Geographic
distribution Nigeria | Glottolog taro1265 | |
Linguistic classification Niger–Congo
Atlantic–Congo
Benue–Congo
Central Nigerian (Platoid)
Plateau
Tarokoid | ||
The five Tarokoid languages are a branch of the Plateau family spoken in central Nigeria, just north of the middle reaches of the Benue River. Tarok itself has 300 000 speakers, Pe and Sur about 5 000 apiece. Yangkam is severely endangered, being spoken by around fifty elderly men.
Classification
The only language with significant data is Tarok. Pe (Pai) has been placed in various branches of Plateau, but it now seems clear that the following four languages belong together.
As of 2012, the Kwang (Kwanka) language cluster, consisting of four closely related dialects, is also thought to be Tarokoid.
References
Tarokoid languages Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA