The Dakoid languages are a branch of the Northern Bantoid languages spoken in Taraba and Adamawa states of eastern Nigeria.
Languages
Dakoid Donga (Dong) Gãã (Tiba) Daka–Taram Taram Daka (a dialect cluster of Dirim, Samba, Lamja, Dengsa, and Tola).
Classification Greenberg placed Samba Daka (Daka) within his Adamawa proposal, as group G3, but Bennett (1983) demonstrated to general satisfaction that it is a Benue–Congo language, though its placement within Benue–Congo is disputed. Blench (2010) considers it to be Benue–Congo. Boyd (ms), however, considers Daka an isolate branch within Niger–Congo (Blench 2008).
Dong (Donga), though clearly Niger–Congo, is difficult to classify. There is no published data on Gaa (Tiba), and Taram (listed as a dialect of Daka by Ethnologue) is only known from data collected in 1931 (Blench 2008).
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) Speakers Location(s) Dirim It may not actually be separate from Samba Daka (q.v.) Daka 9,000 (CAPRO, 1992) Taraba State, Bali LGA, Garba Chede area Lamja-Deŋsa-Tola cluster Dialects are mutually intelligible. Likely not distinct enough from the Samba Daka cluster to be a separate language (q.v.). Lamjavu, Deŋsavu, Tolavu There are 13 villages of Lamja and Deŋsa. The central town of the Lamja is Ganglamja. The Deŋsa live south of the Lamja. Taraba State, Mayo Belwa LGAs Samba Daka cluster Samba Daka These dialects may form a dialect or language cluster together with Lamja and Taram (q.v.). Dirim could another dialect, or perhaps just a name for the Samba Daka. Chamba–Daka, Samba, Chamba, Tchamba, Tsamba, Jama, Daka Sama Mum Samabu 66,000 (1952); 60,000 (1982 SIL); more than 100,000 (1990) Taraba State, Ganye, Jalingo, Bali, Zing, and Mayo Belwa LGAs Samba Daka Samba Daka Samba Jangani Samba Daka Samba Nnakenyare Samba Daka Samba of Mapeo Samba Daka Dong ca. 20,000 Taraba State, Zing and Mayo Belwa LGAs. At least six villages Gaa <5000 (1987 Blench) Adamawa State: Ganye LGA: Tiba Plateau
Footnotes
References Blench (2008) Prospecting proto-Plateau. Manuscript. Blench, Roger, 2011. 'The membership and internal structure of Bantoid and the border with Bantu'. Bantu IV, Humboldt University, Berlin.