Angas languages


The Angas, Angas–Sura, or Central West Chadic languages are a branch of West Chadic languages spoken in Plateau State, north-central Nigeria.

Languages

The Angas languages are:
;Angas
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.

Phonology

Some phonological characteristics that are typical of the Chadic A3 languages:
Below is a comprehensive list of Angas language names, populations, and locations from Blench.
LanguageClusterDialectsAlternate spellingsOwn name for languageEndonymOther names Other names for languageExonymSpeakersLocationNotes
MishipLongmaar, JiɓaamShip, Chip, Cip10,127, 6,000 Plateau State, Mangu and Shendam LGAs
Cakfem–Mushere clusterCakfem–Mushere
CakfemCakfem–MushereJajuraChakfem, Chokfem5,000 Plateau State, Mangu LGA
MushereCakfem–MushereMushere is sharply divided into two dialects, plus Kadim spoken in a single villageMushereAbout 13 villagesPlateau State, Mangu LGA
NgasHill and PlainNngas NgasKerang55,250 Plateau State, Pankshin, Kanam and Langtang LGAs
YwomYiwomGerkanci, GurkaGerkawa2,520 ; 8,000 Plateau State, Shendam and Langtang LGAs
Jorto4,876 Plateau State, Shendam LGA, at Dokan KasuwaSpurious language?
KoenoemKanam1,898 ; 3,000 Plateau State, Shendam LGA
KofaLocally said to be a separate language; linguistic status uncertainKotaAdamawa State, Song LGA, north of Belel road a Chadic language of the Bura group
TelTeel, TehlBaltap, Montoil, Montol13,386 ; 20,000 Plateau State, Shendam LGA
Mwaghavul clusterMwaghavul
MwaghavulMwaghavulMwahavulSuraSura20,000 ; 40,000 ; current informal estimates suggest around 200,000 speakersPlateau State, Barkin Ladi and Mangu LGAs
MupunMwaghavulMapan
TakasMwaghavulToos
Pan clusterPanKofyar72,946 Plateau State, Shendam, Mangu and Lafia LGAs
MernyangPanLarr/Lardang and Mikiet are said to be 'offsets' of Mirriam16,739 Plateau State, Shendam LGA
DoemakPanDәmak, DimmukKofyarKwongPlateau State, Shendam LGA
TèŋPanTengPlateau State, Qaʼan Pan LGAno data
KwagallakPanNteng ? no dataKwaʼalangKwalla, Kwolla25,403 Plateau State, Shendam LGA
BwolPanBwal, Mbol3,853 Nasarawa State, Lafia LGA
GworamPanGiverom, Goram3,055 Nasarawa State, Lafia LGA
JipalPanJepel, Jepal, JibyalPlateau State, Mangu LGA
ShindaiPanPlateau State, Qaʼan Pan LGA, Namu Districtno data
GoemaiGoemaicAnkwai, Ankwe13,507 in Shendam ; 80,000 Nasarawa State, Shendam, Awe and Lafia LGAs
TalTalic6 dialects recognised, although all are mutually intelligibleAmtul Kwabzak9,210 ; 10,000 ; 26,000. Live in 52 settlementsPlateau State, Pankshin LGA
PyapungTalicPiapun, Pyapun5,167 [including a 'few hundred Tal speakers' ; 10,000 Plateau State, Shendam LGA