Central Plateau languages


The twenty Central Plateau languages are a residual branch of the Plateau family spoken in central Nigeria. Tyap has 130,000 speakers, and the closely related Jju has well over 300,000. Hyam has another 100,000. Cori is famous for being one of very few languages with six tone levels, though only three are needed for writing.

Classification

The Central Plateau languages are a close geographical group with numerous connections; however, they are to some extent a residual group and may be a sprachbund. The following classification is taken from Blench. A distinction between North Plateau and the rest of Central Plateau is possible but appears to be geographic; Gerhardt argues they belong together.
Each of the second-level bullets is a single language or dialect cluster and is obviously valid. However, most of the first-level groups are not self-evident and may continue to be revised.
Blench splits the Central Plateau languages into a Northwest Plateau group consisting of Eda/Edra, Acro-Obiro, Kulu, Idon, Doka, Iku-Gora-Ankwe, and a West-Central Plateau linguistic area consisting of the Rigwe, Tyapic, Izeric, Hyamic, Koro, and Gyongic groups.
Many of the languages, including Jju, were formerly classified as part of a Southern Zaria group in earlier classifications.

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
Izere clusterCentralIzereIzarek, ZarekAfizere: other spellings – Fizere, Feserek, Afizarek, Afusare, FezereJarawaJarawan Dutse22,000 ; 30,000 Bauchi State, Toro LGA; Plateau State, Jos South and Barkin Ladi LGAs; Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA probably migrants only
FoburCentralIzereFobur, Shere, Jos ZarazonFoborNorthwestern JarawaFewer than 15,000 Bauchi State, Toro LGA; Plateau State, Jos LGA
Northeastern IzereCentralIzereFedere=Fedare, Zendi, Fursum, Jarawan KogiBauchi State, Toro LGA; Plateau State, Jos LGA
Southern IzereCentralIzereForomFewer than 4,000 Plateau State, Barkin Ladi LGA at Forom and Gashish villages
IchènCentralIzere
FaishangCentralIzere
GanangCentralIzere
JjuCentralKәjjuBaju, BajjuKaje, Kajji, Kache26,600 ; possibly 200,000 Kaduna State, Kachia and Jema’a LGAs
Tyap clusterCentralTyapKatafKaduna State, Kachia, Saminaka and Jema’a LGAs
TyapCentralTyapAtyab, TyabTyapAtyap, AtyabKatab, Kataf, Katapestimate more than 130,000 Kaduna State, Kachia and Jema’a LGAs
GworokCentralTyapAgwolok, Agwot, GworogAgolok, KagoroAguro9,300 Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA
AtakarCentralTyapAtakat, Attaka, Attakar, Takat5,000 Kaduna State, Jema’a LGAno data
SholioCentralTyapAsholio, Asolio, Osholio, AholioMarwa, Morwa, Moroa, Marawa, Maroa5,700 Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA, around Manchok townno data
KacicereCentralTyapAticherakDaroro700 Kaduna State, Kachia and Jema’a LGAsno data
KafancanCentralTyapFantuan, Kafanchan, Kpashan970, Kaduna State, Jema’a LGAno data
FɨranCentral, South-CentralFaran, ForomFɨrànyes Fɨràn sg. yes Bèfɨràn pl.KwakwiFewer than 1500 Plateau State, Barakin Ladi LGA, at Kwakwi station, south of Jos
RigweCentral, South-CentralNorthern, Southern Aregwe, Irigweɾȉgʷȅ, Rigweƴîɾìgʷȅ pl. yíɾìgʷȅMiango, Nyango, Kwal, Kwoll, Kwan13,500 ; 40,000 Bassa local government, Plateau State and Kauru local government, Kaduna State
CoriHyamicChoriA single village and associated hamletsKaduna State, Jema’a LGA
Hyam clusterHyamicHyamKwak appears as a Hyamic language in Ethnologue and earlier versions, but the name is spurious and is simply a Hyam town nameHam, HumJaba43,000Kaduna State, Kachia and Jema’a LGAs
KwyenyHyamicHyam
YaatHyamicHyam
SaikHyamicHyam
DzarHyamicHyam
Hyam of NokHyamicHyam
ShamangHyamicSambanShamangSamangKaduna State, Kachia and Jema’a LGAs
ShangHyamicKushampau-ʃaŋ pl. aʃaŋʃaŋKaduna State, Kachia and Jema’a LGAs. The Shang live in two settlements, Kushampa A and B. Kushampa A is on the road between Kurmin Jibrin and Kubacha on the Jere road.
ZhireHyamicKenyiKaduna State, Kachia and Jema’a LGAsno data
AsheKoroAcheúnɛ́r ìzɛ̀ sg. Bɛ̀zɛ̀ pl.Ìzɛ̀The Ashe share a common ethnonym with the Tinɔr-Myamya which is Uzar pl. Bazar for the people and Ìzar for the language. This name is the origin of the term Ejar.Koron Ache35,000 including Tinɔr-Myamya. 8 villages between Katugal and Kubacha.Kaduna State, Kagarko LGA, Nasarawa State, Karu LGA
Tinɔr-Myamya clusterKoroTinɔr-MyamyaThe Tinɔr-Myamya peoples actually have no common name for themselves, but refer to individual villages when speaking, and apply noun-class prefixes to the stem.Begbere-Ejar. The Tinɔr-Myamya share a common ethnonym with the Ashe which is Uzar pl. Bazar for the people and Ìzar for the language. This name is the origin of the term Ejar.Koro Agwe, Agwere, Koro Makama35,000 including Ashe Kaduna State, Kagarko LGAThe name Begbere comes from Bàgbwee, a Myamya village, and Ejar from Ìzar. There has been a recent proposal to adopt the name DAWN for Koro as a whole.
TinorKoroTinɔr-MyamyaWaciiTinɔruTinɔr pl. baTinɔrWaci , Ala, Koron Ala, Koro MakamaSeven villages south and west of Kubacha. Uca, Unɛr, Ùsám, Marke, Pànkòrè, Ùtúr, Gɛshɛberẽ
MyamyaKoroTinɔr-MyamyaKoro Myamya = Miamia = MiyamiyaThree villages north and west of Kubacha. Ùshɛ̀, Bàgàr and Bàgbwee.
NyankpaKoroMbgwende=Ambofa , Ambo Tem . Tattara is said to be the ‘standard’ form of Yeskwa.Nnaŋkpa pl. AnaŋkpaNyankpaYasgua, YeskwaSarogbon 13,000 Nasarawa State, Kauru LGA; Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA
GwaraKoroIduniGwarauŋGwara sg. aGwara pl.GoraFive villages Kaduna State, Kagarko, Jaba LGAs
IdunKoroNyankpa-IdunIdṹUdṹ sg. Adun, Adṹ pl.Dũya AdongJaba Lungu, Ungu, Jaba Gengere 1,500. 21 villages Kaduna State, Jema’a, Jaba LGAs; Nasarawa State, Karu LGA
GyongGyongicAgoma, KagomaGyongGongGwong, Gyong6,250 Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA
KamantanGyongicKamanton = KamantanAngan3,600 ; 10,000 Kaduna State, Kachia LGA
EkhwaNorthern, Gora, Ankwa–Gora–Ankwaékhwásg. énéjì pl. ánárèAhuaEhwaTowns; Gora, AnkwaKaduna State, Kachia LGA
Kadara clusterNorthernKadara
EdaNorthernKadaraAdaraÀnda pl. ÀdaÈdàKadara22,000 ; 40,000. Towns: Adunu, Amale, Dakalo, Ishau, Kurmin Iya, Kateri, Bishini, Doka Kaduna State, Kachia LGA; Niger State, Paikoro LGA
EdraNorthernKadaraÀndara pl. ÀdaraÈdràKadaraTowns; Maru, Kufana, Rimau, Kasuwan Magani, IriKaduna State, Kachia, Kajuru LGAs
EnezheNorthernKadaraÀndara pl. ÀdaraÈdràKadaraTowns; Maru, Kufana, Rimau, Kasuwan Magani, IriKaduna State, Kachia, Kajuru LGAs
KuluNorthwesternIkolu, IkuluAnkuluBekulu6,000 Kaduna State, Kachia LGA
IkryoNorthwesternsg. à-kró pl. ā-króìkryóWest KuturmiTwo villagesKaduna State, Kachia LGA
ObiroNorthwesternsg. óbìrò pl. òbíròìbìròWest KuturmiAntara villageKaduna State, Kachia LGA
AjiyaNorthwesternAjuliAjiyaAjiyaIdon, Idong, Idon-Doka-Makyali3 townsKaduna State, Kachia LGA
Ajuwa-AjeghaNorthwesternAjuwaAjuwaTowns; Kalla, Afogo, Iburu, Idon, MakyaliKaduna State, Kajuru LGA

Footnotes