Ahwai language


Ahwai, also called the Ndunic languages, is a Plateau language cluster spoken to the southwest of Fadan Karshi in Sanga LGA, Kaduna State, Nigeria. Most villages are located at the foot of the Ahwai Mountains in Kaduna State.

Dialects

There are three mutually intelligible dialects:
Blench classified them as distinct Ndunic languages. However, that same year Ethnologue merged them as a single language.
Ahwai is a self-designated term used to refer to speakers of all three Ndunic languages.

Ndun

Ndun is also known by the Hausa name Nandu. Ndun villages are Ànkpòŋ, Anfufalǐm, Ŋ̀bòk, Ànkàrà, Bányìn, and Ungwar Rimi.
In Nince village, Kaduna State, the Nisam people have all shifted to Ndun. The Nisam language remains undocumented.

Nyeng

Nyeng is spoken by about 2,000 speakers in Adu and other villages in Kaduna State, Nigeria. The Nyeng people used to live on the hill of ifyal anyeŋ. Today, their villages are:
Nyeng nameHausa name
AduNingon Kirya
Pɔ̀hɔ́kUngwan Giginya
Pok Kyɔ́Ungwan Dakaci
Ungwan RimiNingon Titi

A word list of Nyeng was collected by Roger Blench and Barau Kato in 2003.

Shakara

The main settlements of the Shakara are Jije Fyal, Nggwakum, Akayi, Apɔhɔt, Telehwe, Kobo, Koba, Nggwa Dauda, Nggwa Mangoro, Nggwa Igyan, Barib, and formerly Nggwa Yiri.

Names and locations

Below is a list of Ndunic language names, populations, and locations from Blench.
LanguageClusterAlternate spellingsOwn name for languageEndonymOther names Other names for languageSpeakersLocation
Ndun-Nyeng-Shakara clusterNdun-Nyeng-ShakaraAhwai
NdunNdun-Nyeng-ShakaraNandu
NyengNdun-Nyeng-ShakaraNingon
ShakaraNdun-Nyeng-ShakaraìShákárásg. kùShákárá pl. úShákáráTariShakara 3000 Kaduna State, a line of villages 7 km. due west of Mayir on the Fadan Karshe-Wamba road