The Tula–Waja, or Tula–Wiyaa languages are a branch of the provisional Savanna languages, closest to Kam (Nyingwom), spoken in northeastern Nigeria. They are spoken primarily in southeastern Gombe State and other neighbouring states.
They were labeled "G1" in Joseph Greenberg's Adamawa language-family proposal and later placed in a Waja–Jen branch of that family.
Guldemann (2018) observes significant internal lexical diversity within Tula-Waja, partly as a result of word tabooing accelerating lexical change. Although noun classes have been lost in Dadiya, Maa, and Yebu, Waja and Tula retain complex noun class systems. Kleinewillinghöfer (1996) also observes many morphological similarities between the Tula–Waja and Central Gur languages,Kleinewillinghöfer, Ulrich (1996). Relationship between Adamawa and Gur languages: The case of Waja and Tula. a view shared by Bennett (1983) and Bennett & Sterk (1977).Bennett, Patrick R. 1983. Adamawa-Eastern: Problems and prospects. In: Dihoff, Ivan R. (ed). Current Approaches to African Linguistics 1. Dordrecht: Foris Publications; 23-48.Bennett, Patrick R. & Jan P. Sterk. 1977. South Central Niger-Congo: A reclassification. Studies in African Linguistics, 8: 241-273.
Languages Awak: Awak (Yebu), Kamo Cham–Mona: Dijim-Bwilim, Tso Dadiya Tula: Bangwinji, Tula, Waja
Classification Ulrich Kleinewillinghöfer (2014), in the Adamawa Languages Project website, classifies the Tula–Waja languages as follows. Kleinewillinghöfer considers Tso and Cham to be branches that had diverged earlier. Waja is considered by Kleinewillinghöfer to be a distinct branch, although its exact position within Tula-Waja remains uncertain.Kleinewillinghöfer, Ulrich. 2014. The languages of the Tula – Waja Group. Adamawa Languages Project. Tula–Waja Core Tula group Tula Kutule Wange Baule Yiri (Yili) Dadiya (local variants) Bangwinji Kaalo Naabaŋ Yebu (Awak) (local variants) Ma (Kamo, Kamu) Cham Dijim of Kindiyo Bwilim (of Mɔna and Loojaa) Tso (Lotsu-Piri) Tso of the Swaabou Tso of the Bərbou Tso of the Gusubo Tso of Luuzo Waja Waja of Wɩɩ (Wajan Kasa) (local variants) Waja of Deri (Wajan Dutse) (two variants)
Names and locations Below is a list of language names, populations, and locations from Blench (2019).
Language Dialects Alternate spellings Own name for language Endonym(s) Other names (location-based) Other names for language Exonym(s) Speakers Location(s) Dijim–Bwilim 7,545 (1968). ca. 20 villages Gombe State, Balanga LGA, Adamawa State, Lamurde LGA Dijim Dijim sg Níi Dìjí pl. Dìjím Cham, Cam, Kindiyo, Bwilim Bwilə́m sg Níi Bwilí pl. Bwilə́m Mwana, Mwona [Hausa name], Fitilai [village name] 4,282 Dadiya Nda Dia, Dadia Bwe Daddiya pl. Daddiyab Nyíyò Daddiya 3,986 (1961), 20,000 (1992 est.). Gombe State, Balanga LGA, Taraba State, Karim Lamido LGA and Adamawa State, Lamurde LGA. Between Dadiya and Bambam. Ma Ma sg. nụbá Ma pl. nyii Ma Kamo, Kamu 3000 (SIL) Gombe State, Kaltungo and Akko LGAs Tsobo Bәrbou, Guzubo, Swabou Cibbo Tsóbó nyi Tsó Lotsu–Piri, Pire, Fire Kitta 2,000 (1952) Gombe State, Kaltungo LGA, Adamawa State, Numan LGA Tula Baule, Wangke [used for literacy development], Yiri Ture yii Kitule Naba Kitule pl. Kitule 19,209 (1952 W&B); 12,204 (1961–2 Jungraithmayr); 19,000 (1973 SIL). ca. 50 villages ?100,000 est. Gombe State, Kaltungo LGA. Tula is 30 km. east of Billiri. Wiyaa Plain and Hills Wagga Nyan Wịyáù Wịyáà Waja 19,700 (1952 W&B); 50,000 (1992 est.) Gombe State, Balanga and Kaltungo LGAs, Waja district. Taraba State, Bali LGA. Bangjinge Nabang, Kaloh [orthography based on Nabang] Bangunji, Bangunje, Bangwinji Báŋjìŋè sg. Báŋjìŋèb pl. nyii Bánjòŋ 8000 CAPRO (1995a).CAPRO Research Office 1995a. Unmask the giant. Jos: CAPRO Media. [Bauchi] 25 villages (2008) Gombe State, Shongom LGA Yebu Yěbù Nìín Yěbù Awok 2,035 (1962) Gombe State, Kaltungo LGA: 10 km northeast of Kaltungo
See also Tula-Waja word lists (Wiktionary)
References
External links Tula-Wiyaa languages – Blench Tula-Waja - Adamawa Languages Project Tula-Waja comparative wordlist (Swadesh 100) Tula-Waja pronouns and numbers