Basa languages

For the Bantu language spoken in Cameroon, see Basaa language. For the Kru language spoken in Liberia and Sierra Leone, see Bassa language. For the common East Asian word meaning "language", see Bhāṣā.

Basa
Ethnicity	Basa people
Geographic distribution	Nigeria
Linguistic classification	Niger–Congo? Atlantic–Congo Volta-Congo Benue–Congo Kainji languages Basa
Glottolog	basa1279

Basa
Person	bu-Basa
People	a-Basa
Language	ru-Basa

Basa is a cluster of Kainji languages scattered across Nigeria. They are spoken in distinct communities from Niger State in the northwest to Benue State in the south-centre. This means that the Basa may be the next most widespread people in Nigeria after the Hausa and Fula. Distant groups are not aware of each other, and those near their apparent homeland near the Kambari (Basa-Kontagora and Basa-Gumna) have lost their language.

Languages

There are eight Basa languages:

	Basa-Kontagora Basa-Gumna Bassa Nge (Bassa nupe) Kɔrɔmba (Basa-Gurmana)
	Basa-Gurara Basa-Kwali Basa-Benue (Basa-Kwomu) Basa-Makurdi Bassa Nge (Nupe Bassa)