Angas languages
The Angas, Angas–Sura,[1] or Central West Chadic languages[2] (also known as A.3 West Chadic) are a branch of West Chadic languages spoken in Plateau State, north-central Nigeria.
| Angas | |
|---|---|
| Angas–Sura, Central West Chadic, A.3 West Chadic | |
| Geographic distribution | Shendam and Mangu LGAs, Plateau State, Nigeria |
| Linguistic classification | Afro-Asiatic
|
| Glottolog | west2717 |
 West Chadic per Newman (1977) | |
Main Chadic-speaking peoples in Nigeria
Languages
The Angas languages are:[3]
- Angas
- Ngasic: Ngas (Angas), Belnəng
- Mwaghavulic: Mwaghavul, Mupun (Mapun), Takas (Toos); Cakfem-Mushere
- Miship (Chip)
- Pan cluster
- Nteng
- Tel (Tɛɛl, Montol)
- Talic: Tal, Pyapun, Koenoem
- Goemaic: Goemai
- Yiwom (Ywom, Gerka)[3]
Note that in the language names, orthographic oe stands for the mid central vowel ə, a practice that had been adopted by missionaries in the Shendam area during the 1930s, such as Father E. Sirlinger.[3][4][5]
Phonology
Some phonological characteristics that are typical of the Chadic A3 languages:[3]
- Palatalised consonants
- Implosive consonants ɓ, ɗ
- Six-vowel system consisting of i, ɨ, u, ɛ, ɔ, a
- Three tone levels
Names and locations
Below is a comprehensive list of Angas language names, populations, and locations from Blench (2019).[6]
| Language | Cluster | Dialects | Alternate spellings | Own name for language | Endonym(s) | Other names (location-based) | Other names for language | Exonym(s) | Speakers | Location(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miship | Longmaar, Jiɓaam | Ship, Chip, Cip | 10,127 (Ames 1934), 6,000 (SIL) | Plateau State, Mangu and Shendam LGAs | |||||||
| Cakfem–Mushere cluster | Cakfem–Mushere | ||||||||||
| Cakfem | Cakfem–Mushere | Jajura | Chakfem, Chokfem | 5,000 (SIL) | Plateau State, Mangu LGA | ||||||
| Mushere | Cakfem–Mushere | Mushere is sharply divided into two dialects, plus Kadim spoken in a single village | Mushere | About 13 villages | Plateau State, Mangu LGA | ||||||
| Ngas | Hill and Plain | Nngas Ngas | Kerang | 55,250 (1952 W&B) | Plateau State, Pankshin, Kanam and Langtang LGAs | ||||||
| Ywom | Yiwom | Gerkanci, Gurka | Gerkawa | 2,520 (Ames 1934); 8,000 (1973 SIL) | Plateau State, Shendam and Langtang LGAs | ||||||
| Jorto | 4,876 (1934 Ames) | Plateau State, Shendam LGA, at Dokan Kasuwa | Spurious language? (No data) | ||||||||
| Koenoem | Kanam | 1,898 (1934 Ames); 3,000 (SIL) | Plateau State, Shendam LGA | ||||||||
| Kofa | Locally said to be a separate language; linguistic status uncertain | Kota | Adamawa State, Song LGA, north of Belel road a Chadic language of the Bura group | ||||||||
| Tel | Teel, Tehl | Baltap, Montoil, Montol | 13,386 (1934 Ames); 20,000 (1973 SIL) | Plateau State, Shendam LGA | |||||||
| Mwaghavul cluster | Mwaghavul | ||||||||||
| Mwaghavul | Mwaghavul | Mwahavul | Sura | Sura | 20,000 (1952 W&B); 40,000 (1973 SIL); current informal estimates suggest around 200,000 speakers | Plateau State, Barkin Ladi and Mangu LGAs | |||||
| Mupun | Mwaghavul | Mapan | |||||||||
| Takas | Mwaghavul | Toos | |||||||||
| Pan cluster | Pan | Kofyar | 72,946 (1963) | Plateau State, Shendam, Mangu and Lafia LGAs | |||||||
| Mernyang | Pan | Larr/Lardang and Mikiet are said to be 'offsets' of Mirriam | 16,739 (1963) | Plateau State, Shendam LGA | |||||||
| Doemak | Pan | Dәmak, Dimmuk | Kofyar | Kwong | Plateau State, Shendam LGA | ||||||
| Tèŋ | Pan | Teng | Plateau State, Qaʼan Pan LGA | no data | |||||||
| Kwagallak | Pan | Nteng (Jasikit)? no data | Kwaʼalang | Kwalla, Kwolla | 25,403 (1963) | Plateau State, Shendam LGA | |||||
| Bwol | Pan | Bwal, Mbol | 3,853 (1963) | Nasarawa State, Lafia LGA | |||||||
| Gworam | Pan | Giverom, Goram | 3,055 (1952) | Nasarawa State, Lafia LGA | |||||||
| Jipal | Pan | Jepel, Jepal, Jibyal | Plateau State, Mangu LGA | ||||||||
| Shindai | Pan | Plateau State, Qaʼan Pan LGA, Namu District | no data | ||||||||
| Goemai | Goemaic | Ankwai, Ankwe | 13,507 in Shendam (1934 Ames); 80,000 (1973 SIL) | Nasarawa State, Shendam, Awe and Lafia LGAs | |||||||
| Tal | Talic | 6 dialects recognised, although all are mutually intelligible | Amtul [=Hampul] | Kwabzak | 9,210 (1934 Ames); 10,000 (1973 SIL); 26,000 (2014 estimate). Live in 52 settlements | Plateau State, Pankshin LGA | |||||
| Pyapung | Talic | Piapun, Pyapun | 5,167 [including a 'few hundred Tal speakers' (Ames 1934); 10,000 (RMB est. 2016) | Plateau State, Shendam LGA |
References
- Takács, Gábor. 2004. Comparative Dictionary of the Angas-Sura Languages. Berlin: Reimer.
- Blench, Roger (2019). "Jakato: an undocumented language of Central Nigeria".
- Blench, Roger. 2017. Current research on the A3 West Chadic languages.
- Sirlinger, Father E. 1937. Dictionary of the Goemai Language. Prefecture Apostolic of Jos. Typescript.
- Sirlinger, Father E. 1942. A grammar of the Goemai Language. Prefecture Apostolic of Jos. Typescript.
- Blench, Roger (2019). An Atlas of Nigerian Languages (4th ed.). Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.
This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 3.0 license.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.