Tula–Waja languages
The Tula–Waja, or Tula–Wiyaa languages are a branch of the provisional Savanna languages, closest to Kam, spoken in northeastern Nigeria. They are spoken primarily in southeastern Gombe State and other neighbouring states.
They were labeled "G1" in Joseph Greenberg's Adamawa language-family proposal and later placed in a Waja–Jen branch of that family.
Guldemann observes significant internal lexical diversity within Tula-Waja, partly as a result of word tabooing accelerating lexical change. Although noun classes have been lost in Dadiya, Maa, and Yebu, Waja and Tula retain complex noun class systems. Kleinewillinghöfer also observes many morphological similarities between the Tula–Waja and Central Gur languages, a view shared by Bennett and Bennett & Sterk.
Languages
- Awak: Awak, Kamo
- Cham–Mona: Dijim-Bwilim, Tso
- Dadiya
- Tula: Bangwinji, Tula, Waja
Classification
;Tula–Waja
- Core Tula group
- *Tula
- **Kutule
- ***Wange
- ***Baule
- **Yiri
- *Dadiya
- *Bangwinji
- **Kaalo
- **Naabaŋ
- Yebu
- Ma
- Cham
- *Dijim of Kindiyo
- *Bwilim
- Tso
- *Tso of the Swaabou
- *Tso of the Bərbou
- **Tso of the Gusubo
- **Tso of Luuzo
- Waja
- *Waja of Wɩɩ
- *Waja of Deri
Names and locations
Language | Dialects | Alternate spellings | Own name for language | Endonym | Other names | Other names for language | Exonym | Speakers | Location |
Dijim–Bwilim | 7,545. ca. 20 villages | Gombe State, Balanga LGA, Adamawa State, Lamurde LGA | |||||||
Dijim | Dijim | sg Níi Dìjí pl. Dìjím | Cham, Cam, Kindiyo, | ||||||
Bwilim | Bwilə́m | sg Níi Bwilí pl. Bwilə́m | Mwana, Mwona , Fitilai | 4,282 | |||||
Dadiya | Nda Dia, Dadia | Bwe Daddiya pl. Daddiyab | Nyíyò Daddiya | 3,986, 20,000. | Gombe State, Balanga LGA, Taraba State, Karim Lamido LGA and Adamawa State, Lamurde LGA. Between Dadiya and Bambam. | ||||
Ma | Ma sg. nụbá Ma pl. | nyii Ma | Kamo, Kamu | 3000 | Gombe State, Kaltungo and Akko LGAs | ||||
Tsobo | Bәrbou, Guzubo, Swabou | Cibbo | Tsóbó | nyi Tsó | Lotsu–Piri, Pire, Fire | Kitta | 2,000 | Gombe State, Kaltungo LGA, Adamawa State, Numan LGA | |
Tula | Baule, Wangke , Yiri | Ture | yii Kitule | Naba Kitule pl. Kitule | 19,209 ; 12,204 ; 19,000. ca. 50 villages ?100,000 est. | Gombe State, Kaltungo LGA. Tula is 30 km. east of Billiri. | |||
Wiyaa | Plain and Hills | Wagga | Nyan Wịyáù | Wịyáà | Waja | 19,700 ; 50,000 | Gombe State, Balanga and Kaltungo LGAs, Waja district. Taraba State, Bali LGA. | ||
Bangjinge | Nabang, Kaloh | Bangunji, Bangunje, Bangwinji | Báŋjìŋè sg. Báŋjìŋèb pl. | nyii Bánjòŋ | 8000 CAPRO. 25 villages | Gombe State, Shongom LGA | |||
Yebu | Yěbù | Nìín Yěbù | Awok | 2,035 | Gombe State, Kaltungo LGA: 10 km northeast of Kaltungo |