Central Delta languages

The Central Delta languages are spoken in Rivers State and Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Ogbia is the most populous, with over 200,000 speakers.

Central Delta
Geographic distribution	SE Nigeria
Linguistic classification	Niger–Congo? Atlantic–Congo Benue–Congo Cross River Central Delta
Language codes
Glottolog	cent2028

The languages are Abua–Odual, Ogbia, Kugbo, Abureni, Obulom, O’chi’chi’, Ogbogolo, Ogbronuagum.

Names and locations

Below is a list of language names, populations, and locations from Blench (2019).

Language	Cluster	Dialects	Alternate spellings	Own name for language	Endonym(s)	Other names (location-based)	Other names for language	Exonym(s)	Speakers	Location(s)	Notes
Abua		Central Abuan, Ẹmughan, Ọtabha (Ọtapha), Okpeḍen		Abuan	Abua				11,000 (1963): estimated 25,000 (Faraclas 1989)	Rivers State, Ahoada LGA
Kolo cluster	Kolo					Ọgbia, Ogbinya			100,000 (1987 UBS)	Rivers State, Brass LGA
Kolo	Kolo		Agholo
Oloiḅiri	Kolo
Anyama	Kolo										no data
Obulom			Abuloma							Rivers State, Okrika LGA, Abuloma town
Oḍual		Arughaunya, Aḍibom		Ọḍual	Oḍual			Saka	8,400 (1963); 15,000 (1980 UBS)	Rivers State, Ahoada LGA	(F&J 1940) report 700 speakers, but in the 1970s, Barnwell (p.c.) found only 20 speakers living in a quarter of one town. The Odut are Mbembe speakers, and there is no separate language.
Ogbogolo									One town only	Rivers State, Ahoada LGA
Ogbrọnuagụm						Bukuma	Agum		One town only, north of Buguma	Rivers State, Degema LGA
Ọchịchị				Ọchịchị	Ọchịchị				A few speakers; moribund, since speakers have switched to Echie	Rivers State, Etche LGA, towns of Ikwerengwo and Umuebulu
Kụgbọ									2,000 (1973 SIL)	Rivers State, Brass LGA
Abureni					Mini			Mini	3 villages	Rivers State, Brass LGA	no data

References

• Blench, Roger. 2008. The Central Delta languages: comparative word list and historical reconstructions.

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