Komta is an extinct unclassified language spoken in what is now

Gombe State Gombe State ( ff, Leyddi Gommbe 𞤤𞤫𞤴𞤣𞤭 𞤺𞤮𞤥𞥆𞤦𞤫) is a state in northeastern Nigeria, bordered to the north and northeast by the state of Borno and Yobe, to the south by Taraba State, to the southeast by Adamawa Stat ...

, northeastern Nigeria.

History of study

Ulrich Kleinewillinghöfer, when investigating the

Jalaa language Jalaa (autonym: ), also known as Cèntûm, Centúúm or Cen Tuum, is an extinct language of northeastern Nigeria (Loojaa settlement in Balanga Local Government Area, Gombe State), of uncertain origins, apparently a language isolate. The Jalabe ...

of Nigeria, inquired into the several previous peoples of the area that had, like the Jalaa, been absorbed by newcomers within living memory. One of these was the Komta. He says,

"The Komta people were dispelled and/or eradicated by the
Tangale Tangale (Tangle) is a West Chadic languages, West Chadic language spoken in Northern region of Nigeria. The vast majority of the native speakers are found across Akko, Nigeria, Akko, Billiri, Kaltungo and Shongom Local Government Area of Gombe St ...
upon their arrival in the area around
Kaltungo Kaltungo is a Local Government Area of Gombe State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is in the town of Kaltungo in the west of the Local Government Area on the A345 highway at . It has a landmark area of 881 km and a population of 149,805 as at ...
Peak. The list elowwas scribbled on a piece of paper and given to me in 2003 by and elderly Tangale working at the time in
Maiduguri Maiduguri is the capital and the largest city of Borno State in north-eastern Nigeria. The city sits along the seasonal Ngadda River which disappears into the ''Firki'' swamps in the areas around Lake Chad. Maiduguri was founded in 1907 as a mil ...
... He explained that this is how his (Tangale) grandfather said the Komta counted."

Data

Given the time elapsed and the lack of a direct witness, it can only be said that the following numerals are ''alleged'' to be Komta. :1 ''pampe'' :2 ''natgana'' :3 ''titana'' :4 ''titanu'' :5 ''notgoru'' :6 ''borganje'' :7 ''gaje'' :8 ''yakana'' :9 ''yawo'' (''yarwo''?) :10 ''mat''

Notes

{{Languages of Nigeria Unclassified languages of Africa Languages of Nigeria Languages extinct in the 20th century