PHONOLOGY OF MERNYANG LANGUAGE

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL BACKGROUND

1.0   INTRODUCTION

This chapter introduces the language of study, the people speaking the language and where they can be found. It also introduces us to the background of the speakers of the language which includes their way of life (culture) and their beliefs, it also gives a brief explanation of the scope of study. Methods of data collection, genetic classification and the theoretical framework used in carrying out the research on the language are included.

1.1   GENERAL BACKGROUND

Mernyang language is a language spoken in Qua’an-pan local government of Plateau state. The speakers majorly reside in Kwa while others reside in other districts like, Kwang, Dokankaswa, Doemak, Namu, Kwalla and Pwall in this same local government. The estimated population of the Mernyang speakers is about 5,000 according to 2007 census.

Mernyang speakers are referred to as the Pan people, while among themselves they are known as Mernyang speakers. These people are said to have migrated from the North East in Dala, Kano State.

1.2   HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Going by oral history and written record, the Mernyang people are said to have originated from a group of people known as Kofyar who are residing on the top of hills in Plateau state in Qua’an-Pan local government. Dafyar, from whom the Mernyang own their descent is said to have procreated with his sister Nada, as they were the only survivors of a cataclysm. This fatal incident made Dafyar and his sister Nade leave Dala in Kano and sailed on the river to a place where they hid themselves in a cave called Chor in Kopfubum near the present day Kofyar. Since then, Dafyar and his offsprings have been residing on the Kofyar hill.

The offsprings of Dafyar had fanned out into many other sub groups and intermarried thereby producing a much wider cultural mix. The offspring of Dafyar comprised his sons and grandsons or even great grand sons and so on.

Oral tradition has for long maintained the fourteen (14) who have been popular due to the settlements that grew in the wake of their earlier location. Among these sons of Dafyar was Darep, Soekoetko who founded the ‘Kwa’ settlement which is approximately three kilometers (3km) away from Kofyar. Darep was the first person to settle in the place known as ‘Kwa’ village today in Qua’an-Pan local government area of Plateau State. Since then he had been giving birth to children who were and are also producing sons and daughters such that the current estimated total population of the speakers of Mernyang is 5,000. The movement of the Mernyang people form Kofyar to ‘Kwa’ was mainly for agricultural purpose. The major occupation of the Mernyang people is farming, so they found a suitable farming land in ‘Kwa’. This made majority of the people in Kofyar descend and later settle down there. Today, majority of the Mernyang speakers are found in Kwa.

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