Beromic languages

The four Beromic languages are a branch of the Plateau languages spoken in central Nigeria by approximately 1 million people.

Beromic
Plateau II
Geographic
distribution
Nigeria
Linguistic classificationNiger–Congo
Glottologbero1241

Classification

The following classification is taken from Blench (2008).

Beromic 

Shall-Zwall

  

Iten

Cara (Teriya)

Berom

Blench (2019) also includes Nincut.[1]

Names and locations

Below is a list of language names, populations, and locations from Blench (2019).[1]


LanguageClusterDialectsAlternate spellingsOwn name for languageEndonym(s)Other names (location-based)Other names for languageExonym(s)SpeakersLocation(s)
AtenTen, Etiensg Àtên, pl. NìtènGanawuri, Jal6,710 (1963 Census): est. 40,000 (Kjenstad 1988); est. 40,000 (Blench 2003)Plateau State, Barkin Ladi LGA; Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA
BeromGyel–Kuru–Vwang; Fan–Foron–Heikpang; Bachit–Gashish; Du–Ropp–Rim–Riyom; Hoss (?). Nincut is treated as a separate language.Birom, BerumCèn Bèromsg. Wòrom, pl. Berom, Birom (Du dialect)Afango, Akuut, Baho, Gbang, Kibbo, Kibo, Kibbun, Kibyen, SineShosho, Shaushau (not recommended)54,500 (HDG), 200,000 (1985 SIL)Plateau State, Jos and Barkin Ladi LGAs; Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA
CaraChara, Nfachara, Fakara, Pakara, Fachara, Terea, Teria, Terri, Tariya735 (1936 HDG); 5000 (Blench est. 2012). Nine villagesPlateau State, Bassa LGA
Shall–Zwall clusterShall–ZwallBauchi State, Dass LGA
ShallShall–Zwall
ZwallShall–Zwall
NincutAboro8 villages (5000 ? Blench 2003 est.)Kaduna State, ?? LGA. ca. 7 km. north of Fadan Karshe

Comparative vocabulary

Sample basic vocabulary of Beromic languages from Blench (2006):[2]

GlossBerom F.Berom R.TahosNincutCaraItenShallZwall
eyerēyīʃbyènêŋ ryisryisrisìrisé̱iʃeiʃi
eyesbāyīʃbyénêŋ bayisbe-yisanyisìrwisé̱
nosewolwolwɔli-ŋwulìlolmunonmun
nosesbawolbawolbe-wɔla-ŋwulìlyol
tonguelɛ̄mlemlɛmlɛmìle̱mlumo
tonguesbalɛ̄mbalemlɛlɛma-lɛmìlywe̱m
earfwóŋtwoŋcyoŋki-cuŋìtsóróyanyan
earsbētòŋbètòŋbe-toŋa-tuŋìtórò
mouthnunuku-nuè̱núnunkunun
mouthsnenunènùni-nua-nunìnù
toothhywínhwinkwinwindiìdzìnè̱yinin
teethngyìnyìnvinanyindiìdziné̱
bloodnèmímmǐ; mmì (pl.)nimiminnyibaribaren
bonekùpkùpkupvisìkubkup
bonesbekupbekùpbe-kupagisìkpub
eatrererereke+ri
eat (pl.)reresrerere
treetin, retin cɔ̀gɔ̄tcɔgɔtcɔ̀gɔttsɔ́gɔtfɔnèhônkunkun
treesbatin cɔgɔ́tcɔ́gɔtcɔgɔ́tbítsɔ́gɔ́takɔnnìhòn
waternshínèshínincimalnnè̱njinenjini

Notes

  1. Blench, Roger (2019). An Atlas of Nigerian Languages (4th ed.). Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.
  2. Blench, Roger. 2006. Comparative Beromic.

References

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

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.