{{Short description|Atlantic–Congo language group of Nigeria}} {{Infobox language family |name=Idomoid |region=Central Nigeria, lower reaches of the Benue River |familycolor=Niger-Congo |fam2=Atlantic–Congo |fam3=Volta–Niger |fam4={{sm|noi}} |child2=Etulo–Idoma |child1=Yace |glotto=idom1262 |glottorefname=Idomoid }}

The '''Idomoid languages''' are spoken primarily in Benue State of east-central Nigeria and surrounding regions. Idoma itself is an official language spoken by nearly four million people including the subgroups of Igede, Uffia, Otukpo, and Orokam.

==Languages== {{tree list}} * '''Idomoid''' **Yace **Akpa **Etulo–Idoma ***Etulo ***Idoma **** Idoma **** Igede **** Agatu **** Alago **** Yala {{tree list/end}}

''Ethnologue'' includes Eloyi, though that assignment is outdated as Blench (2007)<ref>Blench, Roger. 2007. [http://www.rogerblench.info/Language/Niger-Congo/BC/Plateau/Eloyi%20wordlist%20paper.pdf The Eloyi language of Central Nigeria and its affinities].</ref> considers Eloyi to be a divergent Plateau language that has undergone Idomoid influence, rather than vice versa.

''Ethnologue'' also calls the non-Yace branch "Akweya", despite the fact that Yace are also called "Akweya".

==Names and locations== Below is a list of language names, populations, and locations from Blench (2019).<ref name="BlenchAtlas4">{{Cite book|title=An Atlas of Nigerian Languages|last=Blench|first=Roger|publisher=Kay Williamson Educational Foundation|year=2019|edition=4th|location=Cambridge}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" | style="font-size: 75%;" | ! Language !! Branch !! Cluster !! Dialects !! Alternate spellings !! Own name for language !! Endonym(s) !! Other names (location-based) !! Other names for language !! Exonym(s) !! Speakers !! Location(s) |- | Igede || || || Three dialects: Òjù (Central), Ìtóò (Ito), Ùẉ ọò`kwù ̣(Worku); also Gabu (Ogoja LGA) || Igedde, Egede, Egedde || || || || || || 70,000 (1952 RGA), 120,000 (1982 UBS) || Benue State, Oju, Otukpo and Okpokwu LGAs; Cross River State, Ogoja LGA |- | Yace || || || Alifokpa, Ijiegu || Yache, Yatye, Iyace || || Ekpari? || || || || 6,600 (1937 RGA); 10,000 (1982 UBS) || Cross River State, Ogoja LGA |- | Akpa || || || || || || || || Akweya || || 5,500 (1952 RGA) || Benue State, Otukpo LGA |- | Eloyi || || || Mbeci (=Mbekyi, Mbejĩ, Mbamu) || || || || || Afo, Epe, Aho, Afu, Afao || || 20,000 (Mackay 1964); 25,000 (SIL) || Nasarawa State, Nasarawa and Awe LGAs; Benue State, Otukpo LGA |- | Alago || Group B || || Agwatashi, Assaikio, Doma, Keana in towns of these names || Alago || || Idoma Nokwu || || || || 15,000 (1953 RGA); at least 100,000 (Blench 2017) || Nasarawa State, Awe and Lafia LGAs |- | Etulo || Group B || || || Utur, Eturo || || || || || Turumawa || 2,900 (1952 RGA); more than 10,000 (Shain, p.c. 1988) || Benue State, Gboko LGA, Taraba State, Wukari, LGA |- | '''''Yala''''' || || Yala || || || || Iyala || || || || 25,650 (1952); 50,000 (1973 SIL) || |- | Yala Ikom || || Yala || || Nkum || || || || || || || Cross River State, Ikom LGA |- | Yala Obubra || || Yala || || || || || Nkum Akpambe || || || || Cross River State, Obubra LGA |- | Yala Ogoja || || Yala || Yala Ọkpọ̃ma (Central Yala) spoken in all hamlets comprising Ọkpọ̃ma village; Yala Igbeeku spoken between Igbeeku Rikọ and Oloko; Yala Ọkpamẹ, spoken in Ọkkpamẹ, Yẹhẹ and Ebo. || || || || || || || || Cross River State, Ogoja LGA |- | '''''Idoma cluster''''' || || Idoma || || || || || || || || || Benue State, Otukpo, Apa and Okpokwu LGAs; Nasarawa State, Nasarawa and Awe LGAs |- | Agatu || || Idoma || Agatu, Ochekwu || || || || Idoma North || || || 56,000 (1952 RGA); 70,000 (1987 UBS) || Benue State, Apa LGA Otukpo LGA; Nasarawa State, Nasarawa and Awe LGAs |- | Idoma Central || || Idoma || || || || || Oturkpo, Otukpo || Akpoto || || 66,000 (1952 RGA) || Benue State, Otukpo, Apa and Okpokwu LGAs |- | Idoma West || || Idoma || || || || || || || || 60,000 (1952 RGA) || Benue State, Okpokwu LGA |- | Okpogu || || Idoma || || || || || || || || || |- | Idoma South || || Idoma || || || || || Igumale, Igwaale, Ijigbam || || || 13,500 (1952 RGA) || Benue State, Okpokwu LGA |}

==See also== *List of Proto-Idomoid reconstructions (Wiktionary)

==References== {{reflist}} {{CC-notice|cc=by3|url=https://rogerblench.info/}}

{{Volta-Niger languages}} {{Niger-Congo branches}}

Category:Idomoid languages Category:Volta–Niger languages