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 .
4-600: Lela or C'lela is a Kainji language of Nigeria . It is known as Cilela in Hausa , and it is also known as Dakarkari , because it is spoken by the Dakarkari people The Lela live mostly in Kebbi State and Niger State . However, there are also some C-Lela speakers in other parts of Nigeria, including in Gummi LGA of Zamfara State . This article about Kainji languages is
8-570: A stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Kainji language Four of the most widely spoken Kainji languages are Tsuvadi (150,000), Cishingini and Tsishingini (100,000 each)—all from the Kambari branch; and Clela (C'lela, Lela) (100,000), of the Northwest Kainji branch. In total, there were about one million speakers of Kainji languages (1990s estimate) in Nigeria . Proto-Kainji
12-528: Is estimated by Blench (2012) to be 3,000 to 4,000 years old. Its broken distribution today is likely due to the historical northward expansion of the Nupoid languages . Proto-Kainji nominal prefixes: The most divergent of the Kainji languages are Reshe , Laru and Lopa , which may form a branch together. Subclassification of the other branches is not yet clear. A bipartite division between East Kainji and West Kainji
16-485: Is no longer maintained, with West Kainji now being paraphyletic . Most recent Kainji classification by Blench (2018:64): Blench's (2012) classification is: A revised classification of the Kainji languages by McGill (2012) splits Kainji into the Lake and Central branches. Classification of Plateau 1a (now West Kainji) and Plateau 1b (now East Kainji) languages by Gerhardt (1983), based on Maddieson (1972): Below
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