Bariba language
Bariba, also known as Baatonum, is the language of the Bariba people and was the language of the state of Borgu. The native speakers are called Baatombu, Barba, Baruba, Berba and a number of various other names and spellings.
It is primarily spoken in Benin, but also across the border in adjacent Kwara State and Niger State, a percentage of speakers are also found in Saki West local government area of Oyo State Nigeria, and some Bariba are in Togo, Burkina Faso and Niger. Welmers reported the Bariba language as spoken in the cities of Nikki, Parakou, Kandi, gwanara, Bankubu, Boriya, Ilesha Baruba and Natitingou.
Names
The language can be known by different names:- the Bariba people call their language Baatɔnum;
- the Yoruba people call the language Baruba;
- the Hausa people refer to the language as Borganci after Borgu where it is spoken;
- the names in the Busa language and the Boko language are Borgu and Borgunya.
One person who speaks Bariba is called Baatɔnu and two or more persons or speakers are called Baatɔmbu and the language of the Baatɔmbu/Borgawa people is called Baatɔnum.
Geographic distribution
In Nigeria, Bariba is spoken mainly in Borgu LGA of Niger State, Saki West LGA and in Baruten LGA of Kwara state. A number of Bariba have migrated to other parts of Nigeria, including Abuja. The Bariba people are referred to as Borgawa in Hausa.In Benin, Bariba is spoken mainly in Alibori, Donga, Atakora and Borgou departments. A number of Bariba have migrated to other parts of Benin, including Cotonou.
In Togo, Bariba is spoken in the Centrale Region.
In Burkina Faso, Bariba is spoken in Kompienga Province.
There are also some Bariba in Niger in Tillabéri Region and Dosso Region.
Classification
Bariba is usually classed as an independent member of the Savanna languages, but some consider it and a number of other languages, such as Miyobe, as a Gur language. However, other than Bariba, there are other unclassified Gur languages, including Miyobe, Koromfe, Viemo, and Natyoro.Alphabet
There are 23 letters of Batonou alphabet:Phonology
Consonants
- /ɾ/ may be heard as a lateralized when preceding front vowels.
- /s, z/ may be heard as when preceding front vowels.
Vowels
Tone
Bariba is a tonal language. Tonal patterns in Bariba have been claimed to present a challenge to the Two-Feature Model of tonal phonology.Nouns
Bariba has 7 noun classes:- 1. y-class
- 2. t-class
- 3. g-class
- 4. w-class
- 5. m-class
- 6. s-class
- 7. n-class
y-class
The y-class is the largest noun class. y-class singular nouns usually in -a.| banana | àgɛ̀dɛ̀ |
| palm tree | bãã |
| large calabash | bàka |
| stick | bɔ̀ra |
| mosquito | bũ̀ɛ̃̀yã |
| character | dàà |
| tree, wood | dã̀ã̀ |
| fallen branch | dã̀kàmā |
| branch on a tree | dã̀kàsā |
| root of a tree | dã̀kpinā |
| habit | dēn̄dī |
| mirror | digí |
| guinea corn | dobi |
| gun | dɔ̃̀bɔ̀ra |
| well | dɔ̀kɔ̀ |
| male | dua |
| horse | duma |
| bag | fɔ̀rɔ̀tɔ̀, -bá |
| name of a month | gã̀ã̀ní |
| village gate | gàm̀bò, -bà |
| wall | gana |
| word, matter | gari |
| termite | gɛ́ma |
| driver ant | gɛ̃́ya |
| gazelle | gina |
| money | gobi |
| guinea fowl | gònā |
| death | gɔɔ |
| rain, storm | gúra |
| chicken | guwā, guwē |
| axe | gbãã |
| calabash | gbàká |
| lion | gbèsùnɔ̄, gbèsìnansu |
| grain of millet | gbɛyā |
| spirit | hùindè |
| papaya | kàràbósì, -bà |
| motor | kɛ̀kɛ, -bà |
| animal horn | kɔbā |
| wildcat | konā |
| bamboo stalk | kɔ̃sā |
| antelope | kpása |
| stew | kpee |
| star; hippopotamus | kpera |
| corn cake | másà, -bà |
| rice sprout | mɔ́ra |
| cow | naā |
| house spider | nára |
| scorpion | nía |
| female | nia |
| mouth | nɔɔ |
| hand | nɔbū, nɔma |
| peanut | sãã |
| offering | sàrâ |
| bridge | sàsarā |
| comb | séḿbù, -ba |
| hair | serā |
| covering | sèsèbìa |
| pestle | sobiā |
| edible seeds | sonki |
| road, path | súa |
| fish | sũ̀ã |
| bean | suìā |
| bracelet | sumā |
| judgment | tààrɛ |
| tobacco | tába |
| ant | tànā |
| mud brick | tèǹdɔ́ka |
| self | tīī |
| bee | tĩya |
| inheritance | túbí |
| snake | waā |
| rope | wɛ̃ya |
| straw | wĩ́ya, wĩĩ |
| law | wodà |
| small gray monkey | wonkéra |
| gold | wúra |
| face | wurusuā, -ɛ̄ |
| animal, meat | yaa |
| needle | yabúra |
| cloth, robe | yasa |
| spear | yàsa/yɛ̀sa |
| pepper | yɛ̃̀ɛ̃̀kú |
| evil spirit | zínì |
t-class
All forms end in -ru for t-class nouns.| cutlass | àdaru |
| dysentery | bàǹdúbàǹdū |
| sickness | baràrū |
| tension drum | bàraru |
| doorway | bàràrū |
| shoe | bàràrū |
| cloth | bekùrū |
| basket | bíréru |
| back | biru |
| salt | bɔ̀rū |
| river | daaru |
| loincloth | dɛmbɛru |
| house | dìrū |
| tooth | dondu |
| stalk | gãnã̀rū |
| arm | gã̀sèrū |
| rat | gɔnɔru |
| large wild rat | gɔ̀nɔ̀ǹguru |
| egg | goòsĩã̀rū |
| mountain | guru |
| rain cloud | gúrúwiru |
| horn | guùrū |
| crow | gbãgbã̀rū |
| field, farm | gbèrū |
| pot | gbɛ̃́ru |
| gourd | kaaru |
| bush cow | kɛ̀tɛ̀gbèèkìrū |
| male | kìnèrū |
| bread | kìràrū |
| love | kĩ́ru |
| stool | kìtàrū |
| box | kpàkoruru |
| stone | kpèrū |
| bed | kpenyeru |
| bone | kukuru |
| a swelling | mɔsìrū |
| odor | nubùrū |
| rabbit | satàbūr̄ū |
| pitfall | sɛ̃̀rū |
| brass, copper | sigàǹdū |
| grave | sìkìrū |
| tail | siru |
| stinkbug | sísíkènèrū |
| pounded yam | sɔ̀kùrū |
| work | sɔ̀mbùrū |
| clay for pots | sɔǹdū |
| mortar | soru |
| porridge | sòrū |
| toad | suréru |
| leg | taaru |
| garden hill | takàrū |
| bow | tendu |
| panther | túǹdū |
| nose | wɛ̃ru |
| head | wiru |
| neck | wĩ́yìrū |
| knife | wobùrū |
| pot | wókeru |
| night, darkness | wɔ̃̀kùrū |
| baboon | wompɔkɔru |
| red monkey | wónsũ̀ã̄rū |
| coldness | wóòrū |
| sheep | yã̀ã̀rū |
| market | yàburu |
| sacrifice | yãkùrū |
| place | yanyeeru |
| open space | yeeru |
| broom | yiìrū |
| name | yísìrū |
| frog | yɔ̃ɔ̃ru |
g-class
Forms usually end in back vowels for g-class nouns.| chameleon | àgāmānàkí, -bà |
| onion | àlùmásà, -nu |
| goat | boo, bonu |
| water pot | bòo, -nu |
| dog | bɔ̃ɔ̃, bɔ̃nu |
| owl | booro, -su |
| lizard | bɔ̀su, -nu |
| infestation of lice | gã́ã́ní |
| louse | gã́ã́núkú, -nù |
| airplane | gogùnɔ̀, -su |
| robe | gɔ̃kɔ, -su |
| drum | gɔ̃̀ɔ̃̀, gã̀ã̀su |
| vehicle | gòo, -su |
| canoe | gòoninkū, -nu |
| bird | gùnɔ̄, -su |
| cricket | gbɔɔ̄, -nu |
| sandfly | kòtókámbu, -munu |
| spoon | kààtó, -nù |
| cat | kòkónyambu, -munu |
| doorway | kɔ́ǹdɔ, -su |
| mat | kɔ̃ɔ̄, -su |
| pig | kúrúsɔ̄, -su |
| partridge | kusu, -nu |
| leopard, cat | músúkú, -nù |
| antelope | nemū, neǹnu |
| eye | nɔnu, nɔni |
| bush hog | sàkɔ̄, -nu |
| trap | sɛ́kpɛ̀ǹkú, -nù |
| arrow | sɛ̃ũ̄, sɛ̃ɛ̃̀nu |
| pot | sirū, -su |
| fly | sɔnu, -su |
| ear | so / soa, -su |
| elephant | sùùnū, -su |
| ring | tààbu, -nu |
| small black ant | tàm̀bu, -munu |
| army ant | tàsonu, -su |
| hoe | tebo, -nu |
| shadow | tíro, -nu |
| parrot | titimokò, -nu |
| year | wɔ̃̄ɔ̃̄n, wɔ̃̄su |
| monkey | womu, wonnu |
| wind | woo, -nu |
| hole | wɔrū, -su |
| town | wuu, -su |
| rabbit | wùkū, -nu |
| leaf | wurū, -su |
| tongue | yara, -nu |
| vulture | yèbèrèkú, -nù |
| household | yɛnu, -su |
| hartebeest | yiiku, -nu |