# Nupoid languages

The Nupoid languages are a branch of Volta–Niger spoken in west-central Nigeria, particularly in southeastern Niger State and northern Kogi State. They include the Nupe, and Ebira languages, each with about 4 million speakers. Most Nupoid languages have 3 level tones.

## Languages

Roger Blench (2013: 4) classifies the Nupoid languages as follows.
* Nupoid
** Ebira–Gade
*** Ebira
*** Gade
** Nupe–Gbagyi
*** Gwari (Gbagyi, Gbari)
*** Nupe
**** Asu
**** Core Nupe
***** Nupe cluster
****** Nupe (Nupe–Nupe-Tako)
****** Dibo
***** Gupa cluster
****** Gupa-Abawa
****** Kakanda
****** Kami
****** Kupa
In addition, Koro Zuba is close to Dibo.

## Names and locations

Below is a list of language names, populations, and locations from Blench (2019).
| Language | Cluster | Dialects | Alternate spellings | Own name for language | Endonym(s) | Other names (location-based) | Other names for language | Exonym(s) | Speakers | Location(s) |
| Dibo | | | | Dibo | Dibo | | Shitako, Zitako, Zhitako | Ganagawa, Ganagana | 4 18,200 (1931 DF); estimate more than 100,000 (1990) – an unknown number of Dibo living among the Gbari no longer speak their own language. | Niger State, Lapai LGA; Federal Capital Territory; Nasarawa State, Nasarawa LGA |
| Nupe–Nupe Tako cluster | Nupe–Nupe Tako | Central Nupe has become the accepted literary form. | | | | | BassaNge | | 360,000 (1952); 1,000,000 (1987 UBS) may include closely related languages | Niger State, Lavun, Mariga, Gbako, Agaie, and Lapai LGAs; Kwara State, Edu and Kogi LGAs; Federal Capital Territory; Kogi State, Bassa LGA. Lokoja |
| Nupe (Central) | Nupe–Nupe Tako | | Nife, Nyffe, Anupe | Nupe | Nupe | Nupe Central | Ampeyi, Anupecwayi, Anuperi, Tappah, Takpa, Tapa, Nupenci, Nupencizi | Anufawa, Nyffe | 283,000 (1931 DF); estimated 1,000,000 (2000) | |
| Nupe Tako | Nupe–Nupe Tako | | | | | | Ibara | Basa Nge | 19,100 (1931 DF) | Kogi State, Bassa LGA, Kwara State |
| Gade | | | Gede | Gade | Gade | | | | 60,000 (Sterk 1977) | Federal Capital Territory; Nasarawa State, Nasarawa LGA |
| Ebira cluster | Ebira | | Igbirra, Igbira, Egbira, Egbura | | | | | | 154,500 (1952 P.Bruns), 500,000 (1980 UBS); about 1M (1989 Adive) | Kwara State, Okene, Okehi, and Kogi LGAs; Nasarawa State, Nasarawa LGA; Edo State, Akoko–Edo LGA |
| Okene | Ebira | | | | | | | | | Kwara State, Okene, Okehi, and Kogi LGAs |
| Etuno | Ebira | | tụnọ | | | | | Igara | | Edo State, Akoko–Edo LGA, Igara town |
| Koto | Ebira | | | | | | | Igu (Egu, Ika, Bira, Birĩ, Panda | | FCT Abuja,Abaji AAC,Nasarawa State, Nasarawa LGA, Toto LGA and Umasha/Opanda towns, Kogi State, Koton Karfe LGA |
| Gbagyi | | A spread of lects not clearly defined but the variation represented here by town names: Vwezhi, Ngenge (Genge, Gyange), or Tawari, Kuta, Diko, Karu, Louome, Kaduna | | | Ibagyi, Gbagye | East Gwari, Gwari Matai | Gwari | | 200,000 (1952 G&C) including Gbari; 250,000 (1985 UBS) | Niger State, Rafi, Chanchaga, Shiroro and Suleija LGAs; Federal Capital Territory; Kaduna State, Kachia LGA; Nasarawa State, Keffi and Nasarawa LGAs |
| Gbagyi Nkwa | | | | Gbagyi | Gbagyi | | | | more than 50,000 (1989 est.) | Niger State, Rafi LGA |
| Gbari | | A spread of lects are named according to town names: Botai, Jezhu, Konge, Kwange (Agbawi, Wake, Wĩ Wahe, or Kwali, Paiko, Izom, Gayegi, Yamma (Gwari Gamma); other lects are also based on river locations: Shigokpna, Zubakpna, Abokpna, Sumwakpna | | | | Gwari Yamma, West Gwari | | | 200,000 (1952 G&C) including Gbagyi | Niger State, Chanchaga, Suleija, Agaie and Lapai LGAs; Federal Capital Territory; Kaduna State, Kachia LGA; Nasarawa State, Nasarawa LGA |
| Gupa–Abawa | | Gupa, Abawa | | | | | | | estimated more than 10,000 Gupa and 5,000 Abawa (1989) | Niger State, Lapai LGA around Gupa and Edzu villages |
| Kami | | | | | | | | | more than 5000 (Blench 1989 est.) | Niger State, Lapai LGA, Ebo town & 11 villages |
| Asu | | | | Asu | Asu | Abewa | Ebe | | 5000 (Blench 1987) | Niger State: Mariga LGA: several villages south of Kontagora on the Mokwa road |
| Kakanda | Kakanda | Kakanda–Budon, Kakanda–Gbanmi/Sokun | Akanda | | | | Hyabe, Adyaktye | | 4,500 (1931); 20,000 (1989 Blench) | Kwara State, Kogi LGA; Niger State, Agaie and Lapai LGAs; communities along the Niger centered on Bida) |
| Kupa | | | | | | | | | | Kwara State, Kogi LGA, around Abugi (52 villages) |

## Reconstructions

The following Proto-Nupoid reconstructions are from Blench (2013).
| Gloss | Proto-Nupoid |
| tree | *ɔ́ʧĩ́ |
| leaf | #avini |
| charcoal | *ekana |
| sand | *mu-ʒin |
| smoke | *àmʷú |
| fire | *n-ra |
| wind | *efè |
| rain | *ègbã |
| to sharpen | *rɛ́ |
| elephant | *-dogba |
| buffalo | *ɛ̀ya; *ʊ̀-fá (?) |
| Dioscorea guineensis | *iti |
| Colocasia esculenta (cocoyam) | *-koko |
| Sorghum bicolor (guinea corn, sorghum) | *àkwʊ́ |
| one | *ɔ̀ɲɪ |
| three | *ɛ̀tá |
| four | *ɛ̀ɲi |
| five | *ɛ̀tsun |
| six | *twaɲi |
| seven | *ǹtwaba |
| ten | *ɛ̀bwʊ́n |
Some Proto-Nupe-Gbari crop name reconstructions are (Blench 2013):
| Gloss | Proto-Nupe-Gbari |
| Pennisetum americanum (long-season millet) | *màkwú |
| Pennisetum americanum (short-season millet) | *sàkwú; *kpàyì |
| Digitaria exilis | *-furu |