Jukunoid languages


The ??Jukunoid languages are a branch of the Central Nigerian languages spoken by the Jukun and related peoples of Nigeria and Cameroon. They are distributed mostly throughout Taraba State, Nigeria and surrounding regions.
Their asymmetrical nasal consonants are atypical for West Africa, as can be seen in Wapan.

External relationships

Gerhardt and Güldemann suggest that Jukunoid may actually be part of the Plateau languages, as it shares similarities with various Plateau groups, especially Tarokoid. However, Blench argues that Jukunoid is clearly spearate from Plateau.

Classification

The following classification is from Glottolog; the Korofofa branch has been added from Ethnologue :
Ethnologue adds the Yukubenic branch of the Plateau languages as part of a Yukubenic-Kuteb group based on Shimizu, and Blench also follows this classification. Ethnologue also leaves the Wurbo language Shoo-Minda-Nye as unclassified within Jukun–Mbembe–Wurbo, and includes the unclassified Benue–Congo language Tita in its place.
Lau was also recently reported by Idiatov.

Names and locations

Below is a list of language names, populations, and locations from Blench.
LanguageBranchClusterDialectsAlternate spellingsOwn name for languageEndonymOther names Other names for languageExonymSpeakersLocationNotes
AkumAnyar3 villages in Nigeria; 600 in Cameroon Taraba State, ca. 6°50N, 9°50E
BeteLanguage dying out.Taraba State, Wukari LGA, Bete townno data
NyifonIordaa1000 Buruku LGA, Benue Stateno data
Jan AweiJan Awei12 ? Gombe State, West of Muri mountains, North of the Benue
Jukun clusterJukunNjukuNjikun35,000 ; 1700 in Cameroon Taraba State, Wukari, Takum, Bali and Sardauna LGAs; Nasarawa State, Awe and Lafia LGAs; Plateau State, Shendam and Langtang South LGAs; Benue State, Makurdi LGA; and in Furu-Awa subdivision, Cameroon
JibuJukunGayam, Garbabi25,000 Taraba State, Gashaka LGA
Takum-DongaJukunTakum, DongaJibuSecond language speakers only 40,000 Taraba State, Takum, Sardauna and Bali LGAs
Wase TofaJukunPlateau State, Shendam and Langtang South LGAs
Jukun–Mbembe–Wurbo groupJukun–Mbembe–Wurbo
Kororofa clusterJukun–Mbembe–WurboKororofaJukunmore than 62,000
AbinsiJukun–Mbembe–WurboKororofaWapanRiver JukunTaraba State, Wukari LGA, at Sufa and Kwantan Sufa; Benue State, Makurdi LGA, at Abinsi
WapanJukun–Mbembe–WurboKororofaWapanWukari and Abinsi60,000 Taraba State, Wukari LGA; Nasarawa State, Awe and Lafia LGAs; Plateau State, Shendam and Langtang South LGAs
HoneJukun–Mbembe–WurboKororofaKona2,000 Taraba State, Karim Lamido LGA; Plateau State, Wase LGA. Villages north and west of Jalingo
DamparJukun–Mbembe–WurboKororofaTaraba State, Wukari LGA, at Dampar
Mbembe Tigong clusterJukun–Mbembe–WurboMbembe TigongNoaleTigong, Tigun, Tugun, Tukun, TigumAkonto, Nzare2,900 in Nigeria Taraba State, Sardauna LGA; mainly in Cameroon
AshukuJukun–Mbembe–WurboMbembe TigongAshakuÁkә́tsә̀kpә́, ÁkúcùkpúKitsipki
NamaJukun–Mbembe–WurboMbembe TigongDama, NamuKporoNzare ‘I say so’; Eneeme
Shoo–Minda–Nye clusterWurboShoo–Minda–NyeMay be related to Jessi spoken between Lau and Lankoviri10,000 tõ, Kyanton, Nyidu6,330 in Donga district ; more than 7,000 Taraba State, Takum and Sardauna LGAs
KpanKpan–IcenWestern and Eastern groups: Western: 1 Kumbo–Takum Group: Kumbo, Takum; 2 Donga Eastern: Apa, Kente, Eregba Kpanten, Ikpan, Akpanzhi, Kpanzon, AbakanKpwate, Hwaye, Hwaso, Nyatso, Nyonyo, Yorda, IbukwoTaraba State, Wukari, Takum and Sardaunda LGAs
Como–KarimWurboShomoh, Shomong, Chomo, ShomoKarim, KirimKiyu, NuadhuTaraba State, Karim Lamido and Jalingo LGAs
TitaWurboTaraba State, Jalingo LGA, at Hoai PetelBlench was not able to identify the people or the location, though Meek had data showing it to be Jukunoid.

Numerals

Comparison of numerals in individual languages:
ClassificationLanguage12345678910
Jukun-Mbembe-Wurbo, Jukunzùŋpyèːnèsáːrényẽ́sɔ́nɛ́sùnjésùnpyèːnèhūnnèsīnyáudùb
Jukun-Mbembe-Wurbo, Jukunzyunpyànàsàrayinaswanasùnjinsùmpyànnawùyinajunndúbidwib
Jukun-Mbembe-Wurbo, Jukunzùŋpyĩ̀sā / sārānyìnāswã̄nāʃẽ̀ʒísémpyèsẽ̄sásínyáuádùb
Jukun-Mbembe-Wurbo, Kororofazũ̀ːpyèːnàsàːrnyèsónsùnʒésùmpyèːnàhúhúnyèzōrhōnnìdùb
Jukun-Mbembe-Wurbo, Kororofadzunpyìnàtsaranyenatswanacìnjen / ʃìʒen tsùpyìn tsùntsa tsùnyò dzwe
Jukun-Mbembe-Wurbo, Mbembenzopyasranyɛtʃwɔ́tʃwɔ́mbazo tʃwɔ́mbapya ɛ́nyɛnyɛ ??tʃwɔ́mnyɛ dʒé
Yukuben-Kutebájìafã̀ataaɲɪ̀acóŋacóŋ jì acóŋ afã̀ acóŋ ata acóŋ ɲì īkùr
Yukuben-Kutebūŋɡēméīfɡɔ̀ītàīɲɨɪ̀ìtútú ŋɡì tú ófɡõ tú àtà tú īɲɨɪ̀ èbʲí / èbzí
Yukuben-Kuteb kínzōífaẽítāíndʒēítsóŋítsóŋ-ndʒō ítsóŋ-ífaẽ ítsóŋ-ítā ítsóŋ-ndʒē ridʒwēr
Yukuben-Kuteb kínzōifaenitāinjeitsóŋitsóŋ-nzō itsóŋ-faen itsóŋ-tā itsóŋ-nje rijwēr
Yukuben-Kutebkítə́ŋāpáātà, āràēnzìotòŋ̄tòŋ kíhín ̄tòŋ āpá ̄tòŋ ātà / ārà ̄tòŋ ēnzì kùr