| Mambiloid | |
|---|---|
| Geographic distribution | Nigeria andCameroon |
| Linguistic classification | Niger–Congo? |
| Subdivisions |
|
| Language codes | |
| Glottolog | mamb1309 |
 The Mambiloid languages shown within Nigeria and Cameroon | |
The twelveMambiloid languages are languages spoken by theMambila and related peoples mostly in easternNigeria and inCameroon. In Nigeria the largest group is Mambila (there is also a small Mambila population in Cameroon). In Cameroon the largest group is Vute.
The following classification follows Blench (2011). Languages with (?) are not listed in that source, but close to other languages according toEthnologue. Ndoro–Fam may be a separate branch of Benue–Congo.
Ethnologue also listsNjerep, which most likely lies somewhere in the Mambila–Kamkam branch. The extinctYeni,Luo andKasabe languages were apparently Mambiloid, the first two close to Njerep.
Fam is sometimes classified with Ndoro, but appears to be more divergent.
The unclassified languageBung shows its strongest resemblance to be with the Ndung dialect ofKwanja. It also has words in common with other Mambiloid languages such asTep,Somyev andVute, while a number of words' origins remain unclear (possiblyAdamawan).[1]
Below is a list of language names, populations, and locations (inNigeria only) from Blench (2019).[2]
| Language | Dialects | Alternate spellings | Own name for language | Endonym(s) | Other names (location-based) | Other names for language | Exonym(s) | Speakers | Location(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mbɔŋnɔ | Bungnu | Mbọngnọ | Mbọngnọ | Kamkam | Kakaba, Bunu | 800 (1952 W&B); 3000 est. Blench and Connell (1999) | Taraba State, Sardauna LGA, Kakara town | ||
| Ndoola | At least 2 dialects | Ndoro | Ndoola | Ndoola | Njoyamɛ (inCameroon) | 1169 (1952 W&B); 10,000 total, 1,300 inCameroon (1982 SIL); estimated more than 15,000 (1999) | Taraba State, Sardauna and Gashaka LGAs; and inCameroon (1 village only) | ||
| Vute | At least 6 dialects | Bute, Mbute, Wute, Voute | Mbutere | 1,000 or less in Nigeria; 30,000 inCameroon (1985 EELC) | Taraba State, Sardauna LGA; northeast Mambila Plateau, but mainly inCameroon | ||||
| Tep | A single village and associated hamlets. <4000 | Taraba State. Mambila Plateau | |||||||
| Mambila | Almost every village has a separate dialect forming a dialect chain. Dialect centres are: Bang, Dorofi, Gembu, Hainari, Kabri, Mayo Ndaga, Mbamnga, Tamien, Warwar. At least 4 dialects inCameroon. | Ju Nɔri | Nɔr | Mambila, Mambilla, Mambere | 18,000 (1952); 60,000 (1973 SIL); 10,000 inCameroon | Taraba State, Sardauna LGA. Mambila Plateau.Cameroon. | |||
| Mvanɨp | Mvanɔ | Magu | 100 (Blench 1999) | Taraba State, Sardauna LGA. A single quarter of Zongo Ajiya town in the northwest of the Mambila Plateau. | |||||
| Ndunda | 400 (Blench 1999) | Taraba State, Sardauna LGA. In northwest Mambila Plateau. | |||||||
| Somyɛv | Kila, Zuzun | 4 speakers (2006) | Taraba State, Sardauna LGA, (Blacksmiths’ dialect). Kila Yang village, 10 km. west of Mayo Ndaga. Also formerly spoken inCameroon | ||||||
| Fam | Fam | Fam | Kɔŋa, Konga | Fewer than 1,000 (1984); <500 (2016) | Taraba State, Bali LGA, 17km east of Kungana |
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