Ninzic languages

Ninzic
Plateau IV
Geographic
distribution		Nigeria
Linguistic classificationNiger–Congo?
Language codes
Glottologninz1247

The dozen or so Ninzic languages are a branch of the Plateau family spoken in central Nigeria.

Classification

There is little data on the Ninzic languages, and it is not clear that all of the following languages are related. Blench (2008) lists the following languages, twice as many as Greenberg 1963 ("Plateau IV"). They are not subclassified apart from a few obvious dialect clusters.

Ce (Che, Rukuba), Ninzo (Ninzam), Mada, Ninkyop (Kaninkwom)–Nindem, Kanufi (Anib), Gwantu (Gbantu), Bu-Ninkada (Bu), Ningye, Nungu, Ninka, Gbətsu, Nkɔ

and perhaps Ayu.

Names and locations

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


Language Cluster Dialects Alternate spellings Own name for language Endonym(s) Other names (location-based) Other names for language Exonym(s) Speakers Location(s)
Anib Kanufi Anib Aninib Karshi 2000 (est. 2006) Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA. Anib is spoken in two villages about 5 km. west of Gimi, the junction on the Akwanga road which leads towards Kafanchan. Kanufi I is locally called Ákpúrkpòd, and Kanufi II called Ákob.
Bu-Ningkada cluster Bu-Ningkada Jida, Abu, Raga (dialect of Abu) Jidda, Ibut Nakare Nasarawa State, Akwanga LGA
Bu Bu-Ningkada
Ningkada Bu-Ningkada
Che Ce Kuche Bache Rukuba Sale, Inchazi 15,600 (1936 HDG); 50,000 (1973 SIL) Plateau State, Bassa LGA
Mada Northern and Western clusters. Dialect survey results in Price 1991). Mәda Yidda 25,628 (1922 Temple); 15,145 (1934 Ames); 30,000 (1973 SIL) Nasarawa State, Akwanga, Kokona and Keffi LGAs; Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA
Ninkyop–Nindem cluster Ninkyop–Nindem Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA
Ninkyop Ninkyop–Nindem Kaningkwom, Kaninkon Ninkyop, Ninkyob 2,291 (1934)
Nindem Ninkyop–Nindem Inidem, Nindam, Nidem
Ningye Ningeshe Ningye Ningye <5000 (Blench 2003) Kaduna State. 5 villages along the Fadan Karshe-Akwanga road, directly north of Gwantu. Villages are: Kobin, Akwankwan, Wambe, Ningeshen Kurmi, Ningeshen Sarki.
Ninka Sanga <5000 Kaduna State, Sanga LGA
Ninzo Ámàr Ràndá, Ámàr Tìtá, Ancha (Închà), Kwásù (Ákìzà), Sàmbè, Fadan Wate (Hátè) Ninzam, Ninzom Gbhu 6,999 (1934 Ames); 35,000 (1973 SIL) 50,000 (Blench 2003) Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA; Nasarawa State, Akwanga LGA
Numbu–Gbantu-Nunku–Numana cluster Numbu–Gbantu-Nunku–Numana cluster Sanga [mistakenly applied to this cluster, but see entry under Ninka] 11,000 (1922 Temple); 3,818 (1934 Ames); 15,000 (SIL) Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA; Nasarawa State, Akwanga LGA
Numbu Numbu–Gbantu-Nunku–(Numana)–cluster The main settlements of the Numbu are àzà Wúùn, Ambεntɔ̀k, Anepwa, Akoshey, Amkpong, Gbancûn, Amfɔɔr and Adaŋgaŋ. There are likely several thousand speakers. Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA; Nasarawa State, Akwanga LGA
Gbantu Numbu–Gbantu-Nunku–(Numana)–cluster Gwanto Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA; Nasarawa State, Akwanga LGA
Nunku Numbu–Gbantu-Nunku–(Numana)–cluster Nunku has three sub-dialects, Nunku [spoken in Nunku and Ungwar Mallam], Nunkucu [in Nunkucu and Anku] and a sub-dialect spoken in Nicok (Ungwar Jatau) and Ungwan Makama villages. Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA; Nasarawa State, Akwanga LGA
Numana Numbu–Gbantu-Nunku–(Numana)–cluster Nimana Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA; Nasarawa State, Akwanga LGA
Rindre Rindre, Gudi Rendre, Rindiri, Lindiri Wamba, Nungu 10,000 (1972 Welmers); 25,000 (SIL) Nasarawa State, Akwanga LGA
Ayu Aya 2,642 (Ames 1934) Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA
Gbǝtsu Mada Katanza 5000 (2008 est.) Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA. About six villages east of the road north of Akwanga
Nko Mada Agyaga 1000 (2008 est.) Nasarawa State, Akwanga West LGA. Single village about 15 km southwest of Nunku, which is 20 km north of Akwanga

Footnotes

  1. ^ Blench, Roger (2019). An Atlas of Nigerian Languages (4th ed.). Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.

References

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