Laru (Laro, also Shen or Sengwe
[McGill, Stuart. 2012. The Kainji languages. Ms, School of Oriental and African Studies, London, 30 August 2012.]) is a minor
Kainji language
The Kainji languages are a group of about 60 related languages spoken in west-central Nigeria. They form part of the Central Nigerian (Platoid) branch of Benue–Congo.
Demographics
Four of the most widely spoken Kainji languages are Tsuvadi ( ...
of
Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
. It has one dialect: Cuba (Shuba). Speakers are shifting to
Busa.
Dialects
There are three dialects of Shen, spoken in the following villages.
* Kárábàndéi and Sànsání
* Sàːgúnú4, Sʷàʃí, Lúmːà, and Barkatai
* Mɔ̀nːáĩ, Sáŋkʷà, and Màláːlé
The major villages, ordered from largest to smallest, are Sàːgúnú, Kárábàndéi, Sʷàʃí, Lúmːà, and Mɔ̀nːáĩ. There are fewer than 4,000 speakers.
''Ethnologue'' (22nd ed.) lists Laru villages as Karabonde, Leshigbe, Luma, Monnai, Sansanni, and Shagunu.
References
Kainji languages
Languages of Nigeria
{{Kainji-lang-stub