Vemgo-Mabas language

{{Short description|Afro-Asiatic language of Cameroon and Nigeria}}

{{Infobox language

|name=Vemgo-Mabas

|states=Nigeria, Cameroon

|region=

|speakers=11,000

|date=1993–2004

|ref=e18

|familycolor=Afro-Asiatic

|fam2=Chadic

|fam3=Biu–Mandara

|fam4=Wandala–Mafa

|fam5=Wandala (A.4)

|fam6=West

|iso3=vem

|glotto=vemg1240

|glottorefname=Vemgo-Mabas

|dia1=Vemgo

|dia2=Mabas

}}

Vemgo-Mabas is an Afro-Asiatic language of Cameroon and Nigeria. Dialects are Vemgo, Mabas. Blench (2006) considers these to be separate languages. Ethnologue lists a third dialect, Visik in Nigeria, which is not well attested; Blench suspects it may be a dialect of Lamang instead.Blench, 2006. [http://rogerblench.info/Language/Afroasiatic/General/AALIST.pdf The Afro-Asiatic Languages: Classification and Reference List] (ms)

In Cameroon, Mabas is spoken only in one village on the Nigerian border, namely Mabas village (Mokolo arrondissement, Mayo-Tsanaga department, Far North Region) by about 5,000 speakers (ALCAM 1984). Although closely related, Mabas is distinct from Hdi (78% lexical similarity, 36% mutual intelligibility).{{cite book|editor-last=Binam Bikoi|editor-first=Charles|date=2012|title=Atlas linguistique du Cameroun (ALCAM)|trans-title=Linguistic Atlas of Cameroon|volume=1: Inventaire des langues|language=fr|location=Yaoundé|publisher=CERDOTOLA|series=Atlas linguistique de l'Afrique centrale (ALAC)|isbn=9789956796069}}