Otank language explained

Otank
Also Known As:Utanga, Utange
States:Nigeria, Cameroon
Speakers:15,000
Date:2006
Ref:e18
Familycolor:Niger-Congo
Fam2:Atlantic–Congo
Fam3:Benue–Congo
Fam4:Southern Bantoid
Fam5:Tivoid
Fam6:Central (A)
Iso3:uta
Glotto:otan1238
Glottorefname:Otank

Otank (Utanga) is a Tivoid language spoken by the Utanga group of tiv people in both Nigeria and Cameroon. It is used as a second language by Obanliku speakers.

Features

It has no writing system and no dialect, and has a lexical similarity of 70% with Tiv proper, 60% with Iceve, 50% with Evant, and 40% with Eman and Mesaka

Etymology

Utanga or Utange are tiv people, who live in Ushongo local government of Benue state Nigeria, Obanliku Local Government of Cross River State Nigeria and Akwaya sub-division of Manyu division of the western Cameroon.[1]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Utanga: The forgotten Tiv community of Cross River . Daily trust.