Idomoid languages
{{Short description|Atlantic–Congo language group of Nigeria}}
{{Infobox language family
|name=Idomoid
|region=Central Nigeria, lower reaches of the Benue River
|familycolor=Niger-Congo
|fam2=Atlantic–Congo
|fam3=Volta–Niger
|fam4={{sm|noi}}
|child2=Etulo–Idoma
|child1=Yace
|glotto=idom1262
|glottorefname=Idomoid
}}
The Idomoid languages are spoken primarily in Benue State of east-central Nigeria and surrounding regions. Idoma itself is an official language spoken by nearly four million people including the subgroups of Igede, Uffia, Otukpo, and Orokam.
Languages
{{tree list}}
{{tree list/end}}
Ethnologue includes Eloyi, though that assignment is outdated as Blench (2007)Blench, Roger. 2007. [http://www.rogerblench.info/Language/Niger-Congo/BC/Plateau/Eloyi%20wordlist%20paper.pdf The Eloyi language of Central Nigeria and its affinities]. considers Eloyi to be a divergent Plateau language that has undergone Idomoid influence, rather than vice versa.
Ethnologue also calls the non-Yace branch "Akweya", despite the fact that Yace are also called "Akweya".
Names and locations
Below is a list of language names, populations, and locations from Blench (2019).{{Cite book|title=An Atlas of Nigerian Languages|last=Blench|first=Roger|publisher=Kay Williamson Educational Foundation|year=2019|edition=4th|location=Cambridge}}
| class="wikitable sortable" | style="font-size: 75%;" |
! 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) | |||||||||||
| Igede | Three dialects: Òjù (Central), Ìtóò (Ito), Ùẉ ọò`kwù ̣(Worku); also Gabu (Ogoja LGA) | Igedde, Egede, Egedde | 70,000 (1952 RGA), 120,000 (1982 UBS) | Benue State, Oju, Otukpo and Okpokwu LGAs; Cross River State, Ogoja LGA | |||||||
| Yace | Alifokpa, Ijiegu | Yache, Yatye, Iyace | Ekpari? | 6,600 (1937 RGA); 10,000 (1982 UBS) | Cross River State, Ogoja LGA | ||||||
| Akpa | Akweya | 5,500 (1952 RGA) | Benue State, Otukpo LGA | ||||||||
| Eloyi | Mbeci (=Mbekyi, Mbejĩ, Mbamu) | Afo, Epe, Aho, Afu, Afao | 20,000 (Mackay 1964); 25,000 (SIL) | Nasarawa State, Nasarawa and Awe LGAs; Benue State, Otukpo LGA | |||||||
| Alago | Group B | Agwatashi, Assaikio, Doma, Keana in towns of these names | Alago | Idoma Nokwu | 15,000 (1953 RGA); at least 100,000 (Blench 2017) | Nasarawa State, Awe and Lafia LGAs | |||||
| Etulo | Group B | Utur, Eturo | Turumawa | 2,900 (1952 RGA); more than 10,000 (Shain, p.c. 1988) | Benue State, Gboko LGA, Taraba State, Wukari, LGA | ||||||
| Yala | Yala | Iyala | 25,650 (1952); 50,000 (1973 SIL) | ||||||||
| Yala Ikom | Yala | Nkum | Cross River State, Ikom LGA | ||||||||
| Yala Obubra | Yala | Nkum Akpambe | Cross River State, Obubra LGA | ||||||||
| Yala Ogoja | Yala | Yala Ọkpọ̃ma (Central Yala) spoken in all hamlets comprising Ọkpọ̃ma village; Yala Igbeeku spoken between Igbeeku Rikọ and Oloko; Yala Ọkpamẹ, spoken in Ọkkpamẹ, Yẹhẹ and Ebo. | Cross River State, Ogoja LGA | ||||||||
| Idoma cluster | Idoma | Benue State, Otukpo and Okpokwu LGAs; Nasarawa State, Nasarawa and Awe LGAs | |||||||||
| Agatu | Idoma | Agatu, Ochekwu | Idoma North | 56,000 (1952 RGA); 70,000 (1987 UBS) | Benue State, Otukpo LGA; Nasarawa State, Nasarawa and Awe LGAs | ||||||
| Idoma Central | Idoma | Oturkpo, Otukpo | Akpoto | 66,000 (1952 RGA) | Benue State, Otukpo and Okpokwu LGAs | ||||||
| Idoma West | Idoma | 60,000 (1952 RGA) | Benue State, Okpokwu LGA | ||||||||
| Okpogu | Idoma | ||||||||||
| Idoma South | Idoma | Igumale, Igwaale, Ijigbam | 13,500 (1952 RGA) | Benue State, Okpokwu LGA |
See also
- List of Proto-Idomoid reconstructions (Wiktionary)
References
{{reflist}}
{{CC-notice|cc=by3|url=https://rogerblench.info/}}
{{Volta-Niger languages}}
{{Niger-Congo branches}}