Idun language
Plateau language spoken in Nigeria
title: "Idun language" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["central-plateau-languages", "hyamic-languages", "languages-of-nigeria"] description: "Plateau language spoken in Nigeria" topic_path: "linguistics" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idun_language" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Plateau language spoken in Nigeria ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox language"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Idun |
| altname | Dũya |
| nativename | Idṹ |
| region | Kaduna State |
| states | Nigeria |
| speakers | 78,000 |
| date | 2012 |
| ref | e18 |
| familycolor | Niger-Congo |
| fam2 | Atlantic–Congo |
| fam3 | Benue–Congo |
| fam4 | Plateau |
| fam5 | Central ? |
| fam6 | Koroic |
| iso3 | ldb |
| glotto | idun1241 |
| glottorefname | Dũya |
| :: |
|name=Idun |altname=Dũya |nativename=Idṹ |region=Kaduna State |states=Nigeria |speakers=78,000 |date=2012 |ref=e18 |familycolor=Niger-Congo |fam2=Atlantic–Congo |fam3=Benue–Congo |fam4=Plateau |fam5=Central ? |fam6=Koroic |iso3=ldb |glotto=idun1241 |glottorefname=Dũya
Idun (Idũ) or Dũya (Dunya, Adong, Lungu, Ungu), is a poorly attested Plateau language of Nigeria. Its classification is uncertain, but it may be closest to Ashe.
Villages
Speakers live in Ramindop B, Ùndofã̀, Udou, Táymɛ̀̃, Adar, Igbà, Mɛ̀mdɔr, Hùrtɔ̀̃, Àgbàŋànɔr, Ùmbùmbàŋ, Jàja, Ǹdam, Kùkaŋ, Ùkare, Ùnwĩĩ, Igbayinɔr, Ìdɛ̀zìnì, and Ugɛrɛ villages of Kaduna State. Hausa village names are Shinkafa, Yèlwa, Jabe Panda, and Gunduma.
Phonology
Consonants
::data[format=table title="Roger Blench, The Idũ language of Central Nigeria: Phonology, wordlist and suggestions for orthography changes. (2010:6)."]
| Bilabial | Labiodental | Alveolar | Post-alveolar | Retroflex | Palatal | Labial-palatal | Velar | Labial-velar | Glottal | Stop | Nasal | Tap | Trill | Fricative | Affricate | Approximant | Lateral | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ()1 | ||||||||||||||||||
| :: |
- Only in recent loanwords, mostly from Hausa
Vowels
::data[format=table title="Roger Blench (2010:1-2)."]
| Front | Central | Back | Close | Near-Close | Close-Mid | Open-Mid | Open | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| :: |
All vowels except the near-close vowels /ɪ/ and /ʊ/ can appear long, nasalised or both; the vowels /ɪ/ and /ʊ/ are being lost for young speakers.
Tone
There are three level tones in Idun, as well as a rising tone and falling tone arising from adjacent level tones.
References
References
- Blench, Roger. (2019). "An Atlas of Nigerian Languages". Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.
- {{Glottolog. idun1241. Dũya
- Blench, Roger. 2010. [http://www.rogerblench.info/Language/Niger-Congo/BC/Plateau/Koro/Idun/Idun%20wordlist%20paper.pdf The Idũ language of Central Nigeria: Phonology, wordlist and suggestions for orthography changes].
- Roger Blench, The Idũ language of Central Nigeria: Phonology, wordlist and suggestions for orthography changes. (2010:6).
- Roger Blench (2010:1-2).
- Roger Blench (2010:1)
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