Laru language explained

Laru language should not be confused with Laro language.

Laru
Nativename:Shen
Region:Niger State
States:Nigeria
Speakers:6,000
Date:1995–2014
Ref:e18
Familycolor:Niger-Congo
Fam2:Atlantic–Congo
Fam3:Benue–Congo
Fam4:Kainji
Fam5:Kainji Lake?
Lc1:lan
Ld1:Laru
Lc2:cbq
Ld2:Cuba
Dia1:Laru (Shen)
Dia2:Cuba (Tsucuba, Shuba)
Glotto:laru1238
Glottoname:Laru/Shen
Glottorefname:Laru (Nigeria)
Glotto2:cuba1236
Glottoname2:Cuba/Shuba
Glottorefname2:Cuba

Laru (Laro, also Shen or Sengwe[1]) is a minor Kainji language of Nigeria. It has one dialect: Cuba (Tsucuba, Shuba). Speakers are shifting to Busa.

Dialects

There are three dialects of Shen, spoken in the following villages.[2]

The major villages, ordered from largest to smallest, are Sàːgúnú, Kárábàndéi, Sʷàʃí, Lúmːà, and Mɔ̀nːáĩ. There are fewer than 4,000 speakers.

Ethnologue (22nd ed.) lists Laru villages as Karabonde, Leshigbe, Luma, Monnai, Sansanni, and Shagunu.

Notes and References

  1. McGill, Stuart. 2012. The Kainji languages. Ms, School of Oriental and African Studies, London, 30 August 2012.
  2. Web site: Blench. Roger. The Kainji languages of northwestern and central Nigeria. Kay Williamson Educational Foundation. 2012. Cambridge.