Angas languages
| Angas | |
|---|---|
| Angas–Sura, Central West Chadic, A.3 West Chadic | |
| Geographic distribution | Shendam and Mangu LGAs, Plateau State, Nigeria |
| Linguistic classification | Afro-Asiatic
|
| Language codes | |
| Glottolog | west2717 |
 West Chadic per Newman (1977) | |
The Angas, Angas–Sura,[1] or Central West Chadic languages[2] (also known as A.3 West Chadic) are a branch of West Chadic languages spoken in Plateau State, north-central Nigeria.
Languages
[edit]The Angas languages are:[3]
- Angas
- Ngasic: Ngas (Angas), Belnəng; ?Miler
- Mwaghavulic: Mwaghavul, Mupun (Mapun), Takas (Toos); Cakfem-Mushere
- Miship (Chip)
- Pan cluster
- Nteng
- Tel (Tɛɛl, Montol)
- Talic: Tal, Pyapun, Koenoem
- Goemaic: Goemai
- Yiwom (Ywom, Gerka)[3]
Note that in the language names, orthographic oe stands for the mid central vowel ə, a practice that had been adopted by missionaries in the Shendam area during the 1930s, such as Father E. Sirlinger.[3][4][5]
Unlike many other West Chadic languages, Angas languages do not have complex nominal and verbal morphology.[6]
Ywom is the most divergent language.[7]
Phonology
[edit]Some phonological characteristics that are typical of the Chadic A3 languages:[3]
- Palatalised consonants
- Implosive consonants ɓ, ɗ
- Six-vowel system consisting of i, ɨ, u, ɛ, ɔ, a
- Three tone levels
Morphology
[edit]The West Chadic A3 languages have isolating morphology due to typological convergence with the Plateau languages. Blench (2022) notes that there are many morphological similarities with Berom, Izere, and Ninzic languages (such as Mada), although there are no immediately identifiable direct lexical borrowings. Although Hausa and the West Chadic A3 languages share many lexical cognates, Hausa is much more morphologically complex. This is because Hausa originated from outside the Plateau area and had thus not undergone intensive long-term contact with Plateau languages to the extent that West Chadic A3 had.[8]
Plurals are marked with an *mV- affix throughout West Chadic A3 languages.[8]
Lexicon
[edit]The West Chadic A3 languages are lexically innovative, having lost many common Chadic lexical roots as with the Ron and South Bauchi languages. Blench (2022) suggests that this is due to borrowing from Plateau languages that have since become extinct and/or assimilated.[8]
Names and locations
[edit]Below is a comprehensive list of Angas language names, populations, and locations from Blench (2019).[9]
| Language | Cluster | Dialects | Alternate spellings | Own name for language | Endonym(s) | Other names (location-based) | Other names for language | Exonym(s) | Speakers | Location(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miship | Longmaar, Jiɓaam | Ship, Chip, Cip | 10,127 (Ames 1934), 6,000 (SIL) | Plateau State, Mangu and Shendam LGAs | |||||||
| Cakfem–Mushere cluster | Cakfem–Mushere | ||||||||||
| Cakfem | Cakfem–Mushere | Jajura | Chakfem, Chokfem | 5,000 (SIL) | Plateau State, Mangu LGA | ||||||
| Mushere | Cakfem–Mushere | Mushere is sharply divided into two dialects, plus Kadim spoken in a single village | Mushere | About 13 villages | Plateau State, Mangu LGA | ||||||
| Ngas | Hill and Plain | Nngas Ngas | Kerang | 55,250 (1952 W&B) | Plateau State, Pankshin, Kanam and Langtang LGAs | ||||||
| Ywom | Yiwom | Gerkanci, Gurka | Gerkawa | 2,520 (Ames 1934); 8,000 (1973 SIL) | Plateau State, Shendam and Langtang LGAs | ||||||
| Jorto | 4,876 (1934 Ames) | Plateau State, Shendam LGA, at Dokan Kasuwa | Spurious language? (No data) | ||||||||
| Koenoem | Kanam | 1,898 (1934 Ames); 3,000 (SIL) | Plateau State, Shendam LGA | ||||||||
| Kofa | Locally said to be a separate language; linguistic status uncertain | Kota | Adamawa State, Song LGA, north of Belel road a Chadic language of the Bura group | ||||||||
| Tel | Teel, Tehl | Baltap, Montoil, Montol | 13,386 (1934 Ames); 20,000 (1973 SIL) | Plateau State, Shendam LGA | |||||||
| Mwaghavul cluster | Mwaghavul | ||||||||||
| Mwaghavul | Mwaghavul | Mwahavul | Sura | Sura | 20,000 (1952 W&B); 40,000 (1973 SIL); current informal estimates suggest around 200,000 speakers | Plateau State, Barkin Ladi and Mangu LGAs | |||||
| Mupun | Mwaghavul | Mapan | |||||||||
| Takas | Mwaghavul | Toos | |||||||||
| Pan cluster | Pan | Kofyar | 72,946 (1963) | Plateau State, Shendam, Mangu and Lafia LGAs | |||||||
| Mernyang | Pan | Larr/Lardang and Mikiet are said to be 'offsets' of Mirriam | 16,739 (1963) | Plateau State, Shendam LGA | |||||||
| Doemak | Pan | Dәmak, Dimmuk | Kofyar | Kwong | Plateau State, Shendam LGA | ||||||
| Tèŋ | Pan | Teng | Plateau State, Qaʼan Pan LGA | no data | |||||||
| Kwagallak | Pan | Nteng (Jasikit)? no data | Kwaʼalang | Kwalla, Kwolla | 25,403 (1963) | Plateau State, Shendam LGA | |||||
| Bwol | Pan | Bwal, Mbol | 3,853 (1963) | Nasarawa State, Lafia LGA | |||||||
| Gworam | Pan | Giverom, Goram | 3,055 (1952) | Nasarawa State, Lafia LGA | |||||||
| Jipal | Pan | Jepel, Jepal, Jibyal | Plateau State, Mangu LGA | ||||||||
| Shindai | Pan | Plateau State, Qaʼan Pan LGA, Namu District | no data | ||||||||
| Goemai | Goemaic | Ankwai, Ankwe | 13,507 in Shendam (1934 Ames); 80,000 (1973 SIL) | Nasarawa State, Shendam, Awe and Lafia LGAs | |||||||
| Tal | Talic | 6 dialects recognised, although all are mutually intelligible | Amtul [=Hampul] | Kwabzak | 9,210 (1934 Ames); 10,000 (1973 SIL); 26,000 (2014 estimate). Live in 52 settlements | Plateau State, Pankshin LGA | |||||
| Pyapung | Talic | Piapun, Pyapun | 5,167 [including a 'few hundred Tal speakers' (Ames 1934); 10,000 (RMB est. 2016) | Plateau State, Shendam LGA |
References
[edit]- ^ Takács, Gábor. 2004. Comparative Dictionary of the Angas-Sura Languages. Berlin: Reimer.
- ^ Blench, Roger (2019). "Jakato: an undocumented language of Central Nigeria".
- ^ a b c d Blench, Roger. 2017. Current research on the A3 West Chadic languages.
- ^ Sirlinger, Father E. 1937. Dictionary of the Goemai Language. Prefecture Apostolic of Jos. Typescript.
- ^ Sirlinger, Father E. 1942. A grammar of the Goemai Language. Prefecture Apostolic of Jos. Typescript.
- ^ Blench, Roger. 2021. The erosion of number marking in West Chadic Roger Blench. WOCAL, Leiden.
- ^ Blench, Roger. 2021. West Chadic classification 2021. Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.
- ^ a b c Blench, Roger (2022). Contact between West Chadic and Plateau languages: new evidence languages: new evidence. 11-12 November 2022, presentation given at Universität Wien.
- ^ Blench, Roger (2019). An Atlas of Nigerian Languages (4th ed.). Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.
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