Tarok

Taken from a grammatical sketch of Tarok by Selbut Longtau (in prep.)

Location

The Tarok people call themselves as oTárók, their language as iTárók and their land ìTàrók. They are found principally in Langtang-North, Langtang-South, Wase, Mikang and Kangke Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Plateau State in central Nigeria. Their main town of Langtang is located about 180 kilometres south-east of Jos, the state capital. They are also found in large numbers in Shendam, Qua'an-Pan, Kanam and Pankshin LGAs. Scattered in Nasarawa and Taraba states are Tarok farming communities. The people have been described to some extent in anthropological and ethnographical works by Fitzpatrick (1910); Lamle (1995); Famwang and Longtau (1997); Jemkur (in prep.) and Longtau (in prep.). The oTarok are an amalgamation of various peoples who now form a more or less ‘homogeneous’ group. The constituents were of Pe, Ngas, Jukun, Boghom, Tel (Montol) and probably Tal origins, while others still remain obscure or unknown. The culture at a micro level portrays this admixture of peoples of the Tarok nation. The focus here is a description of their language. Map 1 gives the location of the Tarok language in relation to the "major" languages of Nigeria.

Name of the Language

In the literature, other names have been used for Tarok as Appa, Yergam and its variants of Yergum and Yergem. The name Tarok itself has been wrongly spelt by some as Taroh. The name Appa on the other hand is used by the Jukun to refer to oTarok as a friendship term. These fresh insights are pointing to a conclusion that Tarok was a nickname given to the Tal/Ngas immigrants. The name of the original group is lost and has been replaced by the nickname. I have to coin the term Pe-Tarok to refer to the people who first spoke the original form of the language called Tarok today the mismatch notwithstanding. The origins of the peoples may be a knotty topic, but it is clear that Proto-Tarok is the parent of the language which is known as Tarok today (whatever might have been their original name).

Classification

Tarok appeared as Yergam in classificatory works as Westermann (1927). Greenberg (1963) classified Tarok as Benue-Congo belonging to the sub-group Plateau 7. Shimizu (1975) on the basis of lexicostatistical calculations classified Tarok as Jukunoid. Hansford et. al. (1976) classified Tarok as belonging to the Tarokoid sub-group of Platoid, together with Bashar, Arum, Chesu and Turkwam. However, making Tarokoid co-ordinate with Jukunoid as Gerhardt (1989) has done is more realistic. Gerhardt (1989) in the tradition of Crozier and Blench (1992) classified Tarok as Platoid, Benue Group and sub-group Tarokoid, listing other members of the sub-group as Bashar, Turkwam, Arum-Chesu and probably Pai, (i.e. Pe). Blench (1996a) argues that Turkwam and Arum-Chesu, although clearly related to each other are not part of Tarokoid, a position taken implicitly by Maddieson (ined.) who place them in a separate group (Plateau 10). Blench (1996) has advanced strong evidence that Pe is a bona fide member of Tarokoid. More recently, studies of the Tapshin (Nsur) language spoken near Pankshin suggests that it too is a member of the Tarok group (Blench 1998).

Platoid was devised as a cover term for two of Greenberg’s original branches of Benue-Congo, Plateau, which he divided into seven numbered groups, and Jukunoid. Gerhardt (1989) made the primary break not between Plateau and Jukunoid, but between Kainji, corresponding to Greenberg’s Plateau 1, and the rest, for which we are (unlike Gerhardt) using the name Plateau. Blench (in press) has recently argued that these sharp divisions do not well represent the lexical overlap between individual branches and they would be better represented as a dialect chain. He proposes the name ‘Central Nigerian’ to cover these languages, which, spreading from the far northwest of Nigeria to Cameroun are no longer closely identified with the Jos Plateau. The following figure summarises this classification:

This ensemble includes as many as 150 languages, many of which are barely documented and membership of many of these groupings remains impressionistic.

It should be noted by non-professional readers that the "oid-ending" nomenclature has no political undertones. It simply refers to related languages bearing the name of its most studied member. In the case of Tarokoid, Tarok is the most studied member. However, I am proposing here a more apolitical name for Tarokoid, Dep-Wase, in line with the older convention of using geographical features. Dep and Wase are the two "great rivers" which approximately border in the west and east the area where these genetically related languages are spoken respectively. Mada-Wase would have been more accurate, but it will create a problem since Mada is the name of another Platoid language. Blench (pers. com. 1993) reported that Koops had similarly suggested Donga-Taraba for the Jukunoid languages. The convention is also applied in the terms Benue-Congo and Niger-Congo to refer to rivers which border the areas where these genetically related languages are spoken. The Benue-Congo languages together with others belong to the Niger-Congo phylum. Members of Dep-Wase will therefore include Tarok, Pe (Pai), Yangkam (i.e. Bashar), and probably Nsur (i.e. Tapshin) and perhaps Turkwam and Arum-Chesu.

Hopefully, the exact linguistic affinity of Dep-Wase will appear in a study of a reconstruction of Proto-Tarokoid. A casual examination of our comparative wordlist supports the genetic relationship of Yangkam, Pe, Nsur and Tarok. Some of the words are almost identical. Dep-Wase exhibits 2 groups: Yangkam/Pe/Nsur/Tarok on one hand and Taro/Arum/Chesu on the other. The latter is better described as a dialect cluster rather than separate languages.

Tarok in a sea of Chadic languages

Longtau (1991) described Tarok as a Benue-Congo language which is almost completely submerged in a sea of Chadic languages. These languages include Ngas, Tel, Boghom, Hausa/Fulfulde and Yiwom. Map 3 gives the location of Tarok in relation to its immediate neighbours. Its non-Chadic neighbours are Pe, Jukun-Wase and Yangkam. Tarok has spread considerably in the twentieth century and it now borders Wapan in the south-east. The Chadic languages belong to a different language phylum called Afroasiatic. Longtau (1991) explained that Tarok had settled in their present abode long before the eastern and southward movements of Boghom and Ngas respectively.

Lects

In colonial records, Tarok was divided into Hill and Plain Tarok. Crozier and Blench (1992) gave the five dialects of Tarok as iTarok (Plains Tarok), iZani (Hill Tarok), iGyang, iTarok oga Selyar and iTarok oga aSa. The dialect situation is not very complex though more variations than those listed by Crozier and Blench can be identified.

The variations in speech forms from one area to the other is not as great as the map may seem to suggest. The Plain lects are understood by all Tarok speakers. The speakers of Plain Tarok lects also understand all of Ghang and Kwallak speech forms, but not Zani. The Zani speech form has a very distinct intonation which makes it sound more different than it really is. The differences in lexical items between iZani and Nambar is more considerable than for other lects.

Language Literature Survey

The earliest published work on Tarok is Fitzpatrick's comparative wordlist of 1911. Between 1915 and 1933 a primer, translations of the catechism, Old Testament stories, Mark's Gospel, 1st Epistle of John and a hymn book were in print under the auspices of Sudan United Mission (SUM). The late veteran missionary J.H. Cooper was then the chief "scholar" and authority on Tarok. In 1929 Richard Dangel published a short journal article analysing Tarok grammar using the translation of the gospel of Mark as data. The work is cited here only for its historical value.

In 1976 J.O.S. Robinson wrote a paper on an aspect of Tarok morphology. In 1976 too a very significant development took place as far as the study of Tarok is concerned. The Tarok Language Committee under the leadership of Mary Lar was formed. It sponsored the publication of an alphabet chart, an orthography booklet and 2 primers in 1977. Independent of this development, Leo Sibomana's paper on the principles of Tarok phonology was published in 1980. He added 3 other papers between 1981-82. In 1983, Mary Lar's primer 3 was published. In 1985 Mary Lar et. al. wrote a Teachers' Guide with special notes reflecting new changes in the 1977 revised orthography which I proposed. In 1987, Vonjen Lar Timku undertook a post-graduate level contrastive analysis of English and Tarok nouns at the Faculty of Education, University of Jos, apparently quite unaware of Sibomana's articles on Tarok. The publication of the Tarok translation of the New Testament in 1988 marks the climax of the reformation of the writing of Tarok which started in 1976.

Longtau's 1991 paper on the linguistic evidence on the origin of peoples was followed in 1993 by a paper on a formal Tarok phonology. In 1994 Mary Lar et. al. published a trilingual lexicon. Longtau and Blench's Tarok Dictionary which was started in 1993 is still in progress. In 1995 Blench and Longtau published a preliminary version of a paper on odour terms in Tarok. They have also written several joint articles on many aspects of the morphology of Tarok. There has been a series of undergraduate long essays on Tarok since the establishment of the University of Jos in 1972. Two other M. Ed. Theses at the university of Jos were written on contrastive analyses of English and Tarok adjectives and determiners in 1991 and 1995 by Messrs. Mahmud and Zwalwap respectively. Danjuma Siman's work at the University of Port Harcourt on Tarok Focus Marking is the only postgraduate study on Tarok we know of at a Department of Linguistics. Unlike the other theses, he made very good use of the scholarly bibliography on Tarok.

References

Adive, J.R., 1989. The Verbal Piece in Ebira. Publication in Linguistics No. 85. Summer Institute of Linguistics and University of Texas at Arlington.

Anonymous 1980. Re i nyi iTarok. (Let’s Learn Tarok, An Alphabet Booklet). Tarok Language Committee, Langtang.

Blench, R.M. and Longtau, Selbut R., (in prep.). Tarok Farming in its Cultural Setting.

Blench, R.M. and Longtau, Selbut R., 1995. Tarok Ophresiology: An Investigation into the Tarok Terminology of Odour. In Issues in African Languages and Linguistics. Essays in Honour of Kay Williamson, ed. by E. Nolue Emenanjo and Ozo-mekuri Ndimele, pp. 340-344. Aba.

Blench, R.M. and Longtau, S.R. (in prep). Tarok Adjectives 1: Morphology.

Cooper, R.H., 1933. Wasika A Yohanna Ga Ngisi. The Langtang Church, S.U.M.

Crozier, D.H. and Blench, R.M. 1992. An Index of Nigerian Languages. Summer Institute of Linguistics Inc. Dallas.

Dalen, Pius Nden, 1990. Tarok Nouns. Submitted to the Department of Languages and Linguistics, Faculty of Arts, University of Jos, in partial fulfilment for the award of the B.A. (Combined Honours in English and Linguistics)

Dandam, Emmanuel D., 1987. The Tarok Verb System: A Comparative Study of Tarok and English Verb Systems. Submitted to the Faculty of Arts and Islamic Studies, University of Sokoto, in partial fulfilment of the Requirements for the award of the Degree of Bachelor of Arts.

Dangel Richard, 1929. Grammatische Skizze der Yergum-Sprache. Bibliotheca Africana III, 2/3, pp. 135-145.

Dassah, Justina, 1988 Tarok Pronouns. Submitted to the Department of Languages and Linguistics, Faculty of Arts, University of Jos, in partial fulfilment for the award of the B.A. Honours (Linguistics)

Essien, O., n.d. Manual on Nigerian Orthographies, No. 2. National Language Centre, Federal Ministry of Education, Lagos.

Famwang, W.V. and Longtau, Selbut R. in prep. Tarok and Their Culture. LECAPS Publishers, Jos.

Finbon, Nanpon, Nanyak, 1992. Bilingualism and Code-Mixing: The Case Study of Taroh-Hausa Bilinguals. Submitted to the Department of Languages and Linguistics, University of Jos, in partial fulfillment for the award of the B.A. (Hons.) in Linguistics.

Fitzpatrick, J.F.J., 1910/11. Some Notes on the Kwolla District and its Tribes. Journal of the African Society X, pp. 16-52, 213-221.

Gerhardt Ludwig, 1989. Kainji and Platoid. in Niger-Congo, edited by Bendor-Samuel et al pp. 359-76. University Press of America Inc.

Greenberg, J.H., 1963. The Languages of Africa. Bloomington: Indiana University.

Hansford, K. et. al. 1976. An Index of Nigerian Languages. Studies in Nigerian Languages, No. 5. S.I.L., Accra.

International Bible Society and Nigeria Bible Translation Trust, 1988. Nsar Nnap-nla Mpipye (Tarok New Testament). I.B.S. and N.B.T.T., New York.

Jemkur, J.F. et. al. (in prep.) Tarok People.

Lamle, Elias N., 1995. Cultural Revival and Church Planting: A Missiological Perspective. CAPRO Media, Jos.

Lar, M.N., 1983. Nkuñ ki iTarok 3. (Tarok Reader 3), Tarok Language Committee, Langtang.

Lar, M.N., and Longtau, S.R., 1985. Tarok Teachers' Notes for Reader 1, 2, and 3. Tarok Language Committee, Langtang.

Lar, M.N., et. al. 1994. A Trilingual Tarok Dictionary. Nigeria Bible Translation Trust, Jos.

Longtau Selbut R., (in prep. a). Cradle of the Tarok Nations.

Longtau, Selbut R., (in prep. b). A Descriptive Categorisation of Tarok Traditional Songs.

Longtau, Selbut R., (in prep. c). A Two-Way Tarok Naming System.

Longtau, Selbut R., 1990. Use of the Definite Article With Named Participants in Acts. Translators Link, No. 2. Nigeria Bible Translation Trust, p. 1.

Longtau, Selbut R., 1991. Linguistic Evidence on the Origins of Peoples: The Case of the Tarok People of Plateau State Nigeria. Afrika und Übersee, Band 74, 2,.

Longtau, Selbut R., 1993. A Formal Tarok Phonology. Afrika und Übersee, Band 76.

Longtau, Selbut R., 1997. Tarok Children's Songs. Afrika und Übersee, Band 80, 233-253.

Longtau, Selbut R., and Blench, R.M., (in prep.). Tarok Dictionary and English-Tarok Finderlist.

Meinhof, Carl 1932. Introduction to the Phonology of the Bantu Languages, p. 18. ??

Mfonyam, J. 1992. Tone Orthography. Journal of West African Languages, 20, 2:31-44.

Nansoh, Rose, Bwamkat, 1992. A Literary Study of Taroh Proverbs. Essay submitted to the Department of English in partial fulfilment for the award of a Bachelor of Arts Degree, University of Jos.

Ndimele, Ozo-mekuri, 1996. An Advanced English Grammar & Usage. NINLAN Books, Aba.

Robinson, J.O.S., 1976. His and Hers Morphology: The Strange Case of Tarok Possessives. Studies in African Linguistics, Supplement 6, University of California, Los Angeles, 203. p. nos.

Shimizu, K., 1975. A Lexicostatistical Study of Plateau Languages and Jukun. Anthropological Linguistics 17, pp. 413-418.

Sibomana, L., 1980. Grundzüge der Phonologie des Tarok (Yergam). Afrika und Übersee LXIII, 2:202-206.

Sibomana, L., 1981/82a. Tarok II: Das Nominalklassensystem. Afrika und Übersee LXIV: 25-34.

Sibomana, L., 1981/82b. Tarok III: Das Verbalsystem und der Satz. Afrika und Übersee LXIV: 2:237-247.

Sibomana, L., 1981/82c. Tarok-Erzählungen. Afrika und Übersee LXIV, 3:249-279.

Siman, Danjuma N.,1997. Focus Marking in iTarok. A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Linguistics and African Languages, University of Port Harcourt, in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Masters of Arts (Linguistics).

Tarok Language Committee, 1977. Nkuñ ki iTarok 1. (Tarok Reader 1). Tarok Language Committee, Langtang.

Tarok Language Committee, 1977. Nkuñ ki iTarok 2. (Tarok Reader 2). Tarok Language Committee, Langtang.

Tarok Language Committee, 1977. Tarok Alphabet Chart. Tarok Language Committee, Langtang.

Tarok Language Committee, 1980. Re i nyi iTarok. [Let’s Learn Tarok, An Alphabet Booklet] Tarok Language Committee, Langtang.

Timku, V. Lar, 1987. A Contrastive Analysis of Noun Phrases in English and Tarok. A Thesis Submitted to the Dept. of Curriculum Studies, University of Jos in partial fulfilment in the Award of M.Ed.(English).

Van Dyken J. and Lojenga, 1993. Alphabets of Africa. UNESCO, Dakar.

Williamson, Kay, 1984. Practical Orthography in Nigeria. Heinemann Educational Books (Nigeria) Limited, Ibadan.

Wolff, H., 1954. Nigerian Orthography. North Regional Adult Education Office, Kaduna.

Zwalwap, Lipdo 1995. A Contrastive Analysis of Determiners in English and Tarok: Implications for the Teaching of English. A Thesis Submitted to the Dept. of Curriculum Studies, University of Jos in partial fulfilment in the Award of M.Ed.(English).

Zwalwap, Lipdo 1995. A Contrastive Analysis of Determiners in English and Tarok: Implications for the Teaching of English. A Thesis Submitted to the Dept. of Curriculum Studies, University of Jos in partial fulfilment in the Award of M.Ed.(English).
 
 
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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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