Excerpt from change request document:

Early linguistic survey of the area highlighted many distinguishing features of the Nyokon language (Richardson 1957:28-31). Lexicostatistical studies have shown that the linguistic similarity between the two speech varieties (Tunen and Nyokon) is so low that there is no possibility of inherent understanding. Mous and Breedveld show that the percentage of similar lexical items between the two languages is as low as 36% (1986:184). A previous study by Schadeberg and Voorhoeve gave a figure of approximately 50% (1977:24). Both studies show that Tunen is more closely related to Nomaande (Mandi) ([lem]) than to Nyokon. Field notes from D. Barreteau reveal that the class system of Nyokon does not align with Tunen, each containing classes and gender pairs that do not occur in the other. This data confirms the early (and still accepted) classification of Nyokon as a separate

language labeled A.45 in Guthrie's system (1971, Maho 2003:641). Nyokon (ninyǤ'Ǥ) has also been given the language number code 514 in the Administrative Atlas of the National Languages of Cameroon (Breton and Fohtung 1991: 39). Mous, in his studies of Tunen, specifically presents Nyokon as a related language and not a dialect (2003:283). Guthrie

and Tucker (1956:29) write, “Although NyǤ'̃ Ǥ̃ is closely related to Banǫn there can be no question of intercomprehension.”