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 classificationAfro-Asiatic
Glottologwest2717
West Chadic per Newman (1977)
Main Chadic-speaking peoples in Nigeria

Languages

The Angas languages are:[3]

Angas

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]

Unlike many other West Chadic languages, Angas languages do not have complex nominal and verbal morphology.[6]

Ywom is the most divergent language.[7]

Phonology

Some phonological characteristics that are typical of the Chadic A3 languages:[3]

Morphology

The West Chadic A3 languages have isolating morphology due to typological convergence with the Plateau languages. Blench (2022) notes that there are many morphological similarities with Berom, Izere, and Ninzic languages (such as Mada), although there are no immediately identifiable direct lexical borrowings. Although Hausa and the West Chadic A3 languages share many lexical cognates, Hausa is much more morphologically complex. This is because Hausa originated from outside the Plateau area and had thus not undergone intensive long-term contact with Plateau languages to the extent that West Chadic A3 had.[8]

Plurals are marked with an *mV- affix throughout West Chadic A3 languages.[8]

Lexicon

The West Chadic A3 languages are lexically innovative, having lost many common Chadic lexical roots as with the Ron and South Bauchi languages. Blench (2022) suggests that this is due to borrowing from Plateau languages that have since become extinct and/or assimilated.[8]

Names and locations

Below is a comprehensive list of Angas language names, populations, and locations from Blench (2019).[9]

LanguageClusterDialectsAlternate spellingsOwn name for languageEndonym(s)Other names (location-based)Other names for languageExonym(s)SpeakersLocation(s)Notes
MishipLongmaar, JiɓaamShip, Chip, Cip10,127 (Ames 1934), 6,000 (SIL)Plateau State, Mangu and Shendam LGAs
Cakfem–Mushere clusterCakfem–Mushere
CakfemCakfem–MushereJajuraChakfem, Chokfem5,000 (SIL)Plateau State, Mangu LGA
MushereCakfem–MushereMushere is sharply divided into two dialects, plus Kadim spoken in a single villageMushereAbout 13 villagesPlateau State, Mangu LGA
NgasHill and PlainNngas NgasKerang55,250 (1952 W&B)Plateau State, Pankshin, Kanam and Langtang LGAs
YwomYiwomGerkanci, GurkaGerkawa2,520 (Ames 1934); 8,000 (1973 SIL)Plateau State, Shendam and Langtang LGAs
Jorto4,876 (1934 Ames)Plateau State, Shendam LGA, at Dokan KasuwaSpurious language? (No data)
KoenoemKanam1,898 (1934 Ames); 3,000 (SIL)Plateau State, Shendam LGA
KofaLocally said to be a separate language; linguistic status uncertainKotaAdamawa State, Song LGA, north of Belel road a Chadic language of the Bura group
TelTeel, TehlBaltap, Montoil, Montol13,386 (1934 Ames); 20,000 (1973 SIL)Plateau State, Shendam LGA
Mwaghavul clusterMwaghavul
MwaghavulMwaghavulMwahavulSuraSura20,000 (1952 W&B); 40,000 (1973 SIL); current informal estimates suggest around 200,000 speakersPlateau State, Barkin Ladi and Mangu LGAs
MupunMwaghavulMapan
TakasMwaghavulToos
Pan clusterPanKofyar72,946 (1963)Plateau State, Shendam, Mangu and Lafia LGAs
MernyangPanLarr/Lardang and Mikiet are said to be 'offsets' of Mirriam16,739 (1963)Plateau State, Shendam LGA
DoemakPanDәmak, DimmukKofyarKwongPlateau State, Shendam LGA
TèŋPanTengPlateau State, Qaʼan Pan LGAno data
KwagallakPanNteng (Jasikit)? no dataKwaʼalangKwalla, Kwolla25,403 (1963)Plateau State, Shendam LGA
BwolPanBwal, Mbol3,853 (1963)Nasarawa State, Lafia LGA
GworamPanGiverom, Goram3,055 (1952)Nasarawa State, Lafia LGA
JipalPanJepel, Jepal, JibyalPlateau State, Mangu LGA
ShindaiPanPlateau State, Qaʼan Pan LGA, Namu Districtno data
GoemaiGoemaicAnkwai, Ankwe13,507 in Shendam (1934 Ames); 80,000 (1973 SIL)Nasarawa State, Shendam, Awe and Lafia LGAs
TalTalic6 dialects recognised, although all are mutually intelligibleAmtul [=Hampul]Kwabzak9,210 (1934 Ames); 10,000 (1973 SIL); 26,000 (2014 estimate). Live in 52 settlementsPlateau State, Pankshin LGA
PyapungTalicPiapun, Pyapun5,167 [including a 'few hundred Tal speakers' (Ames 1934); 10,000 (RMB est. 2016)Plateau State, Shendam LGA

References
  1. Takács, Gábor. 2004. Comparative Dictionary of the Angas-Sura Languages. Berlin: Reimer.
  2. Blench, Roger (2019). "Jakato: an undocumented language of Central Nigeria".
  3. Blench, Roger. 2017. Current research on the A3 West Chadic languages.
  4. Sirlinger, Father E. 1937. Dictionary of the Goemai Language. Prefecture Apostolic of Jos. Typescript.
  5. Sirlinger, Father E. 1942. A grammar of the Goemai Language. Prefecture Apostolic of Jos. Typescript.
  6. Blench, Roger. 2021. The erosion of number marking in West Chadic Roger Blench. WOCAL, Leiden.
  7. Blench, Roger. 2021. West Chadic classification 2021. Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.
  8. Blench, Roger (2022). Contact between West Chadic and Plateau languages: new evidence languages: new evidence. 11-12 November 2022, presentation given at Universität Wien.
  9. Blench, Roger (2019). An Atlas of Nigerian Languages (4th ed.). Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.

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