Zeem language

Zeem
Zeem
Region	Bauchi State
Native speakers	400 (2003)
Language family	Afro-Asiatic Chadic West Barawa (B.3) Zaar Zeem; ; ; ; ;
Dialects	Zeem (†); Caari; Danshe (†); Lushi (?); Dyarim; Tule (†);
Language codes
ISO 639-3	Variously:; zem – Zeem; cxh – Chaʼari; dsk – Dokshi; dyr – Dyarim; tvi – Tulai
Glottolog	zeem1242 Zeem; dyar1234 Dyarim; dans1239 Chaari; lush1256 Dokshi; nucl1693 Tulai
ELP	Zeem

Zeem, or Chaari, is an endangered Chadic dialect cluster of Nigeria, whose speakers are shifting to Hausa.^[2] Dyarim is closely related.

The Zeem language is spoken in Toro LGA, Bauchi State. The Tulai and Danshe dialects are no longer spoken.^[1] It is also called Chaari, Dokshi, Dyarum, Kaiwari, Kaiyorawa, Lukshi, and Lushi.^[3]

Dyarim had been influenced by Beromic languages during a time when Beromic was more widespread.^[4]

Varieties

Zeem-Caari-Danshe-Dyarim cluster varieties listed by Blench (2019):^[5]

Zeem (extinct)
Tule (extinct)
Danshe
Chaari
Dyarim
Dokshi (Lukshi, Lushi)
Jimi

Blench reports in 2019 that only 3 very elderly speakers of the Dokshi (or Lukshi^[6]) language remain in the village of Lukshi, Bauchi State.

Notes

^ ^a ^b Zeem at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
Chaʼari at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
Dokshi at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
Dyarim at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
Tulai at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
^ Newman, Paul (1990). Nominal and verbal plurality in Chadic. Walter de Gruyter. p. 3. ISBN 978-90-6765-499-9. Retrieved 2009-07-28.
^ OLAC resources in and about the Zeem language
^ Blench, Roger. 2005. The Dyarim language of Central Nigeria and its affinities.
^ Blench, Roger (2019). An Atlas of Nigerian Languages (4th ed.). Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.
^ Blench, Roger. 2020. The South Bauchi languages of Central Nigeria: a fresh view based on recent fieldwork. CALL 50. Leiden University, August 31, 2020.

This article about a West Chadic language is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

This Nigeria-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[e18-1] Zeem at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
Chaʼari at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
Dokshi at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
Dyarim at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
Tulai at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)

[2] Newman, Paul (1990). Nominal and verbal plurality in Chadic. Walter de Gruyter. p. 3. ISBN 978-90-6765-499-9. Retrieved 2009-07-28.

[3] OLAC resources in and about the Zeem language

[4] Blench, Roger. 2005. The Dyarim language of Central Nigeria and its affinities.

[BlenchAtlas4-5] Blench, Roger (2019). An Atlas of Nigerian Languages (4th ed.). Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.

[Blench-6] Blench, Roger. 2020. The South Bauchi languages of Central Nigeria: a fresh view based on recent fieldwork. CALL 50. Leiden University, August 31, 2020.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]