The Biu–Mandara or Central Chadic languages of the

Afro-Asiatic The Afroasiatic languages (or Afro-Asiatic), also known as Hamito-Semitic, or Semito-Hamitic, and sometimes also as Afrasian, Erythraean or Lisramic, are a language family of about 300 languages that are spoken predominantly in the geographic su ...

family are spoken in

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 ...

Chad Chad (; ar, تشاد , ; french: Tchad, ), officially the Republic of Chad, '; ) is a landlocked country at the crossroads of North and Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic ...

and

Cameroon Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...

. A reconstruction of Proto-Central Chadic has been proposed by Gravina (2014).

Languages

Gravina (2014)

Gravina (2014) classifies Central Chadic as follows, as part of a reconstruction of the proto-language. Letters and numbers in parentheses correspond to branches in previous classifications. The greatest changes are breaking up and reassigning the languages of the old Mafa branch (A.5) and Mandage (Kotoko) branch (B.1). *South **South ***Bata (A.8) ****Bata Proper: Bacama, Bata, Fali, Gude,

Gudu Gudu is a Local Government Area in Sokoto State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Balle. With an area of 3,478 km and a population of 95,544 at the 2006 census, with an estimated population of 139,000 in 2019. Gudu shares a boun ...

, Holma (†), Jimi, Ngwaba (from A.1 Tera), Nzanyi, Sharwa ****Tsuvan:

Tsuvan Tsuvan (also known as Matsuvan, Motsuvan, Terki, Telaki, Teleki, Tchede) is an Afro-Asiatic language spoken in Cameroon Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, l ...

, Zizilivakan ***Daba (A.7) ****Daba Proper: Daba, Mazagway Hidi ****Mina: Mina, Mbudum ****Buwal: Buwal,

Gavar Gavar ( hy, Գավառ) is a town and urban municipal community in Armenia serving as the administrative centre of Gegharkunik Province. It is situated among the high mountains of Gegham range to the west of Lake Sevan, with an average height o ...

***Mafa (= South A.5 Mafa (d)): Mafa, Mefele, Cuvok ***Tera (A.1): ****East Tera: Boga, Ga'anda,

Hwana Hwana (also known as Hwona, Hona, Tuftera, Fiterya) is an Afro-Asiatic language spoken in Adamawa State, Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Feder ...

****(West Tera): Jara,

Tera TERA is a shielded twisted pair connector for use with Category 7 twisted-pair data cables, developed by The Siemon Company and standardised in 2003 by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) with the reference IEC 61076-3-104. The ...

*** Sukur (A.6) *Hurza **Hurza (from A.5 Mafa): Vame, Mbuko *North **Margi–Mandara–Mofu ***Margi (A.2) ****Bura: Bura, Cibak, Putai, Nggwahyi ****Margi Proper:

Kilba The Kilba are an ethnic group in the Hong local government area of Adamawa State (formerly Gongola State) in Nigeria. History In the past, Höba lived in large clan-based mountain communities. These mountain communities were Pella, Gwaja, Hon ...

, Margi South, Margi ***Mandara (A.4): ****Wandala: Mandara ( Malgwa),

Glavda Glavda (also known as Galavda, Gelebda, Glanda, Guelebda, Galvaxdaxa) is an Afro-Asiatic language spoken in Borno State, Nigeria and in Far North Province, Cameroon. The Gelvaxdaxa community is very small in Cameroon (about 2,800 speakers). The ...

****Dghwede:

Cineni Cineni is a village in Gwoza, Borno State, 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 s ...

, Dghwede, Guduf, Gava, Gvoko ****Podoko: Podoko, Matal (from A.5 Mafa) ***Mofu (part of South A.5 Mafa) ****Tokombere: Ouldeme,

Mada Mada ( sa, मद) is a term used in both Āstika and nāstika, Hindu theology and Hindu mythology, mythology. It is one of the Arishadvargas. It refers to one of the six enemy of the mind or a vice according to the Hindu texts, Hindu scriptures ...

, Muyang, Molokwo ****Meri: Zulgo, Gemzek, Merey, Dugwor ****Mofu Proper: Mofu North, Mofu-Gudur **Maroua ***Maroua (part of South A.5 Mafa (c)): Giziga North, Giziga South, Mbazla **Lamang ***Lamang (West A.4 Wandala):

Lamang Lamang (Laamang) is an Afro-Asiatic language The Afroasiatic languages (or Afro-Asiatic), also known as Hamito-Semitic, or Semito-Hamitic, and sometimes also as Afrasian, Erythraean or Lisramic, are a language family of about 300 languages th ...

Hdi The Human Development Index (HDI) is a statistic composite index of life expectancy, education (mean years of schooling completed and expected years of schooling upon entering the education system), and per capita income indicators, wh ...

, Mabas **Higi ***Higi (A.3): Bana, Hya, Psikyɛ, Kamwe, Kirya-Konzel **Musgum – North Kotoko ***Kotoko Island: Buduma ***Kotoko North: Mpade, Afaɗə, Malgbe, Maltam ***Musgum (B.2): Musgum, Mbara, Muskum (†) **Kotoko Centre ***Kotoko Centre: Lagwan, Mser **Kotoko South ***Kotoko South:

Zina ''Zināʾ'' () or ''zinā'' ( or ) is an Islamic legal term referring to unlawful sexual intercourse. According to traditional jurisprudence, ''zina'' can include adultery, fornication, prostitution, rape, sodomy, incest, and bestiality. ...

, Mazera ** Gidar Jilbe was not classified, as no sources were available.

Blench (2006)

The branches of Biu–Mandara traditionally go by either names or letters and numbers in an outline format. Blench (2006) organizes them as follows:Blench, 2006
The Afro-Asiatic Languages: Classification and Reference List
(ms) *Tera (A.1):

, Pidlimdi (Hinna), Jara, Ga'anda, Gabin, Boga, Ngwaba,

*Bura–Higi **Bura (A.2): Bura-Pabir (Bura), Cibak (Kyibaku), Nggwahyi, Huba (Kilba), Putai (Marghi West), Marghi Central (Margi, Margi Babal), Marghi South **? Kofa **Higi (A.3): Kamwə ( Psikyɛ, Higi), Bana, Hya, ? Kirya-Konzəl *Wandala–Mafa **Wandala (Mandara) (A.4) ***East:

Wandala The Mandara Kingdom (sometimes called Wandala) was an African kingdom in the Mandara Mountains of what is today Cameroon. The Mandara people are descended from the kingdom's inhabitants. History Tradition states that Mandara was founded shor ...

(Mura, Mandara, Malgwa),

(Gəlvaxdaxa) *** Parəkwa (Podoko) ***West: Gəvoko, Guduf-Gava (

), Dghweɗe,

(Xədi, Hedi, Tur),

, Woga, Vemgo, Mabas *** Sukur (Sakwun, A.6) **Mafa (A.5) ***Northeast Mafa: Vame (Pəlasla), Mbuko, Gaduwa *** Matal (Muktele) ***South Mafa ****(a) Wuzlam (Ouldémé), Muyang, Maɗa, Məlokwo ****(b) Zəlgwa-Minew, Gemzek, Ɗugwor, Mikere, Merey ****(c) North Giziga, South Giziga, North Mofu, Mofu-Gudur (South Mofu), Baldemu (Mbazlam) ****(d) Cuvok, Mafa, Mefele, Shügule *Daba (A.7) **North Daba: Buwal (Gadala),

(Kortchi) **South Daba: Mina (Besleri, Hina), Daba ( Mazagway), Mbədam *Bata (Gbwata) (A.8): Bacama, Bata (Gbwata), Sharwa,

, Gude,

Fali of Mubi Fali, or Fali of Mubi after the local city, is a Chadic dialect cluster spoken in Nigeria, in Adamawa State Adamawa state () is a state in the North-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, bordered by Borno to the northwest, Gombe to the we ...

, Zizilivakan (Ulan Mazhilvən, Fali of Jilbu), Jimi (Jimjimən),

, Holma (†), Nzanyi *Mandage (Kotoko) (B.1) **South Mandage: Msər (Kousseri), Lagwan (Logone) **? Jilbe **North Mandage: Afaɗə, Maslam, Malgbe (Gulfey), Mpadə *'' Buduma (Yedina)'' *East–Central **'' Gidar (Kaɗa)'' **Munjuk (B.2): Mbara, Muskum (Muzuk) (†), Mpus, Beege (Jafga), Vulum (Mulwi) **Mida'a (< B.1): Jina, Majəra

Newman (1977)

Central Chadic classification per Newman (1977): Biu-Mandara languages

Names and locations (Nigeria)

Below is a list of language names, populations, and locations (in

only) from Blench (2019).

South

North

Numerals

Comparison of numerals in individual languages:

Notes

References

Central Chadic resources
at africanlanguages.org {{DEFAULTSORT:Biu-Mandara languages Chadic languages Biu-Mandara languages