Kainji languages

The Kainji languages are a group of about 60 related languages spoken in west-central Nigeria. They form part of the Central Nigerian branch of Benue–Congo.

Demographics

Four of the most widely spoken Kainji languages are Tsuvadi, Cishingini and Tsishingini —all from the Kambari branch; and Clela, of the Northwest Kainji branch. In total, there were about one million speakers of Kainji languages in Nigeria.

History

Proto-Kainji is estimated by Blench to be 3,000 to 4,000 years old. Its broken distribution today is likely due to the historical northward expansion of the Nupoid languages.

Morphology

Proto-Kainji nominal prefixes:

*mV- for liquids and other mass nouns
*u- for person, *ba- for people
*kV- for diminutive and perhaps also augmentative; also found in some Plateau languages

Classification

The most divergent of the Kainji languages are Reshe, Laru and Lopa, which may form a branch together. Subclassification of the other branches is not yet clear. A bipartite division between East Kainji and West Kainji is no longer maintained, with West Kainji now being paraphyletic.

Blench (2018)

Most recent Kainji classification by Blench :Kainji

* Lake
** Reshe
** Upper Niger
*** Rop
*** Shen, Shuba
* Central
** Northwest Kainji
** Kambari, Cicipu
** East Kainji
** Kamuku, Shiroro, Basa

Blench (2012)

Blench's classification is:Kainji

* Lakes: Reshe; Laru, Lopa
* Kainji proper
** Northwest Kainji
**
*** Kambari, Cicipu
*** Basa, East Kainji
*** Kamuku, Shiroro

McGill (2012)

A revised classification of the Kainji languages by McGill splits Kainji into the Lake and Central branches.Kainji

* Lake
** Reshe
** Upper Niger
*** Sengwe/Laru
*** Oleran/Lopa: Rop, Cuba
* Central
** Basa, Eastern
** Northwest
*** Damakawa
*** C'lela
*** Hun-Saare/Duka; Wuri-Gwamhi-Mba, Ma'in/Fakai
** Kambari
*** Cicipu
*** West: Gaushi/Auna, Kimba, Wunci/Agwara
*** East: Shingini/Salka, Va'di, Bangi
** Nuclear
*** Shiroro
**** Bauchi: Mun-Wayam, Rubo-Supana
**** Gurmana
**** Rin/Pongu, Waga
**** Fungwa/Ura
*** Kamuku-Hunwarya/Ngwoi
**** Hunwarya/Ngwoi
**** Kamuku
***** Regi-Cinda-Kuki
***** Rogo-Shiyabe, Zubazuba-East Acipa
***** Shama

Gerhardt (1983)

Classification of Plateau 1a and Plateau 1b languages by Gerhardt, based on Maddieson :Plateau 1a

* Laru-Lopa
* Reshe
* Kambari cluster
* Ngwoi, Kamuku cluster, Bassa-Kontagora, Ashaganna
* Bassa-Kaduna, Bassa-Kuta, Gurmana, Pongo, Baushi, Ura, Bassa-Kwomu
* Dakarkari, Duka, Pəku-Kəri-Wipsi cluster, LyasePlateau 1b
* Kuda-Chamo, Butu-Ningi, Gyema, Taura, Lemoro-Sanga, Janji, Shani, Buji-Ibunu-Jere-Gus, Anaguta
* Kuzamaini, Kurama, Rumaya, Ruruma, Binawa, Kono, Surubu
* Kaivi, Kiballo, Kitimi, Kinuku, Dungi, Gure-Kahugu
* Amo

Names and locations

Below is a comprehensive list of Kainji language names, populations, and locations from Blench.
Note: West Kainji is geographical rather than genealogical.

Group	Primary locations
East Kainji	Kauru LGA, Kaduna State and Bassa LGA, Plateau State
West Kainji	Rafi LGA, Niger State and Zuru and Yauri LGAs, Kebbi State

Numerals

Comparison of numerals in individual languages:

Classification	Language	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Western, Reshe	Reshe (Tsureshe)	tsúnnɛ̀	rìsə̄	tàtswā	nāʃẽ́	tɔ̃̄	tēnzɔ̄	tànsã̄	dálànzɔ̀	tānāʃẽ́	úpwà
Western, Basa	Bassa	hĩn	jèbí	tàtɔ	néʃì	táná	tʃìhin	tʃéndʒe	tɔndatɔ	tʃíndʒìʃì	uḿpwá
Western, Duka	C'lela	tʃĩ́	ʔílɨ̀	tɨ́ːt͡ʃù	náːsé	tã́	t͡ʃíhĩ̀	tã̀ʔílɨ̀	jɨ́ːɾù	dóːɾè	ʔóːpá
Western, Duka	ut-Ma'in	tʃɘ̄ːn	jɘ̄ːr	tɘ̄t	náːs	tán	ʃìʃìn	tàʔèr ?	éːr	dʒʷɘ̄ːr	ɔ̄p
Western, Kambari	Tsishingini (Kambari)	íyyán	ìɾɛ̀	tàʔàtsú	nə́ʃín	táːwún	tə̀ːlí	tʃìndɛ̀ɾɛ́	kùnlə̀	kùttʃí	kùppá
Western, Kamuku	Western Acipa (Cicipu)	tôː	jápù	tâːtù	nósì	tã̂u	tóɾíhĩ̀	tíndàjà	kùrílːò	kùtítːí	ùkúpːà
Western, Kamuku	Cinda (Kamuku)	ĩ́jɑ́	ⁿdə́ɰə̀	tɑ́tɔ̀	nə́ʃì	tɑ́ɑ̀	tə́nə́hì	tə́ndə́ɰə̀	tə́ntɑ́tɔ̀	tə́ndə́ʃì	òpɑ́
Western, Kamuku	Fungwa (Cifungwa)	ń / biké	jógò	tátù	nɔ́ʃì	tá	tʃíjĩ̀	tĩ́dòlò	tĩ́dátù	tĩ́díʃì	húpɛ́
Western, Kamuku	Hungworo (Hungwere)	ĩ́ːjə̃́	ʔʲə̃̂d͡ʒə̀	tât̼ɔ̀	ùnə́sĩ̀	sàtá	ūt̼únìhĩ̄	ūtə́ndə̀ɾʲə̄	ūtátàt̼ɔ̄ ?	ūtə́nə̀sĩ̄	īkópʲè
Western, Kamuku	Pongu (Pangu)	hĩ́ː	ɾêːnù	tâːtù	nə̃́ːʃĩ̀	tá	tʃíníhì	tə̃́ndə́ɾə̀	tə̃́ndáːtù	tṹndúʃì	úpwá
Eastern, Northern Jos, Jera	Anaguta (Iguta)	dínkā	rɛ̀ːpú	tààrū / tàːrū	nàːnzī	ʃùːbì	twàːsì	súnāːrí	ùrū	tɔ̀rbɔ̀	būtúːrú
Eastern, Northern Jos, Kauru	Gure (Gbiri-Niraɡu)	pi:ʃem	piːbɑː	piːtær	piːnɑːz	piːʃiː	piːtæ ʃi	piːsundæriː	piːkunæs	piːturuːriː	kiʃiːæbɑː / nikpiːrinætʃeti
Eastern, Northern Jos, Kauru	Kurama (Akurmi)	nìdíi	tɨɽyá	tɨtáaɽɔ	tɨnáazɛ	úʃii	útasɛ	úsúndèɽì	úɽiɽé	ùtáɽá	níkúɽí