Ukaan (also Ikan, Anyaran, Auga, or Kakumo) is a poorly described Niger–Congo language or dialect cluster of uncertain affiliation.[2][3] Roger Blench suspects, based on wordlists, that it might be closest to the (East) Benue–Congo languages (or, equivalently, the most divergent of the Benue–Congo languages). Blench (2012) states that "noun-classes and concord make it look Benue-Congo, but evidence is weak."[4]
| Ukaan | |
|---|---|
| Native to | Nigeria |
| Region | Ondo State, Ekiti State, Kogi State |
Native speakers | (18,000 cited 1973)[1] |
Niger–Congo?
| |
| Dialects |
|
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | kcf |
| Glottolog | ukaa1243 |
Speakers refer to their language as Ùkãã or Ìkã.[5]
Varieties
editThe name Anyaran is from the town of Anyaran, where it is spoken. Ukaan has several divergent dialects: Ukaan proper, Igau, Ayegbe (Iisheu), Iinno (Iyinno), which only have one-way intelligibility in some cases.
Roger Blench (2005, 2019)[6] considers Ukaan to consist of at least 3 different languages, and notes that Ukaan varieties spoken in Ìshè,̣ Ẹkakumọ, and Auga all have different lexemes.[5]
Salffner (2009: 27)[7] lists the following four dialects of Ukaan.
- Ikaan: spoken in Ikakumo and Ikakumo (Edo State)
- Ayegbe: spoken in Ise
- Iigau or Iigao: spoken in Auga
- Iino: spoken in Ayanran
Distribution
editEthnologue lists the following locations where Ukaan is spoken.
- Ondo State: Akoko North-East LGA
- Edo State: Akoko Edo LGA
- Kogi State: Ijumu LGA (Anyaran, Auga, and Ishe towns)
Blench (2019) lists Ondo State, Akoko North LGA, towns of Kakumo–Aworo (Kakumo–Kejĩ, Auga and Iṣe); Edo State, Akoko Edo LGA, towns of Kakumo–Akoko and Anyaran.
Reconstruction
editProto-Ukaan has been reconstructed by Abiodun (1999).[8]
See also
edit- List of Proto-Ukaan reconstructions (Wiktionary)
References
edit- ^ Ukaan at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
- ^ Eberhard, David M.; Simons, Gary F.; Fennig, Charles D., eds. (2022). "Ukaan". Ethnologue: Languages of the World. Online version (25th ed.). Dallas, Texas: SIL International. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
- ^ "HRELP – Projects". Retrieved 2009-04-03.
- ^ Roger Blench, Niger-Congo: an alternative view
- ^ a b Blench, Roger (2019). An Atlas of Nigerian Languages (4th ed.). Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.
- ^ Blench, Roger. 2005. The Ukaan language: Bantu in south-western Nigeria?
- ^ Salffner, Sophie. 2009. Tone in the phonology, lexicon and grammar of Ikaan. Doctoral dissertation, University of London.
- ^ Abiodun, Michael Ajibola. 1999. A comparative phonology and morphology of Ukaan dialects of Old Akoko division. Doctoral dissertation. University of Ilorin.