Plateau languages

Below is a list of major Plateau branches and their primary locations (centres of diversity) based on Blench (2019). The Plateau languages are highly typologically and lexically diverse. For instance, Roger Blench (2022) notes that Beromic is more internally diverse than all of West Chadic A3. ==Classification==

Little work has been done on the Plateau languages, and the results to date are tentative. Blench (2018) Blench (2018:112) gives the following classification of the Plateau languages. • Plateau • Tarokoid (5) • South • Eggonic (2) • Jilic (2–4) • ? East (2–3) • Bo-Rukul • Horom-Fyem • Ndunic (Ahwai) (1–3) • Alumic (4) • Ninzic (13–14) • ? West-Central area (~20) • Rigwe • Tyapic • Izeric • Hyamic • Koro • Gyongic • North-West • Beromic (4) • ? Eloyi Blench (2008) The following classification is taken from Blench (2008). Most of the branches are discrete constituents, though Central is a residual grouping and there are doubts about some of the purported Ninzic languages. Plateau languages as a whole share a number of isoglosses, as do all branches apart from Tarokoid. • Plateau • Tarokoid (5) • • Eloyi • South • Eggonic (2) • Jilic (2–4) • Ndunic (Ahwai) (1–3) • Alumic (4) • Ninzic (13–14) • ? East (2–3) • ? Central (20) • Beromic (4) Glottolog adds the Yukubenic languages. Blench, however, places Yukubenic in the Jukunoid family, following Shimizu (1980). Gerhardt (1983) Classification of Plateau languages by Gerhardt (1983), based on Maddieson (1972): • Plateau • Plateau 1a, 1b (Kainji languages) • Plateau 2 • Yeskwa, Lungu, Koro • Kamanton, Kagoma, Jaba cluster, Nandu-Tari • Afuzare, Kaje, Iregwe • Kagoro, Ataka, Katab (including Kachicheri, Kafanchan), Marwa • Kadara, Kuturmi, Ikulu, Idong, Doka, Iku-Gora-Ankwa • Plateau 3 • Migili (?, L. G.) • Birom (including Aboro, Afango) • Aten • Plateau 4 • Ayu • Kwanka-Boi-Bijim-Shall-Zwall • Ninzam, Mada, Gwantu, Numana-Nunku, Nindem, Kaningkon, Kanufi • Rukuba • Plateau 5 • Yashi • Eggon, Nungu, Ake, Jidda-Abu • Plateau 6 • Pyam • Horom • Plateau 7 • Tarok (= Yergam) • Bashar • Pai • Plateau 8 • Mabo-Barkul • Plateau 9 • Eloyi • Plateau 10 • Turkwam, Arum-Chesu Note: Plateau 1 languages, consisting of Plateau 1a and 1b, are now classified separately as Kainji languages. ==Language list==

List of Plateau languages given by Blench (2018): ==Morphology==

Proto-Plateau nominal prefixes: • *ni- (corresponding to Bantu noun class 9 *n- for animals and inanimate objects) • *V- for person, *bV- for people • *N- prefixes, homorganic with the following consonant • *nV- ~ *mV- (both singular and plural), which mark liquids, mass nouns, and abstract nouns Only some of the languages have nominal classes, as the Bantu languages have, where in others these have eroded. In many Plateau languages, many CV- prefixes have become fossilised, replaced by V- prefixes, or disappeared altogether. The large numbers of consonants in many languages is due to the erosion of noun-class prefixes. In Plateau languages, adjectives and possessive forms generally follow the noun. ==Reconstructions==

Some Proto-Plateau quasi-reconstructions proposed by Roger Blench (2008) are: ==Numerals==

Comparison of numerals in individual languages: ==See also==