The Kimba languages (Tsikimba; or the Kambari II languages) are a group of Kainji languages of Nigeria spoken by the Kambari people. The languages are Kimba (Tsikimba), Gaushi (Agaushi), and Wenci (Ngwunci).

Kimba
Tsikimba
Native toNigeria
RegionNiger State
EthnicityKambari
Native speakers
100,000 (2004)[1]
Dialects
Language codes
ISO 639-3kdl
Glottologtsik1238


Kimba
PeopleAkimba
LanguageTsɨkimba
Gaushi
PeopleAgaushi
LanguageTsɨgaushi
Wənci
PersonMawunci
PeopleŊwənci
LanguageTsuwənci

Languages

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There are three languages: Kimba (Tsikimba), Gaushi (Agaushi), and Wənci (Ngwunci). Roger Blench considers Gaushi (Agaushi, Ashe) and Wenci (Ngwunci) to be distinct languages.[2]

The Kimba language (Tsikimba) has three dialects: Auna, Yumu and Wara.

The Ngwunci language has two dialects: Agwara (tsu-saweni) and Rofia (tsu-ɓʷəshi).[3] The Kimba language (Tsikimba) is spoken in Niger State (Magama, Mashigu, and Mariga LGA's, Auna and Wara Areas, East of Lake Kainji on the Niger River) and Kebbi State (Ngaski LGA, Southwest of Lake Kainji).

References

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  1. ^ Kimba at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. ^ Roger Blench, 2010. The Kambari languages
  3. ^ Blench, Roger (2012). "The Kainji languages of northwestern and central Nigeria" (PDF). Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.