View source for Angas languages

{{Infobox language family
|name=Angas
|altname=Angas–Sura, Central West Chadic, <br/>A.3 West Chadic
|region=[[Shendam]] and [[Mangu, Nigeria|Mangu]] LGAs, [[Plateau State]], [[Nigeria]]
|familycolor=Afro-Asiatic
|fam2=[[Chadic languages|Chadic]]
|fam3=[[West Chadic languages|West Chadic]]
|glotto=west2717
|glottorefname=West Chadic A.3
|map=West Chadic Languages.jpg
|mapcaption=West Chadic per Newman (1977)
}}
[[File:Afro asiatic peoples nigeria.png|thumb|right|200px|Main Chadic-speaking peoples in Nigeria]]
The '''Angas''', '''Angas–Sura''',<ref>Takács, Gábor. 2004. ''Comparative Dictionary of the Angas-Sura Languages''. Berlin: Reimer.</ref> or '''Central West Chadic languages'''<ref>{{Cite web|last=Blench|first=Roger|author-link=Roger Blench|date=2019|title=Jakato: an undocumented language of Central Nigeria|url=https://www.academia.edu/40680338}}</ref> (also known as '''A.3''' West Chadic) are a branch of [[West Chadic languages]] spoken in [[Plateau State]], north-central [[Nigeria]].

==Languages==
The Angas languages are:<ref name="Blench2017">Blench, Roger. 2017. [https://www.academia.edu/35507157/CURRENT_RESEARCH_ON_THE_A3_WEST_CHADIC_LANGUAGES Current research on the A3 West Chadic languages].</ref>

;Angas
*Ngasic: [[Ngas language|Ngas]] (Angas), [[Belnəng language|Belnəng]]; ?[[Miler language|Miler]]
*Mwaghavulic: [[Mwaghavul language|Mwaghavul]], Mupun (Mapun), Takas (Toos); [[Cakfem-Mushere language|Cakfem-Mushere]]
*[[Miship language|Miship]] (Chip)
*Pan cluster
**[[Chakato language|Chakato]]; [[Jorto language|Jorto]] (spurious)
**[[Jipal language|Jipal]], Mernyang (Mirriam), Kwagallak, [[Kofyar language|Kofyar]] (Doemak), Bwol, Goram, [[Jibyal language|Jibyal]]
*[[Nteng language|Nteng]]
*Tel (Tɛɛl, [[Montol language|Montol]])
*Talic: [[Tal language|Tal]], [[Pyapun language|Pyapun]], [[Koenoem language|Koenoem]]
*Goemaic: [[Goemai language|Goemai]]
*[[Yiwom language|Yiwom]] (Ywom, Gerka)<ref name="Blench2017"/>

Note that in the language names, orthographic ''[[oe (digraph)|oe]]'' stands for the [[mid central vowel]] '''ə''', a practice that had been adopted by missionaries in the [[Shendam]] area during the 1930s, such as Father E. Sirlinger.<ref name="Blench2017"/><ref>Sirlinger, Father E. 1937. ''Dictionary of the Goemai Language''. Prefecture Apostolic of Jos. Typescript.</ref><ref>Sirlinger, Father E. 1942. ''A grammar of the Goemai Language''. Prefecture Apostolic of Jos. Typescript.</ref>

Unlike many other [[West Chadic languages]], Angas languages do not have complex nominal and verbal morphology.<ref>Blench, Roger. 2021. ''[https://www.academia.edu/46654471/The_erosion_of_number_marking_in_West_Chadic The erosion of number marking in West Chadic Roger Blench]''. WOCAL, Leiden.</ref>

[[Ywom language|Ywom]] is the most divergent language.<ref>Blench, Roger. 2021. ''[https://www.academia.edu/58551549/West_Chadic_classification_2021 West Chadic classification 2021]''. Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.</ref>

==Phonology==
Some phonological characteristics that are typical of the Chadic A3 languages:<ref name="Blench2017"/>
*[[Palatalised consonant]]s
*[[Implosive consonant]]s ɓ, ɗ
*Six-vowel system consisting of i, ɨ, u, ɛ, ɔ, a
*Three tone levels

==Morphology==
The West Chadic A3 languages have isolating [[Morphology (linguistics)|morphology]] due to typological convergence with the [[Plateau languages]]. Blench (2022) notes that there are many morphological similarities with [[Berom language|Berom]], [[Izere language|Izere]], and [[Ninzic languages]] (such as [[Mada language|Mada]]), although there are no immediately identifiable direct lexical borrowings. Although [[Hausa language|Hausa]] and the West Chadic A3 languages share many lexical cognates, Hausa is much more morphologically complex. This is because Hausa originated from outside the Plateau area and had thus not undergone intensive long-term contact with Plateau languages to the extent that West Chadic A3 had.<ref name="West Chadic Plateau">Blench, Roger (2022). ''[https://www.academia.edu/89023379/Contact_between_West_Chadic_and_Plateau_languages_new_evidence_languages_new_evidence Contact between West Chadic and Plateau languages: new evidence languages: new evidence]''. 11-12 November 2022, presentation given at Universität Wien.</ref>

Plurals are marked with an *mV- affix throughout West Chadic A3 languages.<ref name="West Chadic Plateau"/>

==Lexicon==
The West Chadic A3 languages are lexically innovative, having lost many common Chadic lexical roots as with the [[Ron languages|Ron]] and [[South Bauchi languages|South Bauchi]] languages. Blench (2022) suggests that this is due to borrowing from Plateau languages that have since become extinct and/or assimilated.<ref name="West Chadic Plateau"/>

==Names and locations==
Below is a comprehensive list of Angas language names, populations, and locations from Blench (2019).<ref name="BlenchAtlas4">{{Cite book|title=An Atlas of Nigerian Languages|last=Blench|first=Roger|publisher=Kay Williamson Educational Foundation|year=2019|edition=4th|location=Cambridge}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" | style="font-size: 75%;" | 
! Language !! Cluster !! Dialects !! Alternate spellings !! Own name for language !! [[Endonym]](s) !! Other names (location-based) !! Other names for language !! [[Exonym]](s) !! Speakers !! Location(s) !! Notes
|-
| [[Miship language|Miship]] || || Longmaar, Jiɓaam || Ship, Chip, Cip || || || || || || 10,127 (Ames 1934), 6,000 (SIL) || [[Plateau State]], Mangu and Shendam LGAs || 
|-
| '''''[[Cakfem–Mushere language|Cakfem–Mushere]] cluster''''' || Cakfem–Mushere || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
| [[Cakfem language|Cakfem]] || Cakfem–Mushere || Jajura || Chakfem, Chokfem || || || || || || 5,000 (SIL) || [[Plateau State]], Mangu LGA || 
|-
| [[Mushere language|Mushere]] || Cakfem–Mushere || Mushere is sharply divided into two dialects, plus Kadim spoken in a single village || Mushere || || || || || || About 13 villages || [[Plateau State]], Mangu LGA || 
|-
| [[Ngas language|Ngas]] || || Hill and Plain || Nngas Ngas || || Kerang || || || || 55,250 (1952 W&B) || [[Plateau State]], Pankshin, Kanam and Langtang LGAs || 
|-
| [[Ywom language|Ywom]] || || || Yiwom || || || || Gerkanci, Gurka || Gerkawa || 2,520 (Ames 1934); 8,000 (1973 SIL) || [[Plateau State]], Shendam and Langtang LGAs || 
|-
| [[Jorto language|Jorto]] || || || || || || || || || 4,876 (1934 Ames) || [[Plateau State]], Shendam LGA, at Dokan Kasuwa || Spurious language? (No data)
|-
| [[Koenoem language|Koenoem]] || || || Kanam || || || || || || 1,898 (1934 Ames); 3,000 (SIL) || [[Plateau State]], Shendam LGA || 
|-
| [[Kofa language|Kofa]] || || Locally said to be a separate language; linguistic status uncertain || Kota || || || || || || || [[Adamawa State]], Song LGA, north of Belel road a Chadic language of the Bura group || 
|-
| [[Tel language|Tel]] || || || Teel, Tehl || || || Baltap, Montoil, Montol || || || 13,386 (1934 Ames); 20,000 (1973 SIL) || [[Plateau State]], Shendam LGA || 
|-
| '''''[[Mwaghavul language|Mwaghavul]] cluster''''' || Mwaghavul || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
| [[Mwaghavul language|Mwaghavul]] || Mwaghavul || || Mwahavul || || || || Sura || Sura || 20,000 (1952 W&B); 40,000 (1973 SIL); current informal estimates suggest around 200,000 speakers || [[Plateau State]], Barkin Ladi and Mangu LGAs || 
|-
| [[Mupun language|Mupun]] || Mwaghavul || || Mapan || || || || || || || || 
|-
| [[Takas language|Takas]] || Mwaghavul || || Toos || || || || || || || || 
|-
| '''''[[Pan language|Pan]] cluster''''' || Pan || || || || Kofyar || || || || 72,946 (1963) || [[Plateau State]], Shendam, Mangu and Lafia LGAs || 
|-
| [[Mernyang language|Mernyang]] || Pan || Larr/Lardang and Mikiet are said to be 'offsets' of Mirriam || || || || || || || 16,739 (1963) || [[Plateau State]], Shendam LGA || 
|-
| [[Doemak language|Doemak]] || Pan || || Dәmak, Dimmuk || || Kofyar || Kwong || || || || [[Plateau State]], Shendam LGA || 
|-
| [[Teng language|Tèŋ]] || Pan || || Teng || || || || || || || [[Plateau State]], Qaʼan Pan LGA || no data
|-
| [[Kwagallak language|Kwagallak]] || Pan || Nteng (Jasikit)? no data || Kwaʼalang || || || || Kwalla, Kwolla || || 25,403 (1963) || [[Plateau State]], Shendam LGA || 
|-
| [[Bwol language|Bwol]] || Pan || || Bwal, Mbol || || || || || || 3,853 (1963) || [[Nasarawa State]], Lafia LGA || 
|-
| [[Gworam language|Gworam]] || Pan || || Giverom, Goram || || || || || || 3,055 (1952) || [[Nasarawa State]], Lafia LGA || 
|-
| [[Jipal language|Jipal]] || Pan || || Jepel, Jepal, Jibyal || || || || || || || [[Plateau State]], Mangu LGA || 
|-
| [[Shindai language|Shindai]] || Pan || || || || || || || || || [[Plateau State]], Qaʼan Pan LGA, Namu District || no data
|-
| [[Goemai language|Goemai]] || Goemaic || || || || || || Ankwai, Ankwe || || 13,507 in Shendam (1934 Ames); 80,000 (1973 SIL) || [[Nasarawa State]], Shendam, Awe and Lafia LGAs || 
|-
| [[Tal language|Tal]] || Talic || 6 dialects recognised, although all are mutually intelligible || || Amtul [=Hampul] || || Kwabzak || || || 9,210 (1934 Ames); 10,000 (1973 SIL); 26,000 (2014 estimate). Live in 52 settlements || [[Plateau State]], Pankshin LGA || 
|-
| [[Pyapung language|Pyapung]] || Talic || || Piapun, [[Pyapun language|Pyapun]] || || || || || || 5,167 [including a 'few hundred Tal speakers' (Ames 1934); 10,000 (RMB est. 2016) || [[Plateau State]], Shendam LGA || 
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{CC-notice|cc=by3|url=https://rogerblench.info/}}

{{West Chadic languages}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:West Chadic languages]]
[[Category:Languages of Nigeria]]