Nyingwom language

The Nyingwom or Kam language is a Niger-Congo language spoken in eastern Nigeria. Blench (2019) lists speakers residing in the main villages of Mayo Kam and Kamajim in Bali LGA, Taraba State.[2] Lesage reports that Kam is spoken in 27 villages of Bali LGA. [3]

This article is about the language spoken in Nigeria. For the language spoken in China, see Kam language.
Nyingwom
Kam
Àngwɔ̀m
Pronunciation[ɲí ŋwɔ̀m]
Regioneastern Nigeria
Native speakers
(5,000 cited 1993)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3kdx
Glottologkamm1249
Nyí ŋwɔ̀m
Personnyí ŋwɔ̀m
Countryàbìbì nyí ŋwɔ̀m

Nyingwom was labeled as branch "G8" in Joseph Greenberg's Adamawa language family proposal. The precise classification of Kam is a matter of current research.

Speakers refer to themselves and their language as Nyí ŋwɔ̀m. Kamajim (Kam: àngwɔ́g ɲí 'house of the people') is the traditional capital of the Kam at the western foothills of a mountain range situated to the north of the Kam River. The Kam have historically been in extensive contact with the Kororofa Jukun.[3]

Distribution

Kam or Nyingwom is spoken by approximately fewer than 5,000 speakers in the settlements of:[4]

  • Sarkin Dawa (70)
  • Mayo Kam (150)
  • Garin Hamza (700)
  • Din Kamaajin A, B, C, D (3,000)
  • Garin Laa (300)
  • Garin Bandari (300)

However, Jakob Lesage estimates 20,000-25,000 speakers in 27 villages in May 2017.[3]

Unlike many other Niger-Congo languages, Kam does not have a noun class system.

Further reading
  • Lesage, Jakob. 2019. Selected Kam documentation (with audio). Pangloss Collection: An archive for endangered languages.
  • Meek, Charles K. 1931. Tribal Studies in Northern Nigeria, Vol. 2. London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co., Ltd.

References
  1. Nyingwom at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. Blench, Roger (2019). An Atlas of Nigerian Languages (4th ed.). Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.
  3. Lesage, Jakob. Kam. AdaGram.
  4. Kleinewillinghöfer, Ulrich. 2015. Some notes on Nyiŋɔm (aka Nyingwom or Kam).
  • Kam, by Jakob Lesage. AdaGram.
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