Mesaka | Ethnologue

A language of Cameroon

ISO 639: iyo
Alternate Names: Banagere, Iyon, Messaga, Messaga-Ekol, Messaka, Ugal, Ugare
Autonym: Ugarə
Population: 14,000 (1982 SIL).
Location:: North West region: Menchum division, Mbengwi area; South West region: Manyu division, isolated on Nigeria border northeast of Akwaya.
Language Status: 6a (Vigorous).
Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Tivoid
Dialects: Batomo (Babasi). Batomo dialect may be a separate language, or may be the same as Motomo (Oliti, Matchi), a dialect of Iceve-Maci [bec]. Lexical similarity: 70% with Tiv [tiv].
Typology: SVO; noun head initial; 12 noun classes; tonal; 25 consonant phonemes; 8 vowel phonemes.
Language Use: Used by all. Some also use English [eng]. Some also use Esimbi [ags], especially in the market. Also use Cameroon Pidgin [wes]. Also use Tiv [tiv].
Language Resources: OLAC resources in and about Mesaka
Writing: Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments: Ethnic autonym: Ugare, Mesaka is used by the government, Iyon by the Tiv. Traditional religion.

Location: North West region: Menchum division, Mbengwi area; South West region: Manyu division, isolated on Nigeria border northeast of Akwaya.