Schuh R.G. (ed.) Ngamo-English-Hausa Dictionary

Potiskum: Ajami Press; Yobe Languages Research Project, 2004. — 88 p.Authors: Isa A. Gashinge, Jibir A. Janga Dole, Umaru M. Goge.This is the first published dictionary of the Ngamo language, spoken in Yobe State, Nigeria. There are two major dialect varieties of Ngamo: Gudi Ngamo and Yaya Ngamo. These varieties are different enough that they probably deserve separate dictionaries, but the dialects are similar enough that they have been combined into a single dictionary in the current edition. Every entry is marked with [G] for a Gudi form and [Y] for a Yaya form. Where forms for both dialects appear in a head entry, the Gudi form is listed first simply because G comes before Y in the alphabet. Because of limitations in time and resouces it has not been possible to collect equivalent words in both dialects for every word.Ngamo is spoken in Yobe State, Nigeria, in the area to the south and west of Potiskum, the largest city in Yobe State. It is one of seven languages of the Chadic family indigenous to Yobe State, the others being Bade, Bole, Duwai, Karekare, Maka, and Ngizim. Ngamo is a member of the West Branch of Chadic and is hence related to Hausa, the dominant language throughout northern Nigeria. Ngamo's closest linguistic relatives are, however, its neighbors, Karekare, Bole, and Maka. There are two major dialects of Ngamo, the Gudi dialect and the Yaya dialect. The dialects are different enough from each other in phonology, morphology, and lexicon that they border on being separate languages, but there is fair mutual intelligibilty, which justifies grouping them as dialects of one language. The origin of the name "Ngamo" is not known. This root is used both as an autonym and by linguistic neighbors.