Chadic languages

The Chadic languages are a member of the Afroasiatic phylum, together with Semitic, Ancient Egyptian, Berber and Cushitic. Chadic languages are spoken mostly in the Chad Republic, Northern Cameroon and Northern Nigeria. It is because of their relative closeness to Lake Chad that they were termed "Chadic".

Languages of the Chadic family make up for about 25% of the total number of languages spoken in Nigeria. They are concentrated mostly in the northeast, especially in Adamawa, Bauchi and Borno States, and reach as far south as Nasarawa State and F.C.T.

The only language of wider distribution is Hausa, which is spoken by more than 18 million speakers in Nigeria and about 40 million speakers all over West Africa. Some "medium-sized" Chadic languages of Nigeria include Angas, Mwaghavul, Karekare, Bole and Bachama, just naming a few. Most Chadic languages are spoken by just a few hundred up to a few thousand people. Most are endangered languages due to the strong influence of Hausa in Northern Nigeria.

Apart from Hausa, only a few other Chadic languages of Nigeria have been well described.

The following classification of the Chadic languages found in Nigeria is taken from Crozier and Blench (1992):

WEST

Sub-branch A

Hausa group
Hausa
Gwandara

Bole-Angas major group
Bole group
a.
i.
Karekare
ii.
Gera
Geruma
Deno
Bure
Kubi
Giiwo
Galambu
Daza
iii.
Bole
Ngamo
Maaka
Beele
b.
i.
Kwaami
Pero
Piya-Kwonci
Kholok
Nyam
Kushi
Kutto
Tangale
ii.
Dera

Angas group
a.
i.
Angas
ii.
Mwaghavul
Cakfem-Mushere
Miship (incl. Doka)
Jorto
Kofyar cluster (incl. Kofyar, Mernyang, Doemak, Kwagallak, Bwol, Gworam, Jipal)
iii.
Goemai
Koenoem
Pyapun
Tal
Montol
b.
Gerka group
Yiwom

Ron group
a.
Ron cluster
Bokkos
Daffo-Butura
Sha
Kulere
Karfa
Shagawu
b.
Fyer
Tambas?
Mundat?

West sub-branch B

Bade/Warji major group

Bade group
Bade
Duwai
Ngizim

Warji group
Diri
Pa'a
Warji
Kariya
Mburku
Miya
Zumbun
Siri
Ciwogai

Zaar group
a.
Barawa cluster
Geji cluster (incl. Bolu, Geji, and Zaranda)
Polci cluster (incl. Zul, Baram, Dir, Buli, Langas, and Polci)
Zeem cluster (incl. Zeem, Danshe, and Lushi)
Das cluster (incl. Lukshi, Durr-Baraza, Zumbul, Wandi, and Dot)
Zari cluster ( Zakshi, Boto, and Zari)
Saya cluster ( Sigidi, and Zaar)
b.
Guruntum sub-group
Zangwal
Tala
Ju
Guruntum-Mbaaru
c.
Boghom sub-group
Boghom
Kir-Balar
Mangas
d.
Jimi?

BIU-MANDARA BRANCH

Sub-branch A

Tera group
a.
Tera (incl. Nyimatli, and Pidlimdi, Bura Kokura)
Jara
b.
Hwana
c.
Ga'anda
Boga
Ngwaba

Bura/Higi major group

Bura group
a.
Bura-Pabir
Cibak
Putai
Nggwahyi
b.
Huba
Margi
Margi South

Higi group
Kamwe

Mandara/Mafa/Sukur major group

Mandara group
a.
Wandala cluster (incl. Wandala, Mura, Malgwa)
Glavda
Guduf-Gava
Dghwede
Gvoko
b.
Lamang cluster (incl. Zaladva, Ghumbagha, Ghudavan)
Vemgo-Mabas
Xedi

Mafa group
Mafa

Sukur group
Sukur

Daba group
Daba

Bata group
a.
i.
Bata cluster
Bata
Bacama
ii.
Gude
Ziziliveken
Fali cluster
(incl. Vin, Huli, Madzarin, Bween)
iii.
Nzanyi
b.
Gudu

Sub-branch B

Kotoko group
Afade
Jilbe

Yedina group
Yedina

Unclassified Chadic languages:

Kofa
Luri

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Dr. Uwe Seibert

Department of Languages and Linguistics
Faculty of Arts
University of Jos

Email address: seibertu@unijos.edu.ng

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