawa Languages Project.

[3] Kleinewillinghöfer, Ulrich (1996). Relationship between Adamawa and Gur languages: The case of Waja and Tula.

[4] Bennett, Patrick R. 1983. Adamawa-Eastern: Problems and prospects. In: Dihoff, Ivan R. (ed). Current Approaches to African Linguistics 1. Dordrecht: Foris Publications; 23-48.

[5] Bennett, Patrick R. & Jan P. Sterk. 1977. South Central Niger-Congo: A reclassification. Studies in African Linguistics, 8: 241-273.

[BlenchAtlas4-6] Blench, Roger (2019). An Atlas of Nigerian Languages (4th ed.). Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.

[7] CAPRO Research Office 1995a. Unmask the giant. Jos: CAPRO Media. [Bauchi]