Upper Cross River languages

Upper Cross River
Upper Cross
Geographic
distribution		SE Nigeria
Linguistic classificationNiger–Congo?
Subdivisions
  • Central
  • Akpet
  • Agoi–Doko–Iyoniyong
  • Kiong–Korop
Language codes
Glottologuppe1418

The Upper Cross River languages form a branch of the Cross River languages of Cross River State, Nigeria. The most populous languages are Lokö and Mbembe, with 100,000 speakers.

Languages

The internal structure per Cornell (1994), reproduced in Williamson and Blench (2000), is as follows:

 Upper Cross 
 Central 
 North–South 
Koring–Kukele

Oring (Koring)

Kele (Kukele), Zekwe (Uzekwe)

Ubaghara–Kohumono

Kohumono: Humono (Kohumono), Gwune (Agwagwune), Umon

Ubaghara

 East–West 

Ikom

Loko: Lokaa, Lubila, Nkukoli

Mbembe–Legbo

Mbembe

Legbo: Legbo (Gbo), Nyima (Lenyima), Yigha (Leyigha)

Akpet: Ukpet-Ehom

Agoi, Doko (Uyanga), Iyongiyong (Bakpinka)

Kiong–Kororb: Kiong (Kayon), Dorop (Korop)

Names and locations

Below is a list of language names, populations, and locations from Blench (2019).[1]


Language Branch Cluster Dialects Alternate spellings Own name for language Endonym(s) Other names (location-based) Other names for language Exonym(s) Speakers Location(s)
Agọi Agoi WaGọi Ibami Ro Bambami Wa Bambami 3,650 (1953); estimated 12,000 (Faraclas 1989) Cross River State, Obubra LGA, Agoi–Ekpo, Ekom–Agoi, Agoi–Ibami and Itu–Agoi towns
Kiọng Akoiyang, Äkäyöñ, Okoyong, Okonyong Spoken only by old people, younger generation speak Efik Cross River State, Odukpani and Akamkpa LGAs
Kọrọp Durop, Kurop Kòṛ óp̣ Ododop 12,500 total (1982 SIL) Cross River State, Odukpani and Akamkpa LGAs; and in Cameroon
Legbo East–West Gbo Legbo Agbo Itigidi Igbo Imaban 18,500 (1963); 30,000 (1973 SIL) Cross River State, Obubra LGA; Abia State, Afikpo LGA
Lenyima East–West Anyima Inyima Cross River State, Obubra LGA
Leyigha East–West Ayiga, Yigha Asiga 3,150 (1953) Cross River State, Obubra LGA
Lokәә East–West Ugep, Nkpam Lokә, Lokö Yakạ, Yakә, Yakurr, Yakö Ugep 38,200 (1953); 100,000 (1973 SIL) Cross River State, Obubra LGA
Lubila East–West Kabila Ojor, Kabila, Kaibre, Kabire Cross River State, Akamkpa LGA, at Ojo Nkomba, and Ojo Akangba
Mbembe East–West Adun, Okom (Eghom) (sub–dialects: Apiapum, Ohana, Onyen), Osopong (Ezopong), Ofombonga (Ewumbonga), Ofonokpan, Okorogbana, Ekama (Akam) in Ikom LGA, Oferikpe in Abakaliki LGA Okam, Oderiga, Wakande, Ifunubwa, Ekokoma, Ofunobwan (per Thomas) 35,600 (1953); 100,000 (1982 UBS) Cross River State, Obubra and Ikom LGAs; Anambra State, Abakaliki LGA
Nkukoli East–West Nkokolle Lokukoli Ekuri 17,831 (1926 Talbot); 10,000 (1973 SIL) Cross River State, Ikom, Obubra and Akamkpa LGAs, Iko Ekperem Development Area
Olulumọ–Ikọm cluster East–West Olulumọ–Ikọm Òkúní 9,250 (1953) Cross River State, Ikom LGA
Olulumọ East–West Olulumọ–Ikọm Òlúlùmọ 1,730 (1953); 5,000 (Faraclas 1989)
Ikọm East–West Olulumọ–Ikọm 7,520 (1953); 25,000 (Faraclas 1989)
Bakpinka East–West Iyongiyong, Iyoniyong Uwet Begbungba Cross River State, Akamkpa LGA
Doko–Uyanga East–West Dọsanga Basanga Iko Several towns Cross River State, Akamkpa LGA
Ukpet–Ehom cluster East–West Ukpet–Ehom Akpet–Ehom Cross River State, Akamkpa LGA
Ukpet East–West Ukpet–Ehom Akpet
Ehom East–West Ukpet–Ehom Ubeteng Ebeteng
Kukele North–South 4 dialects in north, 3 in south, Ugbala, Mtezi and Mtezi–Iteeji in Anambra State, Abakaliki LGA Ukele, Ukelle Kukele Bakele 31,700 (1953); 40,000 (1980 UBS) Cross River State, Ogoja LGA; Anambra State, Abakaliki LGA; Benue State, Okpokwu and Oju LGAs; and in Cameroon
Ubaghara cluster North–South Ubaghara 30,000 (1985 UBS) Cross River State, Akamkpa LGA
Biakpan North–South Ubaghara Ubaghara Development Area
Ikun North–South Ubaghara Ubaghara Development Area
Etono North–South Ubaghara Ubaghara Development Area
Ugbem North–South Ubaghara Egup–Ita Development Area
Utuma North–South Ubaghara Umon Development Area
Kohumono North–South Kohumono KoHumono BaHumono, sg. Òhúmónò Ediba (under Ekurĩ (Thomas) Ekumuru, Ìkúmúrú, Ìkúmóró (Igbo name); Àtàm (Efik name) 11,870 (1952) Cross River State, Abi and Obubra LGA
KOIN (Kalaḅarị–Okrika–Ịḅanị–Nkọrọ) North–South Kohumono Kalaḅarị, Kịrịkẹ (Okrika), Ịḅanị dialects and the isolated lect Nkọrọ Kokura (Bura Kokura), belonging to the Tera cluster Rivers State, Asari–Toru, Degema, Bonny, Okrika, and Port Harcourt LGAs
Oring cluster North–South Oring Orri Koring at least 25,000 (1952 RGA); 75,000 (Faraclas 1989) Benue State, Okpokwu LGA; Anambra State, Ishielu LGA
Ufia North–South Oring Utonkon 12,300 (1952 RGA) Benue State, Okpokwu LGA
Ufiom North–South Oring Effium 3,000 (1952 RGA) Benue State, Okpokwu LGA; Anambra State, Ishielu LGA
Okpoto North–South Oring 6,350 (1952 RGA) Anambra State, Ishielu LGA
Umon North–South Amon 25 villages Cross River State, Akamkpa LGA
Uzekwe North–South Ezekwe 5,000 (1973 SIL) Cross River State, Ogoja LGA
Agwagwune cluster North–South Agwagwune Agwa–Gwunɛ 20,000 (SIL) Cross River State, Akamkpa LGA
Agwagwune North–South Agwagwune Gwune Agwagwune Akunakuna (not recommended), Akurakura (of Koelle) Cross River State, Akamkpa LGA, Egup–Ipa Development Area
Erei North–South Agwagwune Ezei Enna Cross River State, Akamkpa LGA, Erei Development Area
Abini North–South Agwagwune Bini, Abiri Obini Cross River State, Akamkpa LGA, Egup–Ipa Development Area
Adim North–South Agwagwune Arәm, Dim Odim Orum Cross River State, Akamkpa LGA, Egup–Ipa Development Area
Abayongo North–South Agwagwune Bayono, Bayino Cross River State, Akamkpa LGA, Egup–Ipa Development Area
Etono II North–South Agwagwune Etuno Cross River State, Akamkpa LGA, Ubaghara Development Area

Reconstruction

A reconstruction of Proto-Upper Cross River has been proposed by Gerrit Dimmendaal (1978).[2]

See also

References

  1. ^ Blench, Roger (2019). An Atlas of Nigerian Languages (4th ed.). Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.
  2. ^ Dimmendaal, Gerrit J. 1978. The Consonants of Proto-Upper Cross and their Implications for the Classification of the Upper Cross Languages. Leiden: Leiden University.

 This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 3.0 license.

  • ComparaLex, database with Upper Cross River word lists