Yukubenic languages

Yukubenic
Oohum
Geographic distribution	Nigeria
Linguistic classification	Niger–Congo? Atlantic–Congo Benue–Congo Jukunoid? Plateau? Yukubenic
Language codes
Glottolog	yuku1243

The Yukubenic languages (or Oohum languages)^[1] are a branch of either the Jukunoid family or the Plateau family spoken in southeastern Nigeria. Glottolog places Yukubenic in the Plateau family.^[2] Ethnologue, however, places Yukubenic in the Jukunoid family,^[3] based on Shimizu (1980), and Blench also follows this classification.^[1]

Classification

The Yukubenic languages are:

• Bete, Lufu
• Kapya
• Afudu
• Akum, Beezen–Baazem
• Yukuben (Uuhum Gigi)

Names and locations

Below is a list of language names, populations, and locations from Blench (2019).^[4]

Language	Branch	Dialects	Alternate spellings	Own name for language	Endonym(s)	Other names (location-based)	Other names for language	Exonym(s)	Speakers	Location(s)
Kapya	Yukuben–Kutep									Taraba State, Takum LGA, at Kapya
Kuteb	Yukuben–Kutep	Lissam, Fikyu, Jenuwa, Rufu, Kentin: Fikyu has sub–dialects	Kutev, Kutep			Ati (Administrative name in Cameroon)	Mbarike, Zumper (Jompre) (not recommended)		15,592 (1952 W&B);[5] 30,000 (1986 UBS); 1400 in Cameroon (1976)	Taraba State, Takum LGA and in Cameroon, Furu Awa subdivision
Yukuben	Yukuben–Kutep		Nyikuben, Nyikobe, Ayikiben, Yikuben		Oohum, Uuhum		Boritsu, Balaabe	Uuhum-Gigi in Cameroon	10,000 (1971 Welmers);[6] 1,000 in Cameroon (1976)	Taraba State, Takum LGA; and in Furu-Awa subdivision, Cameroon

References

1. Roger Blench (15 November 2005). "Is there a boundary between Plateau and Jukunoid? (PDF Download Available)". ResearchGate. pp. 3, 5. Retrieved 2017-07-26.
2. "Glottolog 3.0 - Yukubenic". glottolog.org. Retrieved 2017-08-14.
3. "Jukunoid". Ethnologue. Retrieved 2017-07-26.
4. Blench, Roger (2019). An Atlas of Nigerian Languages (4th ed.). Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.
5. Westermann, Diedrich & M.A. Bryan, 1952. Languages of West Africa. London: International African Institute.
6. Welmers, William Everrett 1971. Checklist of African Language and Dialect Names. In: Current Trends in Linguistics, Vol. 7, T.A. Sebeok 759-900, The Hague, Mouton.