South Bauchi languages

The South Bauchi languages (also called the B.3 West Chadic or Barawa languages) are a branch of West Chadic languages that are spoken in Bauchi State and Plateau State, Nigeria.

South Bauchi
Barawa; B.3 West Chadic
Geographic
distribution
Toro, Dass, Tafawa Balewa, Bauchi LGAs of Bauchi State and Kanam Plateau, Wase Plateau in Plateau State, Nigeria
Linguistic classificationAfro-Asiatic
Glottologwest2800
West Chadic per Newman (1977)
Main Chadic-speaking peoples in Nigeria

An extensive lexical survey of the South Bauchi languages had been carried out by Kiyoshi Shimizu from 1974 to 1975.[1] Another early survey was that of Gowers (1907), which included 42 languages of Bauchi.[2]

Languages

The South Bauchi languages include:[3]

South Bauchi languages

Roger Blench (2020) counted around 38 South Bauchi languages.[4]

Internal classification

Shimizu (1978)

Shimizu (1978) classifies the South Bauchi languages as follows.[1] Individual languages are highlighted in italics.

  • South Bauchi
    • East branch
      • Boghom subgroup
        • Bòghòm (Burrum)
        • Kir cluster
          • Kiir (Kir); Laàr (Balàr)
          • Mánsi (Mangas)
      • Guruntum subgroup
        • Guruntum cluster
          • Mbaarù
          • Gùrùntùm
        • Tala cluster
          • Sòòr (Zaŋwal); Zaŋwal of Zungur
          • Lungu (Tala)
          • Shò (Jù); Jimi
    • West branch
      • Barawa subgroup
        • North Barawa
          • Geji cluster
            • Mɨ̀gang (Booluu), Pelu; Gyaanzi (Gèèjì)
            • Buu (Zàràndaa)
          • Polci cluster
            • Zùl; Barang (Baram), Dììr (Baram Dutse)
            • Bɨ̀lɨ̀ (Bùlì); Nyámzàx (Laŋas), Lundur; Posɨ (Polci)
        • South Barawa
          • Zeem cluster
            • Zeem; Tule (Tulai); Chaari
            • Dokshì (Lushi)
          • Dass cluster
            • Dɨkshi (Bàraza?); Bàndas (Dur)
            • Boòdlɨ (Zumbul); Wangdày (Wanɗì); Zòdì (Dwàt)
          • Saya cluster
            • Zàksɨ̀ (Zàkshì); Bòòt (Boto); Zaarɨ (Zari); Sigidi
            • Zaar of Kàl; Zaar of Gàmbar Lèère; Zaar of Lùsa

Blench (2021)

Roger Blench (2021) classifies the South Bauchi languages as follows.[5]

  • South Bauchi
    • Jimi
    • Boghom cluster: Mantsi, Boghom, Kir-Balar
    • Gurdung cluster: Gurdung, Mbaaru, Ju, Tala, Zangwal
    • Zaar branch
      • Das cluster: Diksyhi, Dur, Zumbul, Dot, Wangdi
      • Polci cluster: Zul, Mbaram, Diir, Buli, Nyamzax, Polci, Luri (†)
      • Zeem cluster: Zeem (†), Tuli (†), Caari, Dyarim, Dokshi
      • Geji cluster: Megang, Pelu, Geji, Buu

Names and locations

Below is a comprehensive list of South Bauchi language names, populations, and locations from Blench (2019).[6]

LanguageBranchClusterDialectsAlternate spellingsOwn name for languageEndonym(s)Other names (location-based)Other names for languageExonym(s)SpeakersLocation(s)Notes
Aja (extinct)ZaarNorth BauchiAjanciExtinct: formerly spoken at Kworko, Bauchi Stateno data
Das clusterZaarDasƁarawa8,830 (LA 1971)Bauchi State, Toro and Dass LGAs
LukshiZaarDasDәkshi1,130 (LA 1971)
Durr–BarazaZaarDasBandas4,700 (LA 1971); 30–40,000 (Caron 2005)Bauchi State, Das LGA, Durr and Baraza villages
ZumbulZaarDasBoodlәZumbulawa, DumbulawaSee WandiBauchi State, Das LGA, Zumbul town
WandiZaarDasWangday700 (including Zumbul) (LA 1971)Bauchi State, Das LGA, Wandi town
DotZaarDasDwatZoɗishérә́m zoɗiDott2,300 (LA 1971); a single large village. 37,582 (local census 2003). 7 wards (out of 11) speak ZoɗiSouth of Bauchi on the Dass road
Geji clusterZaarGejiKayauri, KaiyorawaƁarawaBauchi State, Toro LGA
MәgangZaarGejiBolu, BuliMәg̣ àŋ1,250 (LA 1971), 'a few hundred' (Caron 2005)
PyaaluZaarGejiPelu, BeluPyààlù
GejiZaarGejiGyaazәBagbaGezawa, Gaejawa650 (LA 1971), 1000 (Caron 2005). 20 villages (2007)Toro, Bauchi LGAs, Bauchi State
BuuZaarGejiZarandaBùù750 (LA 1971), 'a few hundred' (Caron 2002)
GuusZaarGuusƁarawaSayanci50,000 (1971 Schneeberg); 50,000 (1973 SIL)Bauchi State, Tafawa Balewa LGA. West of Tafawa Balewa town.
GuusZaarGuusmur gúús (one person); Gùùs (people)vìì kә gúús (mouth of Guus)Sigidi, Sugudi, Sigdi, Segiddi775 (1950 HDG). 17 villages (Caron 2002)
Polci clusterZaarPolciƁarawa, Palsawa6,150 or more (1971)Bauchi State, Bauchi and Toro LGAs
ZulZaarPolciZul is mutually comprehensible with MbaramBi ZuleNya Zule pl. Man ZuleMbarmi, BarmaZulawa2,400 (LA 1971). 15 villages (2007)Bauchi State, Bauchi and Toro LGAs
MbaramZaarPolciBarang, Mbaram250 CAPRO (1995a). One settlement onlyBauchi State, Bauchi LGA
DirZaarPolciDiir'a few hundred' (Caron 2005)
BuliZaarPolciBәlә600 (LA 1971), 4000 (CAPRO 1995a), 'a few hundred' (Caron 2005)
LangasZaarPolciNyamzaxLundur200 (LA 1971), 'a few hundred' (Caron 2005)
LuriZaarPolciLúr30 (1973 SIL), 2 (Caron 2002)Bauchi State, Bauchi LGA
PolciZaarPolciPosә, Polshi, Palci, Pәlci2,950 (LA 1971); 70,000 (Caron 2005)
ZaarZaarKal, Gambar Leere, LusaZaʼr, ZarVìk Zaar, VigzarZaar pl. Zàrsɛ̀SáyánciBàsáyè pl. Sáyáːwá, Saya, Seya, Seiyara [Saya terms are now considered derogatory]50,000 (1971 Schneeberg); 50,000 (1973 SIL)Bauchi State, Tafawa Balewa LGA. West of Tafawa Balewa town.
Zari clusterZaarZariƁarawaBauchi State, Toro and Tafawa Balewa LGAs; Plateau State, Jos LGA
ZakshiZaarZariZaksә2,950 (1950 HDG)
BotoZaarZariBootBibot1,000 (1950 HDG)
ZariZaarZariKopti, Kwapm
Zeem-Caari-Danshe-Dyarim clusterZaarZeem-Caari-Danshe-DyarimƁarawaBauchi State, Toro LGA
Zeem (extinct)ZaarZeem-Caari-Danshe-DyarimExtinct (Caron 2005)
Tule (extinct)ZaarZeem-Caari-Danshe-DyarimTulaiExtinct (Caron 2005)
DansheZaarZeem-Caari-Danshe-DyarimExtinct (Caron 2005)
ChaariZaarZeem-Caari-Danshe-DyarimTulaia 'few hundred' speakers (Caron 2005)
DyarimZaarZeem-Caari-Danshe-Dyarimone person Mәn Dyarim, people DyarimNdyarim TәKaiwariAbout 2000 ethnic Dyarim with about 100 fluent speakers (Blench 2005 est.)Their main settlement is about 7 km south of Toro town in Toro LGA (N10˚ 02, E 9˚ 04).
Lushi?ZaarZeem-Caari-Danshe-DyarimLukshiDokshi
JimiZaar250 (LA 1971); 400 (1973 SIL)Bauchi State, Darazo LGA
Kir–Balar clusterBoghomKir–Balar360 (LA 1971) (Kir only)Bauchi State, Bauchi LGAno data
KirBoghomKir–Balarno data
BalarBoghomKir–BalarLarbawa50 CAPRO (1995a)no data
BoghomBoghomBurom, Burrum, Burma, Borrom, Boghorom, Bogghom, Bohom, BokiyimBurumawa9,500 (1952 W&B), 50,000 (1973 SIL)Plateau State, Kanam LGA
MangasBoghomMaás180 (LA 1971)Bauchi State, Bauchi LGAno data
Guruntum–MbaaruGuruntumBy settlements Dookà, Gàr, Gayàr, Kàràkara, Kuukù, and MbaarùGurutumGùrduŋ10,000 (1988 Jaggar)Bauchi State, Bauchi and Alkaleri LGAs
JuGuruntum150 (LA 1971)Bauchi State, Bauchi LGA
TalaGuruntumBauchi State, Bauchi LGA, Zungur district
ZangwalGuruntumBauchi State, Bauchi LGAno data

Phonology

Consonants

Like the other West Chadic languages, South Bauchi languages have a rich consonant inventory. They also generally have the lateral fricatives /ɬ, ɮ/, whereas the West Chadic A languages have not preserved such consonants.[4]

  • Stops: p t k b d g ʔ
  • Nasals: m n ɲ ŋ
  • Implosives: ɓ ɗ
  • Fricatives: f v s z (ʃ) (ʒ) ɣ (h)
  • Tap: r
  • Approximants: l j w
  • Lateral fricatives: ɬ ɮ
Vowels

Blench (2020) proposes that Proto-South Bauchi had a 6-vowel system consisting of /i, ɨ, u, ɛ, ɔ, a/, with length contrast.[4]

Tones

South Bauchi languages have 2-3 tone levels, with Proto-South Bauchi likely having three tones like the nearby A3 West Chadic languages. Some languages also have contour tones (falling or rising).[4]

Morphology

Like the neighbouring A3 West Chadic languages but unlike Hausa, South Bauchi languages do not usually have plural nouns, although certain words for persons such as ‘woman’, ‘child’, and sometimes ‘man/person’ have suppletive nominal forms.[4] Blench (2021) hypothesises that this may be due to contact with Adamawa languages.[7]

Stop consonants at the ends of morphemes are underlyingly voiceless.[4]

See also

References

  1. Shimizu, Kiyoshi. 1978. The Southern Bauchi group of Chadic languages: a survey report. (Africana Marburgensia: Sonderheft, 2.) Marburg/Lahn: Africana Marburgensia. 48pp.
  2. Gowers, W.F. 1907. Forty-two vocabularies of languages spoken in Bauchi Province, N. Nigeria. Ms. 77pp.
  3. Blench, Roger. 2006. The Afro-Asiatic Languages: Classification and Reference List (ms)
  4. Blench, Roger. 2020. The South Bauchi languages of Central Nigeria: a fresh view based on recent fieldwork. CALL 50. Leiden University, August 31, 2020.
  5. Blench, Roger (2021-01-01). "West Chadic classification 2021". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  6. Blench, Roger (2019). An Atlas of Nigerian Languages (4th ed.). Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.
  7. Blench, Roger. 2021. The erosion of number marking in West Chadic Roger Blench. WOCAL, Leiden.

 This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 3.0 license.

Bibliography

  • Caron, Bernard 2002. Review of Ɓarawa lexicon: a wordlist of eight South Bauchi (West Chadic) languages: Boghom, Buli, Dott, Geji, Sayanci and Zul by Ronald Cosper, Munich: LINCOM EUROPA, 1999. Chadic Newsletter, 23: 46–80.
  • Cosper, Ronald 1999. Barawa lexicon: a wordlist of eight South Bauchi (West Chadic) languages; Boghom, Buli, Dott, Geji, Jimi, Polci, Sayanci and Zul. (LINCOM Studies in African Linguistics, 39.) München: Lincom.
  • Kraft, Charles H. 1981. Chadic Wordlists: Volume I (Plateau-Sahel). Marburger Studien zur Afrika- und Asienkunde: Serie A: Afrika, 23. Berlin: Dietrich Reimer.
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