| Tivoid | |
|---|---|
| Geographic distribution | SoutheasternNigeria, southwesternCameroon |
| Linguistic classification | Niger–Congo? |
| Proto-language | Proto-Tivoid |
| Language codes | |
| Glottolog | tivo1239 |
 | |
TheTivoid languages are a branch of theSouthern Bantoid languages spoken in parts ofNigeria andCameroon. The subfamily takes its name afterTiv, the most spoken language in the group.
The majority are threatened with extinction. The largest of these languages by far is theTiv language for which the group is named; it had 2 million speakers in 1991. The second largest is theBitare language; it had 110,000 speakers in 2000. Most apart from Tiv are extremely poorly known, and the next best, Esimbi, has not even been demonstrated to be Tivoid.
Following Blench (2010), Tivoid languages fall into three branches, though North Tivoid languages are almost unattested. The names in parentheses are dialects perEthnologue, separate languages per Blench:
Esimbi is well attested, but there is not much reason to consider it Tivoid; it has just about as much in common withGrassfields languages.[1] The status ofBuru within Tivoid is also uncertain.[1]
SIL Ethnologue lists three additional languages,Manta,Balo andOsatu, based on an old, provisional assignment of Blench; Blench (2010) states they are instead in theSouthwest Grassfields (Western Momo) family.
TheMomo languages, traditionally classified asGrassfields, may be closer to Tivoid, though that may be an effect of contact.[2]
Menchum, traditionally classified as Grassfields, may also be a Grassfields language or closer to Tivoid.
Below is a list of Tivoid language names, populations, and locations (inNigeria only) from Blench (2019).[3]
| Language | Cluster | Alternate spellings | Own name for language | Endonym(s) | Other names (location-based) | Other names for language | Exonym(s) | Speakers | Location(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abon | Abong | Abõ | Abõ | Abon | Ba’ban | Only spoken in Abong town | Taraba State, Sardauna LGA, Abong town (east of Baissa) | ||
| Batu cluster | Batu | 25,000 (SIL) | Taraba State, Sardauna LGA, several villages east of Baissa, below the Mambila escarpment | ||||||
| Amanda–Afi cluster | Batu | Taraba State, Sardauna LGA, Batu Amanda and Batu Afi villages | |||||||
| Angwe | Batu | Taraba State, Sardauna LGA, Batu Angwe village | |||||||
| Kamino | Batu | Taraba State, Sardauna LGA, Batu Kamino village | |||||||
| Emane | Amana | No proof of permanent communities in Nigeria | Cross River State, Obudu LGA; and inCameroon | ||||||
| Evant | Avande, Evand, Ovande | Balagete, Belegete | Cross River State, Obudu LGA and inCameroon | ||||||
| Iceve cluster | Iceve | Banagere, Iyon, Utse, Utser, Utseu | 5,000 in Nigeria, 7,000 inCameroon (1990 est.) | Cross River State, Obudu LGA and in adjacentCameroon | |||||
| Ceve | Iceve | Icheve, Becheve, Bacheve, Bechere, | Iceve | Baceve | Ochebe, Ocheve (names of founding ancestor) | Cross River State, Obudu LGA and mainly in adjacentCameroon | |||
| Maci | Iceve | Matchi | Maci | Kwaya, Olit, Oliti | Cross River State, Obudu LGA | ||||
| Iyive | Uive | Yiive | Ndir | Asumbo (Cover term used inCameroon) | 2,000 | Benue State, Kwande LGA, near Turan; and inCameroon (several villages in Manyu Département) | |||
| Otank | Utanga, Otanga | 2,000 (1953 Bohannan); 2,500 (SIL) | Cross River State, Obudu LGA;Benue State, Kwande LGA | ||||||
| Tiv | Tív, Tivi | Munshi (not recommended) | 800,000 (1952); 1,500,000 (1980 UBS) | Benue State, Makurdi, Gwer, Gboko Kwande, Vandeikya and Katsina Ala LGAs;Nasarawa State, Lafia LGA;Taraba State, Wukari, Takum, Bali LGA; and inCameroon | |||||
| Ugarә | Binangeli, Messaka | 5000 (1994 est.) | Cassetta & Cassetta (1994): ‘Probably 75‒80% of Ugare speakers live on theCameroon side of the border, in the Akwaya subdivision ofCameroon’s Southwest Province.’ | ||||||
| Bitare | Njwande, Yukutare | 3,700 inCameroon (1987 SIL); 3,000 in Nigeria (1973 SIL) | Taraba State; Sardauna LGA, near Baissa; and inCameroon | ||||||
| Ambo | A single village east of Baissa | Taraba State, Sardauna LGA |
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