Laru (Laro, also Shen or Sengwe[2]) is a minor Kainji language of Nigeria. It has one dialect: Cuba (Tsucuba, Shuba). Speakers are shifting to Busa.
| Laru | |
|---|---|
| Shen | |
| Native to | Nigeria |
| Region | Niger State |
Native speakers | (6,000 cited 1995–2014)[1] |
Niger–Congo?
| |
| Dialects |
|
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | Either:lan – Larucbq – Cuba |
| Glottolog | laru1238 Laru/Shencuba1236 Cuba/Shuba |
| ELP | Shen |
| Laru | |
|---|---|
| Person | Shen |
| Language | Shen gwe |
Dialects
editThere are three dialects of Shen, spoken in the following villages.[3]
- Kárábàndéi and Sànsání
- Sàːgúnú4, Sʷàʃí, Lúmːà, and Barkatai
- Mɔ̀nːáĩ, Sáŋkʷà, and Màláːlé
The major villages, ordered from largest to smallest, are Sàːgúnú, Kárábàndéi, Sʷàʃí, Lúmːà, and Mɔ̀nːáĩ. There are fewer than 4,000 speakers.
Ethnologue (22nd ed.) lists Laru villages as Karabonde, Leshigbe, Luma, Monnai, Sansanni, and Shagunu.
References
edit- ^ Laru at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
Cuba at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required) - ^ McGill, Stuart. 2012. The Kainji languages. Ms, School of Oriental and African Studies, London, 30 August 2012.
- ^ Blench, Roger (2012). "The Kainji languages of northwestern and central Nigeria" (PDF). Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.