Ukaan language

{{Short description|Proposed Branch of the Volta-Niger Languages}} {{Infobox language |name=Ukaan |nativename=Ikan |states=Nigeria |region=Ondo State, Edo State |speakers=18,000 |date=1973 |ref=e18 |familycolor=Niger-Congo |fam2=Atlantic–Congo |fam3=Benue–Congo ? |dia1=Ukaan proper |dia2=Igau |dia3=Ayegbe (Iisheu) |dia4=Iinno (Iyinno) |iso3=kcf |glotto=ukaa1243 |glottorefname=Ukaan }} '''Ukaan''' (also '''Ikan''', '''Anyaran''', '''Auga''', or '''Kakumo''') is a poorly described Niger–Congo language or dialect cluster of uncertain affiliation.<ref name="Ethnologue">{{cite book | title = Ethnologue: Languages of the World | entry = Ukaan | entry-url = http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=kcf | entry-url-access = limited | access-date = 2 August 2022 | editor-last1 = Eberhard |editor-first1 = David M. | editor-last2 = Simons | editor-first2 = Gary F. | editor-last3 = Fennig | editor-first3 = Charles D. | date = 2022 | edition = 25th | version = Online version | location = Dallas, Texas | publisher = SIL International}}</ref><ref name="endangered">{{cite web | title = HRELP – Projects | url = http://www.hrelp.org/grants/projects/index.php?projid=93 | access-date = 2009-04-03 | archive-date = 2008-04-30 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080430122727/http://www.hrelp.org/grants/projects/index.php?projid=93 | url-status = dead }}</ref> Roger Blench suspects, based on wordlists, that it might be closest to the (East) Benue–Congo languages (or, equivalently, the most divergent of the Benue–Congo languages). Blench (2012) states that "noun-classes and concord make it look Benue-Congo, but evidence is weak."<ref>Roger Blench, [http://www.rogerblench.info/Language/Niger-Congo/General/Niger-Congo%20an%20alternative%20view.pdf Niger-Congo: an alternative view]</ref>

Speakers refer to their language as ''Ùkãã'' or ''Ìkã''.<ref name="BlenchAtlas4"/>

==Varieties== thumb|400px|A native speaker of Ukaan from Ikakumo

The name ''Anyaran'' is from the town of Anyaran, where it is spoken. Ukaan has several divergent dialects: Ukaan proper, Igau, Ayegbe (Iisheu), Iinno (Iyinno), which only have one-way intelligibility in some cases.

Roger Blench (2005, 2019)<ref>Blench, Roger. 2005. ''The Ukaan language: Bantu in south-western Nigeria?''</ref> considers Ukaan to consist of at least 3 different languages, and notes that Ukaan varieties spoken in Ìshè,̣ Ẹkakumọ, and Auga all have different lexemes.<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>

Salffner (2009: 27)<ref>Salffner, Sophie. 2009. ''Tone in the phonology, lexicon and grammar of Ikaan''. Doctoral dissertation, University of London.</ref> lists the following four dialects of Ukaan.

*'''Ikaan''': spoken in Ikakumo (Edo State) *'''Ayegbe''': spoken in Ise *'''Iigau''' or '''Iigao''': spoken in Auga *'''Iino''': spoken in Ayanran

==Distribution== ''Ethnologue'' lists the following locations where Ukaan is spoken. *Ondo State: Akoko North-East LGA *Edo State: Akoko Edo LGA *Kogi State: Ijumu LGA

Blench (2019) lists Ondo State, Akoko North LGA, towns of Kakumo–Aworo (Kakumo–Kejĩ, Auga and Iṣe); Edo State, Akoko Edo LGA, towns of Kakumo–Akoko and Anyaran.

==Reconstruction== Proto-Ukaan has been reconstructed by Abiodun (1999).<ref>Abiodun, Michael Ajibola. 1999. ''A comparative phonology and morphology of Ukaan dialects of Old Akoko division''. Doctoral dissertation. University of Ilorin.</ref>

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

==References== {{Reflist}}

== External links == * ELAR archive of [http://elar.soas.ac.uk/deposit/0259 Farming, food and yam: language and cultural practices among Ikaan speakers] *[http://www.rogerblench.info/Language/Niger-Congo/VN/Ukaan/Ukaan%20page.htm Roger Blench: Aika (Ukaan) materials]

Category:Niger–Congo languages Category:Languages of Nigeria Category:Ondo State Category:Benue–Congo languages