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 and Ebira languages, each with about 4 million speakers. Most Nupoid languages have 3 level tones.[1]

Nupoid
Geographic
distribution
Central Nigeria; along the Niger River from the confluence of the Benue and north
Linguistic classificationNiger–Congo?
  • Atlantic–Congo
    • Volta–Niger
      • noi
        • Nupoid
Subdivisions
  • Ebira–Gade
  • Nupe–Ganagana
Glottolognupo1239

Languages

Roger Blench (2013: 4) classifies the Nupoid languages as follows.[1]

In addition, Koro Zuba is close to Dibo.[2]

Names and locations

Below is a list of language names, populations, and locations from Blench (2019).[3]

LanguageClusterDialectsAlternate spellingsOwn name for languageEndonym(s)Other names (location-based)Other names for languageExonym(s)SpeakersLocation(s)
DiboDiboDiboShitako, Zitako, ZhitakoGanagawa, Ganagana4 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 clusterNupe–Nupe TakoCentral Nupe has become the accepted literary form.BassaNge360,000 (1952); 1,000,000 (1987 UBS) may include closely related languagesNiger State, Lavun, Mariga, Gbako, Agaie, and Lapai LGAs; Kwara State, Edu and Kogi LGAs; Federal Capital Territory; Kogi State, Bassa LGA. Lokoja
Nupe (Central)Nupe–Nupe TakoNife, Nyffe, AnupeNupeNupeNupe CentralAmpeyi, Anupecwayi, Anuperi, Tappah, Takpa, Tapa, Nupenci, NupenciziAnufawa, Nyffe283,000 (1931 DF); estimated 1,000,000 (2000)
Nupe TakoNupe–Nupe TakoIbaraBasa Nge19,100 (1931 DF)Kogi State, Bassa LGA, Kwara State
GadeGedeGadeGade60,000 (Sterk 1977)Federal Capital Territory; Nasarawa State, Nasarawa LGA
Ebira clusterEbiraIgbirra, Igbira, Egbira, Egbura154,500 (1952 P.Bruns), 500,000 (1980 UBS); about 1M (1989 Adive)[4]Kwara State, Okene, Okehi, and Kogi LGAs; Nasarawa State, Nasarawa LGA; Edo State, Akoko–Edo LGA
OkeneEbiraKwara State, Okene, Okehi, and Kogi LGAs
EtunoEbiratụnọIgaraEdo State, Akoko–Edo LGA, Igara town
KotoEbiraIgu (Egu, Ika, Bira, Birĩ, PandaNasarawa State, Nasarawa LGA, Toto and Umaisha towns, Kogi State, Bassa LGA
Gupa–AbawaGupa, Abawaestimated more than 10,000 Gupa and 5,000 Abawa (1989)Niger State, Lapai LGA around Gupa and Edzu villages
Kamimore than 5000 (Blench 1989 est.)Niger State, Lapai LGA, Ebo town & 11 villages
AsuAsuAsuAbewaEbe5000 (Blench 1987)Niger State: Mariga LGA: several villages south of Kontagora on the Mokwa road
KakandaKakandaKakanda–Budon, Kakanda–Gbanmi/SokunAkandaHyabe, Adyaktye4,500 (1931); 20,000 (1989 Blench)Kwara State, Kogi LGA; Niger State, Agaie and Lapai LGAs; communities along the Niger centered on Bida)
KupaKwara State, Kogi LGA, around Abugi (52 villages)

Reconstructions

The following Proto-Nupoid reconstructions are from Blench (2013).

GlossProto-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):

GlossProto-Nupe-Gbari
Pennisetum americanum (long-season millet)*màkwú
Pennisetum americanum (short-season millet)*sàkwú; *kpàyì
Digitaria exilis*-furu

References

  1. Blench, Roger. 2013. The Nupoid languages of west-central Nigeria: overview and comparative word list.
  2. ISO 639-3 Registration Authority ISO. Retrieved 16 December 2022
  3. Blench, Roger (2019). An Atlas of Nigerian Languages (4th ed.). Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.
  4. Adive, John R. 1989. The verbal piece in Ebira. Arlington: Summer Institute of Linguistics and University of Texas, Arlington.

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