Alumic languages
| Alumic | |
|---|---|
| Geographic distribution | Nigeria |
| Linguistic classification | Niger–Congo? |
| Glottolog | alum1250 |
The four scattered and poorly attested Alumic languages form a branch of the Plateau languages of central Nigeria.
Classification[edit]
The following classification is taken from Blench (2008). The languages are not closely related and are morphologically quite diverse due to different contact situations; given the poor state of their description, their relationship is provisional.
Ethnologue scatters these languages throughout Plateau: Hasha and Sambe with Eggon (Southern branch), and Alumu–Tesu and Toro as two independent branches.
Blench (2019) also includes Nigbo (extinct).[1]
Names and locations[edit]
Below is a list of language names, populations, and locations from Blench (2019).[1]
| Language | Cluster | Alternate spellings | Own name for language | Endonym(s) | Other names (location-based) | Speakers | Location(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akpondu (extinct) | Akpondu | 1 (2005). The last speaker was only a remember and can only recall fragmentary vocabulary | Plateau State | ||||
| Sambe | Sambe | Sambe | 2 (2005) | Kaduna State | |||
| Alumu-Tәsu cluster | Alumu-Tәsu | Arum–Chessu | Nasarawa State, Akwanga LGA | ||||
| Alumu | Alumu-Tәsu | Arum | Alumu | Seven villages. ca. 5000 (Blench 1999) | |||
| Tәsu | Alumu-Tәsu | Chessu | Two villages. ca. 1000 (Blench 1999) | ||||
| Hasha | Iyashi, Yashi | 400 (SIL); 3000 (Blench est. 1999) | Nasarawa State, Akwanga LGA | ||||
| Toro | Tɔrɔ | Turkwam | 6,000 (1973 SIL). 2000 (Blench 1999). The Toro people live in one large village, Turkwam, some two km. southeast of Kanja on the Wamba-Fadan Karshi road | Nasarawa State, Akwanga LGA | |||
| Nigbo (extinct) | near Agameti on the Fadan Karshi-Wamba road. |
References[edit]
- Blench (2008) Prospecting proto-Plateau. Manuscript.
External links[edit]
- Roger Blench, Alumic languages (wordlists)