Branch of the Plateau languages spoken in central Nigeria
The four Beromic languages are a branch of the Plateau languages spoken in central Nigeria by approximately 1 million people.
Classification
The following classification is taken from Blench (2008).
Blench (2019) also includes Nincut.[1]
Names and locations
Below is a list of language names, populations, and locations from Blench (2019).[1]
| Language |
Cluster |
Dialects |
Alternate spellings |
Own name for language |
Endonym(s) |
Other names (location-based) |
Other names for language |
Exonym(s) |
Speakers |
Location(s)
|
| Aten |
|
|
|
Ten, Etien |
sg Àtên, pl. Nìtèn |
|
Ganawuri, Jal |
|
6,710 (1963 Census): est. 40,000 (Kjenstad 1988); est. 40,000 (Blench 2003) |
Plateau State, Barkin Ladi LGA; Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA
|
| Berom |
|
Gyel–Kuru–Vwang; Fan–Foron–Heikpang; Bachit–Gashish; Du–Ropp–Rim–Riyom; Hoss (?). Nincut is treated as a separate language. |
Birom, Berum |
Cèn Bèrom |
sg. Wòrom, pl. Berom, Birom (Du dialect) |
|
Afango, Akuut, Baho, Gbang, Kibbo, Kibo, Kibbun, Kibyen, Sine |
Shosho, Shaushau (not recommended) |
54,500 (HDG), 200,000 (1985 SIL) |
Plateau State, Jos and Barkin Ladi LGAs; Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA
|
| Cara |
|
|
Chara, Nfachara, Fakara, Pakara, Fachara, Terea, Teria, Terri, Tariya |
|
|
|
|
|
735 (1936 HDG); 5000 (Blench est. 2012). Nine villages |
Plateau State, Bassa LGA
|
| Shall–Zwall cluster |
Shall–Zwall |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bauchi State, Dass LGA
|
| Shall |
Shall–Zwall |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Zwall |
Shall–Zwall |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Nincut |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aboro |
|
8 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]
| Gloss |
Berom F. |
Berom R. |
Tahos |
Nincut |
Cara |
Iten |
Shall |
Zwall
|
| eye |
rēyīʃ |
byènêŋ ryis |
ryis |
|
ris |
ìrisé̱ |
iʃe |
iʃi
|
| eyes |
bāyīʃ |
byénêŋ bayis |
be-yis |
|
anyis |
ìrwisé̱ |
|
|
| nose |
wol |
wol |
wɔl |
|
i-ŋwul |
ìlol |
munon |
mun
|
| noses |
bawol |
bawol |
be-wɔl |
|
a-ŋwul |
ìlyol |
|
|
| tongue |
lɛ̄m |
lem |
lɛm |
|
lɛm |
ìle̱m |
|
lumo
|
| tongues |
balɛ̄m |
balem |
lɛlɛm |
|
a-lɛm |
ìlywe̱m |
|
|
| ear |
fwóŋ |
twoŋ |
cyoŋ |
|
ki-cuŋ |
ìtsóró |
yan |
yan
|
| ears |
bētòŋ |
bètòŋ |
be-toŋ |
|
a-tuŋ |
ìtórò |
|
|
| mouth |
nú |
nu |
nu |
|
ku-nu |
è̱nú |
nun |
kunun
|
| mouths |
nenu |
nènù |
ni-nu |
|
a-nu |
nìnù |
|
|
| tooth |
hywín |
hwin |
kwin |
|
windi |
ìdzìnè̱ |
yinin |
|
| teeth |
ngyìn |
yìn |
vin |
|
anyindi |
ìdziné̱ |
|
|
| blood |
nèmí |
mmǐ; mmì (pl.) |
nimi |
|
mi |
nnyi |
bari |
baren
|
| bone |
kùp |
kùp |
kup |
|
vis |
ìkub |
kup |
|
| bones |
bekup |
bekùp |
be-kup |
|
agis |
ìkpub |
|
|
| eat |
re |
|
re |
|
re |
reke+ |
ri |
|
| eat (pl.) |
reres |
|
rere |
|
|
re |
|
|
| tree |
tin, retin cɔ̀gɔ̄t |
cɔgɔt |
cɔ̀gɔt |
tsɔ́gɔt |
fɔn |
èhôn |
kun |
kun
|
| trees |
batin cɔgɔ́t |
cɔ́gɔt |
cɔgɔ́t |
bítsɔ́gɔ́t |
akɔn |
nìhòn |
|
|
| water |
nshí |
nèshí |
ninci |
|
mal |
nnè̱n |
jinen |
jini
|
Notes
- ^ a b Blench, Roger (2019). An Atlas of Nigerian Languages (4th ed.). Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.
- ^ Blench, Roger. 2006. Comparative Beromic.
References
This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 3.0 license.
External links
