Lau language

For the Oceanic language of the Solomon Islands, see Lau language (Malaita). For the Oceanic language of Fiji, see Lauan language.
Lau
Law
Wĩ̄ Lâwmã̄
Native toNigeria
RegionLau LGA, Taraba State
Language codes
ISO 639-3None (mis)
GlottologNone
Lâw
PeopleWĩ̄ Lâw
LanguageWĩ̄ Lâwmã̄

Lau (Law) is a Jukunoid language of Lau LGA, Taraba State, Nigeria. Lau speakers claim that their language is mutually intelligible with the Jukunoid language varieties spoken in Kunini, Bandawa, and Jeshi. They also live alongside the Central Sudanic-speaking Laka (Hausa name: Lakawa), who live in Laka ward of Lau LGA.[1]

Lau had been previously misclassified as a Mbum language along with Laka.[1][2]

Laru is a Niger-Kordofanian language (Schadeberg 1981) in the Heiban group, with three main dialects: Yilaru, Yïdündïlï, and Yogo'romany. The Laru region's geographical features, such as mountains and hills, influence the language, particularly in terms of locatives that indicate location and direction. Locatives in Laru are encliticised or follow various word classes, including nouns, adjectives, demonstratives, possessive pronouns, verbs, and an accompaniment postposition.

  1. ^ a b Idiatov, Dmitry, Mark Van de Velde, Tope Olagunju and Bitrus Andrew. 2017. Results of the first AdaGram survey in Adamawa and Taraba States, Nigeria. 47th Colloquium on African Languages and Linguistics (CALL) (Leiden, Netherlands).
  2. ^ Blench, Roger (2019). An Atlas of Nigerian Languages (4th ed.). Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.