The Kimba languages (Tsikimba; or the Kambari II languages) are a group of Kainji languages of Nigeria spoken by the Kambari people. The languages are Kimba (Tsikimba), Gaushi (Agaushi), and Wenci (Ngwunci).
| Kimba | |
|---|---|
| Tsikimba | |
| Native to | Nigeria |
| Region | Niger State |
| Ethnicity | Kambari |
Native speakers | 100,000 (2004)[1] |
| Dialects |
|
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | kdl |
| Glottolog | tsik1238 |
| Kimba | |
|---|---|
| People | Akimba |
| Language | Tsɨkimba |
| Gaushi | |
|---|---|
| People | Agaushi |
| Language | Tsɨgaushi |
| Wənci | |
|---|---|
| Person | Mawunci |
| People | Ŋwənci |
| Language | Tsuwənci |
Languages
editThere are three languages: Kimba (Tsikimba), Gaushi (Agaushi), and Wənci (Ngwunci). Roger Blench considers Gaushi (Agaushi, Ashe) and Wenci (Ngwunci) to be distinct languages.[2]
The Kimba language (Tsikimba) has three dialects: Auna, Yumu and Wara.
The Ngwunci language has two dialects: Agwara (tsu-saweni) and Rofia (tsu-ɓʷəshi).[3] The Kimba language (Tsikimba) is spoken in Niger State (Magama, Mashigu, and Mariga LGA's, Auna and Wara Areas, East of Lake Kainji on the Niger River) and Kebbi State (Ngaski LGA, Southwest of Lake Kainji).
References
edit- ^ Kimba at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
- ^ Roger Blench, 2010. The Kambari languages
- ^ Blench, Roger (2012). "The Kainji languages of northwestern and central Nigeria" (PDF). Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.