Jju language


Jju is the native language of the Bajju people of Kaduna State in central Nigeria. As of 1988, there were approximately 300,000 speakers. Jju is one of the Southern Kaduna languages. Although usually listed separately from the Tyap cluster, Jju's separation, according to Blench R.M., seems to be increasingly ethnic rather than a linguistic reality.

Distribution

Jju is spoken as a first language by the Bajju people in Zangon Kataf, Jema'a, Kachia, Kaura and Kaduna South Local Government Areas of Kaduna state. It is also spoken in neighbouring Atyap, Fantswam, Agworok, Ham, Adara, and other kin communities as a second or third language.

Phonology

Vowels

A few words also include the long vowels and.

Consonants

  • There is a tenseness distinction, which McKinney calls a fortis-lenis distinction. McKinney analyzes the fortis consonants as longer than lenis consonants.
  • There is allophonic palatalization before front vowels and allophonic labialization before rounded vowels.
  • Most consonants have a three-way contrast between plain, labialized, and palatalized.
  • Aspiration may phonetically occur among stops.
  • Tense stops may also be heard as affricates.

Numerals

NumeralJju word
1A̠yring
2A̠hwa
3A̠tat
4A̠naai
5A̠pfwon
6A̠kitat
7A̠tiyring
8A̠ninai
9A̠kumbvuyring
10Swak
11Swak bu a̠yring
12Swak bu a̠hwa
13Swak bu a̠tat
14Swak bu a̠naai
15Swak bu a̠pfwon
16Swak bu a̠kitat
17Swak bu a̠tiyring
18Swak bu a̠ninai
19Swak bu a̠kumbvuyring
20Nswak nh
30Nswak ntat
40Nswak nnaai
50Nswak npfwon
60Nswak a̠kitat
70Nswak a̠tiyring
80Nswak a̠ninai
90Nswak a̠kumbvuyring
100Cyi
1000Cyikwop

Vocabulary

List of vocabulary relating to body parts.
  • zwuoi - nose
  • shog - cheek
  • a̠kpukpa ka̠nu - lip
  • zwuak - throat
  • du̱ryem - tongue
  • pffwa - neck
  • ka̠dyet - chin
  • ka̠hog - chest
  • trang - beard
  • ka̱wiyang - armpit
  • du̱ccu - head
  • a̠nyyi teeth
  • tsuo mbvak - elbow
  • ka̠ma - back
  • du̱kkwat - back of head
  • tak - leg
  • ka̠hwa - stomach
  • du̱kkwut - knee
  • hun-tak - ankle
  • gruang - shoulder
  • ka̱nu - mouth
  • kop - navel
  • pffwo - ear
  • du̱ssi - eye
  • a̠cat - hair
  • du̱byiang - breast
  • ka̠ta̠ssi - forehead
  • a̠ta̠ngbak - wrist
  • ka̠ta̠ng-hurung bvak - finger
  • bva̠k - hand