Bena–Mboi languages
The Bena–Mboi Yungur languages form a branch of the Adamawa family. They are spoken in central Adamawa State, eastern Nigeria, just to the east of Lafia LGA.
Idiatov & van de Velde classify the Bena–Mboi languages as Benue-Congo.
Classification
In the Adamawa Languages Project website, Kleinewillinghöfer classifies the Ɓəna-Mboi or Yungur group as follows.;Ɓəna-Mboi
- ɓəna
- *ɓəna Yungur
- **ɓəna Yungur
- **Voro
- *ɓəna Lala
- **ɓəna Lala of Yang
- **ɓəna Lala of Bodwai
- ***Robma
- *** Dingai
- Mboi
- *Mboi of Livo; Mboi of Gulungo
- *Mboi of Haanda; Mboi of Banga
- Kaan
Names and locations
Language | Branch | Cluster | Dialects | Alternate spellings | Own name for language | Endonym | Other names | Other names for language | Exonym | Speakers | Location |
Ɓena | Yungur | Ɓәna is divided into 17 clans each of which is said to have a distinct speech-form, but they are too closely related to actually be distinct dialects. | Ebina, Binna, Gbinna | Ebәna | Ɓәna | Lala, Purra | Yungur, Yangur | Yungirba, Yungur | 44,300 probably including Lala and Roba; fewer than 100,000 | Adamawa State, Song and Guyuk LGAs | |
Kaan | Yungur | Libo | Adamawa State, Guyuk LGA | ||||||||
Lala cluster | Yungur | Lala | Ɓәna | 30,000 ; 44,300 with Ɓәna | Adamawa State, Guyuk, Song and Gombi LGAs | ||||||
Yang | Yungur | Lala | Yan | Lalla | |||||||
Roba | Yungur | Lala | Gworam | ||||||||
Ebode | Yungur | Lala | Ẹbode | ||||||||
Mboi cluster | Yungur | Mboi | Mboire, Mboyi | 3,200 | Adamawa State, Song LGA | ||||||
Gana | Yungur | Mboi | Gәna | Mboire, Mboyi | 1,800 | Adamawa State, Song LGA, northwest of Song. Livo village and associated hamlets | |||||
Banga | Yungur | Mboi | Adamawa State, Song LGA, west of Loko. Banga village and associated hamlets | ||||||||
Haanda | Yungur | Mboi | Handa | 1,370 | Adamawa State, Song LGA, west of Loko. Handa village and associated hamlets | ||||||
Voro | Yungur | Vɔrɔ | Ebәna, Ebina | Ɓena | Woro | Yungur | Adamawa State, Song and Guyuk LGAs, south of the Dumne road. Waltande and associated hamlets. |