Nimbari language
Nimbari | |
---|---|
Niam-Niam | |
Region | northern Cameroon |
Ethnicity | 130 (2002)[1] |
Extinct | 1930s[2] |
Language family | Niger–Congo?
|
Language codes | |
ISO 639-3 | nmr |
Glottolog | nimb1256 |
ELP | Nimbari |
The Nimbari language (also Niam-Niam), which is no longer spoken, was a member of the Leko–Nimbari group of Savanna languages. It was spoken in northern Cameroon. Ethnologue (22nd ed.) lists Badjire, Gorimbari, and Padjara-Djabi villages as Nimbari locations in Bénoué and Mayo-Louti divisions.
Nimbari was labeled "G12" in Joseph Greenberg's Adamawa language-family proposal.
Distribution
Nimbari is located near Pitoa (Pitoa commune, Bénoué department) and Mayo-Louti (Figuil commune), Northern Region. The so-called Nyam-Nyam of Mayo-Kébi should not be confused with the so-called Nyam-Nyam of Tignère and Galim (Adamawa Region), whose real name is Nizaa (or Suga), of Mambiloid affiliation.[3]
History and classification
Kastenholz and Kleinewillinghöfer (2012) note that Nimbari cannot be classified with certainty due to limited data.[4] It is a Fali name meaning 'people of Mbari'. People who identify as Nimbari currently speak Kangou (or Kaangu, Kaang), a variety of Southern Fali, and identify the ethnic name Nimbari with their village, Gorimbari.[5] Kastenholz and Kleinewillinghöfer (2012) report from a 2008 field trip that the name Mbaari refers to an inselberg (Fali language: ɡɔ́rì) central to the village of Gorimbari (Gorimbaara [ɡóːrímbáːrà]). Nimbari is derived from the Fali term níí mbáárì 'people/person (niru) of Mbaari'.
Strümpell (1922/23) reported Nimbari to be the autonym of Niam-Niam language speakers.[6] Originally, Strümpell (1910) called the language Niam-Niam, and had documented some limited data of questionable quality from elderly rememberers; the language was already no longer in everyday use at the time of data collection.[7] Kastenholz and Kleinewillinghöfer (2012) note that some items in Strümpell's word list share similarities with Duru languages (Dii, Duupa, Dugun), and also with Samba Leko and Kolbila to a lesser extent. However, many words have no clear parallels with other Adamawa languages.
References
- ^ Nimbari language at Ethnologue (15th ed., 2005)
- ^ Nimbari at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)
- ^ Binam Bikoi, Charles, ed. (2012). Atlas linguistique du Cameroun (ALCAM) [Linguistic Atlas of Cameroon]. Atlas linguistique de l'Afrique centrale (ALAC) (in French). Vol. 1: Inventaire des langues. Yaoundé: CERDOTOLA. ISBN 9789956796069.
- ^ Raimund Kastenholz, Ulrich Kleinewillinghöfer. 2012. Nimbari as a language name. Adamawa Languages Project.
- ^ Westermann, Scott, and Annette Westermann. 2001. Sociolinguistic language survey of Nimbari ALCAM [393]. Rapid Appraisal May–June 2001, Basheo and Guider Subdivisions, Benoué and Mayo-Louti Divisions, North Province, Cameroon. Ngaoundéré: LTB Cameroon.
- ^ Strümpell, F. 1922/23. 'Wörterverzeichnis der Heidensprachen des Mandaragebirges', Zeitschrift für Eingeborenensprachen 13: 47-75, 109-149.
- ^ Strümpell, F. 1910. 'Vergleichendes Wörterverzeichnis der Heidensprachen Adamauas , von Hauptmann Strümpell – Garua. Mit Vorbemerkungen von Bernhard Struck – Groß-Lichterfelde', Zeitschrift für Ethnologie 3/4: 444-488.
- v
- t
- e
- Chadian Arabic
- Abon
- Afade
- Aghem
- Ambo
- Babanki
- Bafaw-Balong
- Bafia
- Baka
- Baldemu
- Bamali
- Bambalang
- Bana
- Bangolan
- Bankon
- Basaa
- Bata
- Bati
- Batu
- Bebele
- Bebil
- Beti
- Bikya
- Bishuo
- Bitare
- Bomwali
- Bonkeng
- Bube
- Bung
- Buwal
- Byep
- Caka
- Ceve
- Chamba Leko
- Cuvok
- Daba
- Dowayo
- Ɗugwor
- Duli
- Eman
- Esimbi
- Eton
- Evant
- Fa’
- Fang
- Fanji
- Fe'fe'
- Fut
- Gawar
- Gbanu
- Gbanzili
- Ghomala'
- Gidar
- Glavda
- Gude
- Gunu
- Gvoko
- Hausa
- Hdi
- Hijuk
- Hina
- Hya
- Ipulo
- Iyive
- Jimi
- Jina
- Kaalong
- Kabba
- Kako
- Kali
- Kanuri
- Kare
- Kasabe
- Kera
- Ki
- Kogo
- Kol
- Koma
- Kpwe
- Kuo
- Kutin
- Kwa’
- Kwakum
- Kwasio
- La'bi
- Lagwan
- Limba
- Limbum
- Luo
- Maɗa
- Mafa
- Majera
- Makaa
- Malgbe
- Manenguba
- Mangbai
- Manza
- Maslam
- Massa
- Matal
- Mazagway
- Mbə’
- Mboa
- Mbudum
- Mbuko
- Mbule
- Mbum
- Mefele
- Məgaka
- Mengisa
- Menyam
- Merey
- Mesaka
- Mfumte
- Mofu-Gudur
- Moloko
- Mono
- Mpade
- Mpumpong
- Mser
- Mundang
- Mungaka
- Musgu
- Muyang
- Nagumi
- Nda’nda’
- Ndai
- Nen
- Nga'ka
- Ngambay
- Ngiemboon
- Ngomba
- Ngombale
- Ngwe
- Nimbari
- Njem
- Njerep
- Nkongho
- Noho
- Noni
- North Giziga
- North Mofu
- Northwest Gbaya
- Nyokon
- Nyong
- Nzakambay
- Nzanyi
- Nzime
- Oblo
- Oroko
- Otank
- Pam
- Papia
- Parkwa
- Pinyin
- Pol
- Pongo
- Psikyɛ
- Rombi
- Sharwa
- South Giziga
- Suwu
- Swo
- Tibea
- Tikar
- To
- Tsuvan
- Tupuri
- Vame
- Vemgo-Mabas
- Vengo
- Vere
- Voko
- Wom
- Wuzlam
- Yamba
- Yambe
- Yasa
- Yedina
- Yemba
- Yeni
- Zizilivakan
- Zulgo-Gemzek
- Zumaya