Northwest Kainji languages

Northwest Kainji
Lela, Duka
Geographic distribution	Nigeria
Linguistic classification	Niger–Congo? Atlantic–Congo Benue–Congo Kainji Northwest Kainji
Language codes
Glottolog	duka1247

The six Northwest Kainji languages, also known as the Lela languages or the Duka languages, are spoken near Kainji Lake on the Niger River in Nigeria. They are distinguishable from other Kainji languages by the reduction of their noun-class prefixes to single consonants.^[1]

Classification

Blench (2018)

Northwest Kainji classification by Blench (2018):^[2]

• Northwest Kainji
  • ? Damakawa
  • • cLela
    • Hun-Saare
    • Ma'in, Wurə-Gwamhyə-Mba

The position of Damakawa is uncertain.

Blench (2010)

In Blench (2010), Lela (C'lela and Ribah) is divergent from the other languages, though poorly attested Damakawa has similarities.^[1]

• Northwest Kainji
  • Lela (C'lela), ? Damakawa
  • • Gwamhi-Wuri
    • ut-Ma'in (Fakai), Hun-Saare (Duka)

References

1. Roger Blench, 2010, The Northwest Kainji languages
2. Blench, Roger M. 2018. Nominal affixing in the Kainji languages of northwestern and central Nigeria. In John R. Watters (ed.), East Benue-Congo: Nouns, pronouns, and verbs, 59–106. Berlin: Language Science Press. doi:10.5281/zenodo.1314323