South Bauchi languages


The South Bauchi languages are a branch of West Chadic languages that are spoken in Bauchi State and Plateau State, Nigeria.
An extensive lexical survey of the South Bauchi languages had been carried out by Kiyoshi Shimizu from 1974 to 1975. Another early survey was that of Gowers, which included 42 languages of Bauchi.

Languages

The South Bauchi languages include:
;South Bauchi languages
Roger Blench counted around 38 South Bauchi languages.

Internal classification

Shimizu (1978)

Shimizu classifies the South Bauchi languages as follows. Individual languages are highlighted in italics.
  • South Bauchi
  • *East branch
  • **Boghom subgroup
  • ***Bòghòm
  • ***Kir cluster
  • ****Kiir ; Laàr
  • ****Mánsi
  • **Guruntum subgroup
  • ***Guruntum cluster
  • ****Mbaarù
  • ****Gùrùntùm
  • ***Tala cluster
  • ****Sòòr ; Zaŋwal of Zungur
  • ****Lungu
  • ****Shò ; Jimi
  • *West branch
  • **Barawa subgroup
  • ***North Barawa
  • ****Geji cluster
  • *****Mɨ̀gang, Pelu; Gyaanzi
  • *****Buu
  • ****Polci cluster
  • *****Zùl; Barang, Dììr
  • *****Bɨ̀lɨ̀ ; Nyámzàx, Lundur; Posɨ
  • ***South Barawa
  • ****Zeem cluster
  • *****Zeem; Tule ; Chaari
  • *****Dokshì
  • ****Dass cluster
  • *****Dɨkshi ; Bàndas
  • *****Boòdlɨ ; Wangdày ; Zòdì
  • ****Saya cluster
  • *****Zàksɨ̀ ; Bòòt ; Zaarɨ ; Sigidi
  • *****Zaar of Kàl; Zaar of Gàmbar Lèère; ''Zaar of Lùsa''

    Blench (2021)

classifies the South Bauchi languages as follows.
  • 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.
LanguageBranchClusterDialectsAlternate spellingsOwn name for languageEndonymOther names Other names for languageExonymSpeakersLocationNotes
Aja ZaarNorth BauchiAjanciExtinct: formerly spoken at Kworko, Bauchi Stateno data
Das clusterZaarDasƁarawa8,830 Bauchi State, Toro and Dass LGAs
LukshiZaarDasDәkshi1,130
Durr–BarazaZaarDasBandas4,700 ; 30–40,000 Bauchi State, Das LGA, Durr and Baraza villages
ZumbulZaarDasBoodlәZumbulawa, DumbulawaSee WandiBauchi State, Das LGA, Zumbul town
WandiZaarDasWangday700 Bauchi State, Das LGA, Wandi town
DotZaarDasDwatZoɗishérә́m zoɗiDott2,300 ; a single large village. 37,582. 7 wards speak ZoɗiSouth of Bauchi on the Dass road
Geji clusterZaarGejiKayauri, KaiyorawaƁarawaBauchi State, Toro LGA
MәgangZaarGejiBolu, BuliMәg̣ àŋ1,250, 'a few hundred'
PyaaluZaarGejiPelu, BeluPyààlù
GejiZaarGejiGyaazәBagbaGezawa, Gaejawa650, 1000. 20 villages Toro, Bauchi LGAs, Bauchi State
BuuZaarGejiZarandaBùù750, 'a few hundred'
GuusZaarGuusƁarawaSayanci50,000 ; 50,000 Bauchi State, Tafawa Balewa LGA. West of Tafawa Balewa town.
GuusZaarGuusmur gúús ; Gùùs vìì kә gúús Sigidi, Sugudi, Sigdi, Segiddi775. 17 villages
Polci clusterZaarPolciƁarawa, Palsawa6,150 or more Bauchi State, Bauchi and Toro LGAs
ZulZaarPolciZul is mutually comprehensible with MbaramBi ZuleNya Zule pl. Man ZuleMbarmi, BarmaZulawa2,400. 15 villages Bauchi State, Bauchi and Toro LGAs
MbaramZaarPolciBarang, Mbaram250 CAPRO. One settlement onlyBauchi State, Bauchi LGA
DirZaarPolciDiir'a few hundred'
BuliZaarPolciBәlә600, 4000, 'a few hundred'
LangasZaarPolciNyamzaxLundur200, 'a few hundred'
LuriZaarPolciLúr30, 2 Bauchi State, Bauchi LGA
PolciZaarPolciPosә, Polshi, Palci, Pәlci2,950 ; 70,000
ZaarZaarKal, Gambar Leere, LusaZaʼr, ZarVìk Zaar, VigzarZaar pl. Zàrsɛ̀SáyánciBàsáyè pl. Sáyáːwá, Saya, Seya, Seiyara 50,000 ; 50,000 Bauchi State, Tafawa Balewa LGA. West of Tafawa Balewa town.
Zari clusterZaarZariƁarawaBauchi State, Toro and Tafawa Balewa LGAs; Plateau State, Jos LGA
ZakshiZaarZariZaksә2,950
BotoZaarZariBootBibot1,000
ZariZaarZariKopti, Kwapm
Zeem-Caari-Danshe-Dyarim clusterZaarZeem-Caari-Danshe-DyarimƁarawaBauchi State, Toro LGA
Zeem ZaarZeem-Caari-Danshe-DyarimExtinct
Tule ZaarZeem-Caari-Danshe-DyarimTulaiExtinct
DansheZaarZeem-Caari-Danshe-DyarimExtinct
ChaariZaarZeem-Caari-Danshe-DyarimTulaia 'few hundred' speakers
DyarimZaarZeem-Caari-Danshe-Dyarimone person Mәn Dyarim, people DyarimNdyarim TәKaiwariAbout 2000 ethnic Dyarim with about 100 fluent speakers Their main settlement is about 7 km south of Toro town in Toro LGA.
Lushi?ZaarZeem-Caari-Danshe-DyarimLukshiDokshi
JimiZaar250 ; 400 Bauchi State, Darazo LGA
Kir–Balar clusterBoghomKir–Balar360 Bauchi State, Bauchi LGAno data
KirBoghomKir–Balarno data
BalarBoghomKir–BalarLarbawa50 CAPRO no data
BoghomBoghomBurom, Burrum, Burma, Borrom, Boghorom, Bogghom, Bohom, BokiyimBurumawa9,500, 50,000 Plateau State, Kanam LGA
MangasBoghomMaás180 Bauchi State, Bauchi LGAno data
Guruntum–MbaaruGuruntumBy settlements Dookà, Gàr, Gayàr, Kàràkara, Kuukù, and MbaarùGurutumGùrduŋ10,000 Bauchi State, Bauchi and Alkaleri LGAs
JuGuruntum150 Bauchi State, Bauchi LGA
TalaGuruntumBauchi State, Bauchi LGA, Zungur district
ZangwalGuruntumBauchi State, Bauchi LGAno data