The Kainji Languages of Northwestern and Central Nigeria (original) (raw)
The East Kainji languages of Central Nigeria
Afrika und Ubersee, 2021
The paper is an overview of current scholarship on the East Kainji language group of Central Nigeria. It reviews the existing published and manuscript sources and describes recent research, as well as the development of orthographies for some languages. Many East Kainji languages are severely threatened and some have gone extinct with the period under review. The paper presents an internal classification and briefly discusses the external relationships of these languages. On the basis of existing data, a review of the basic phonology and noun class prefix systems is given.
Gyem: an endangered east Kainji language of Northern Nigeria
The paper analyses preliminary data on the Gyem language, an endangered East Kainji language spoken in Bauchi State, Nigeria. Although thought to be threatened, as it has only a small number of speakers, it is still spoken and transmitted to children. The data consists of a wordlist of some 350 items, and the phonology which can be deduced from the transcribed list. Some differences emerge from the much shorter list presented in collected by Shimizu in the mid-1970s. Gyem has a rich noun morphology, but not much of it is not inherited from a putative proto-East Kainji, as it has undergone considerable renewal of the affixes which have produced incipient semi-vowel alternations. There are many uncertainties and Gyem represents a suitable opportunity for more detailed research.
AN ATLAS OF NIGERIAN LANGUAGES
2019
A listing and introduction to the languages of Nigeria. 2019 edition of a document first published in 1976 as 'An Index of Nigerian Languages'
Zora: a highly endangered East Kainji language of Northern Nigeria
This paper analyses preliminary data on the Zora language, an endangered East Kainji language spoken in Plateau State, Nigeria. Zora is moribund, only spoken by a small number of old men, and many lexical items no forgotten. The data consists of a wordlist of some 300 items, and the phonology which can be deduced from the transcribed list. Some differences emerge from the much shorter list presented in collected by Shimizu in the mid-1970s. There are many uncertainties and Zora represents an opportunity to recover more data before it finally is forgotten.
The Kwaŋ language of Central Nigeria and its affinities
2021
This is an introduction and annotated wordlist of the Kwaŋ language, spoken in Jan[n]eret village in Plateau State, Nigeria. Kwaŋ is a Plateau language, part of the Bijim-Yaa cluster and ultimately part of Tarokoid. Kwaŋ has a reduced nominal prefix system marking number in nouns, as well as fossil suffixes on verbs indicative of an extension system. The annotated wordlist in the final section includes comparisons with a wide range of Plateau languages.
An introduction to Mәgang, a South Bauchi language of Central Nigeria
2021
This paper presents basic data on the Məgang (=Bolu, Pelu) language spoken northwest of Bauchi town in some eight villages. Previously the language was known only from a short wordlist. Məgang is closely related to Gyaazi, part of West South Bauchi. It has a reduced consonant inventory compared with some neighbouring South Bauchi languages, the usual six vowels with length contrast, and three tone heights. A brief section compares the lexicon of Məgang with related languages.
Introduction to a preliminary dictionary of the Fɨran language of Central Nigeria
2024
This is the introduction to a preliminary dictionary of the Fɨran language [fir], posted separately, which is spoken in Kwakwi and surrounding hamlets in Ganawuri District, Riyom LGA, Plateau State, in central Nigeria. Fɨran is an Izeric language, one of the subgroups of Plateau and ultimately of Benue-Congo. Fɨran is a noun class language with alternating prefixes marking number. The system of alternations is described briefly.
AN INTRODUCTION TO JAKU [jku], A BARELY DOCUMENTED JARAWAN BANTU LANGUAGE OF CENTRAL NIGERIA
2024
This is an introduction to the Labɨr [jku] or Jaku language, spoken in Bauchi State, Nigeria. Jaku is almost completely undocumented, with only short wordlists in the literature. Jaku is a Jarawan Bantu language, part of the branch of Bantu which migrated north and west. The paper presents a basic phonology, a brief grammar sketch. It includes recommendations for orthography. It should be used together with a lexicon of Jaku, presented separately.
A grammar and lexicon of Kam (àŋwɔ̀m), a Niger-Congo language of central eastern Nigeria
2020
Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales École doctorale n°265 Langues, littératures et sociétés du monde LLACAN UMR8135 THÈSE présentée par Jakob LESAGE soutenue le 25 juin 2020 pour obtenir le grade de Docteur de l'INALCO en Sciences du langage : linguistique et didactique des langues A grammar and lexicon of Kam (àŋwɔm), a Niger-Congo language of central eastern Nigeria
Nominal affixing in the Kainji languages of north-western and central Nigeria
Paper prepared for a volume edited by John Watters on Benue-Congo nominal affixes, 2015
The Kainji languages of northwest and central Nigeria remain little-researched and sparsely described. Their nominal morphology strongly resembles Bantu typologically, but finding segmental cognates remains problematic. They show systems of alternating prefixes and alliterative concord, as well as diminutive and augmentative prefixes and CV- prefixes with underspecified vowels, where the -V of the prefix harmonises with the stem vowel. The limited segmental cognates point to radical restructuring through affix loss and renewal. Indeed one language, Shen, has lost all nominal morphology and it is severely reduced in some branches. Reshe is typologically similar to other Kainji languages, but the affixes seem to have been completely restructured. The paper gives and overview of the literature on Kainji and then describes the nominal affixing in individual branches. It concludes by suggesting what assumptions can be made about Kainji as a whole, with a focus on the nasal prefixes (or their absence).
THE PHONOLOGY AND NOUN MORPHOLOGY OF YI KITƱLΕ, AN ADAMAWA LANGUAGE OF EAST-CENTRAL NIGERIA
Proceedings of the first Adamawa Conference (Mainz, September 9–11 2019). Sabine Littig, Friederike Vigeland, Alexander Zheltov eds. Language in Africa, 1(3): 155–180., 2020
The paper describes the phonology and nominal morphology of KItʊlε, an Adamawa language of the Tula-Waja group, spoken in East-Central Nigeria. KItʊlε has a restricted consonant inventory, marked by a loss of voicing contrast in most consonants. It has a system of ATR vowel harmony, which has begun to erode in many lexical items. There are three level tones plus rising and falling glides. The underlying system of nominal number marking is suffix alternation as with the other languages in the group, but this has undergone numerous alterations, in part due to the addition of prefix alterations, and fossilised suffixes which have been incorporated into the stem. Some of these then appear as infixes, although this is not the underlying system. A note on demonstratives is appended, which shows that these are not directly concordial, but which have a broad semantic logic.
Jakato, an undocumented language of Central Nigeria
2019
This is an introduction and basic phonology, orthography proposal and a short dictionary of Jakato, a previously undocumented language in southern Plateau State, Nigeria. Jakato is part of West Chadic, A3, and the paper presents evidence for its affiliation within the A3 group. Although the Jakato claim cultural links with the Goemai, linguistically, they are closest to the PAN (Kofyar cluster). They also show some lexical influence from Koenoem, a Talic language, immediately to the west. However, the phonology is simplified, with secondary stop and fricative series, like north languages such as Mwaghavul. The paper argues that Jakato should be identified as a distinct languge and thus assigned an ISO code.
IDEOPHONES IN DZƏ (JENJO), AN ADAMAWA LANGUAGE OF NORTHEASTERN NIGERIA
Language in Africa, 2020
Ideophone is a phenomenon dominant in African languages. Dzə is an under-investigated and under-documented Adamawa language found in Taraba, Adamawa and Gombe States, Northeastern Nigeria. It was noticed that the language has a lot of ideophones. It became necessary to study it to understand its importance in the language. This study is to draw the attention of scholars working on Ada-mawa languages and ideophones. It will also thus form part of the grammar of Dzə someday. The study of ideophone is not exhaustive, especially in the minority languages of Northeastern Nigeria. The study shows that Dzə ideophones express intensity, emphasis and description. Dzə ideophones have unique phonological features and some of the sounds found in the conventional phonology of Dzə are not found in the ideophones. The phoneme /ŋ/ is common in the coda position of the ideophones. Ideophones modify verbs, adjectives and nouns in Dzə. They also function as adverbs and are elements that constitute a noun phrase. They augment other word classes like nouns, verbs and adjectives.
The Languages of Rivers State of Nigeria: An Overview
Marang: Journal of Language and Literature, 2019
This paper provides an updated overview of the languages of Rivers State of Nigeria in respect of the number, linguistic classification and features of the languages, as well as the distribution of the languages across the 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state. This is because the existing overviews contain little or no data on the linguistic features of the languages. It notes that Rivers State is a multilingual state in which 28 native or indigenous languages are spoken, and that the languages fall into two major sub-families (Benue-Congo and Ijoid) within the Niger-Congo phylum. With relevant data, the paper highlights and illustrates some of the interesting linguistic characteristics of the languages, which include advanced tongue root vowel harmony, noun classification via noun prefixes and noun classifiers, inclusive-exclusive distinction in personal pronouns, sex gender, verbal extensions, serial verb constructions and subject and/or object agreement marking. Furthermore, the paper considers the distribution of Rivers State languages and notes that the languages are not evenly distributed across the LGAs, and that many indigenous people of the state are bilingual or multilingual in the languages of the state. Finally, the paper notes that despite the enabling national and state policies and laws favouring mother-tongue education, Rivers State languages have not actively been used at the levels stipulated by the policies and laws. It recommends the enforcement and implementation of existing laws and policies so that the indigenous languages of the state are used at the levels stipulated by the National Policy on Education for the benefit of the citizens, state and country.
A Description of Dzә (Jenjo) Nouns and Noun Phrases, an Adamawa Language of Northeastern Nigeria
2020
Dzə [jen] is an Adamawa language spoken in some parts of Taraba, Adamawa and Gombe states in Northeastern Nigeria. The study presented in the article syntactically describes nouns and noun phrases in Dzə. In an attempt to document Dzə and taking into consideration that Dzə is an under-investigated and under-documented language, the result will provide important data to typological research and to linguists working on Adamawa languages. The study adopts a descriptive research design in collecting, describing and analyzing the data. The data was obtained from fieldwork in December 2014, personal observations of daily conversations, introspection and the Dzə Bible. In the article, a brief overview of the phonology and tone of Dzə is provided. It also shows the different kinds of nouns, pronouns and noun phrases in Dzə; simple and complex noun phrases. The language is rich in pronouns, consisting of subject pronouns, object pronouns, reflexive pronouns, interrogative pronouns and posses...
Belnәng, an undocumented Chadic language of Central Nigeria
This is an introduction and basic phonology, orthography proposal and a short dictionary of Belnəng, a previously undocumented language in southern Plateau State, Nigeria. Belnəng is part of West Chadic, A3, and the paper presents evidence for its affiliation within the A3 group. The phonology is simplified, like northern languages such as Mwaghavul, without the secondary stop and fricative series characteristic of the neighbouring Tal. Although the Belnəng claim cultural links with the Ngas, linguistically, this is not supported by the lexical data. Belnəng shows some lexical influence from Tal immediately to the east and Miship to the west. However, the presence of idiosyncratic lexical items suggests the possibility that Belnəng is a remnant of former languages spoken in the area now settled by the expanding Tal. The paper argues that Belnəng should be identified as a distinct language and thus assigned an ISO code.
Review: An Introduction to African Languages
An introduction to African languages is a somewhat atypical work that serves, on the one hand, as a kind of extended scholarly review of a selection of significant linguistic research on African languages from as for back as Koelle (1854) to the present day, while, on the other hand, adopting a tone and format more along the lines of an introductory textbook than a book for specialists.