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 | |
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Geographic distribution | Central Nigeria; along the Niger River from the confluence of the Benue and north |
Linguistic classification | Niger–Congo?
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Subdivisions |
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Glottolog | nupo1239 |
Roger Blench (2013: 4) classifies the Nupoid languages as follows.[1]
In addition, Koro Zuba is close to Dibo.[2]
Below is a list of language names, populations, and locations from Blench (2019).[3]
Language | Cluster | Dialects | Alternate spellings | Own name for language | Endonym(s) | Other names (location-based) | Other names for language | Exonym(s) | Speakers | Location(s) |
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Dibo | Dibo | Dibo | Shitako, Zitako, Zhitako | Ganagawa, Ganagana | 4 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 cluster | Nupe–Nupe Tako | Central Nupe has become the accepted literary form. | BassaNge | 360,000 (1952); 1,000,000 (1987 UBS) may include closely related languages | Niger 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 Tako | Nife, Nyffe, Anupe | Nupe | Nupe | Nupe Central | Ampeyi, Anupecwayi, Anuperi, Tappah, Takpa, Tapa, Nupenci, Nupencizi | Anufawa, Nyffe | 283,000 (1931 DF); estimated 1,000,000 (2000) | ||
Nupe Tako | Nupe–Nupe Tako | Ibara | Basa Nge | 19,100 (1931 DF) | Kogi State, Bassa LGA, Kwara State | |||||
Gade | Gede | Gade | Gade | 60,000 (Sterk 1977) | Federal Capital Territory; Nasarawa State, Nasarawa LGA | |||||
Ebira cluster | Ebira | Igbirra, Igbira, Egbira, Egbura | 154,500 (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 | ||||||
Okene | Ebira | Kwara State, Okene, Okehi, and Kogi LGAs | ||||||||
Etuno | Ebira | tụnọ | Igara | Edo State, Akoko–Edo LGA, Igara town | ||||||
Koto | Ebira | Igu (Egu, Ika, Bira, Birĩ, Panda | Nasarawa State, Nasarawa LGA, Toto and Umaisha towns, Kogi State, Bassa LGA | |||||||
Gupa–Abawa | Gupa, Abawa | estimated more than 10,000 Gupa and 5,000 Abawa (1989) | Niger State, Lapai LGA around Gupa and Edzu villages | |||||||
Kami | more than 5000 (Blench 1989 est.) | Niger State, Lapai LGA, Ebo town & 11 villages | ||||||||
Asu | Asu | Asu | Abewa | Ebe | 5000 (Blench 1987) | Niger State: Mariga LGA: several villages south of Kontagora on the Mokwa road | ||||
Kakanda | Kakanda | Kakanda–Budon, Kakanda–Gbanmi/Sokun | Akanda | Hyabe, Adyaktye | 4,500 (1931); 20,000 (1989 Blench) | Kwara State, Kogi LGA; Niger State, Agaie and Lapai LGAs; communities along the Niger centered on Bida) | ||||
Kupa | Kwara State, Kogi LGA, around Abugi (52 villages) |
The following Proto-Nupoid reconstructions are from Blench (2013).
Gloss | Proto-Nupoid |
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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):
Gloss | Proto-Nupe-Gbari |
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Pennisetum americanum (long-season millet) | *màkwú |
Pennisetum americanum (short-season millet) | *sàkwú; *kpàyì |
Digitaria exilis | *-furu |
This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 3.0 license.
Niger–Congo branches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Atlantic–Congo |
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Mande |
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Kordofanian | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
others | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
isolates | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
unclassified |
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