Zeem language
Chadic languages spoken in Nigeria
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Zeem, or Chaari, is an endangered Chadic dialect cluster of Nigeria, whose speakers are shifting to Hausa.[2] Dyarim is closely related.
RegionBauchi State
Native speakers
400 (2003)[1]Dialects
- Zeem (†)
- Caari
- Danshe (†)
- Lushi (?)
- Dyarim
- Tule (†)
| Zeem | |
|---|---|
| Region | Bauchi State |
Native speakers | 400 (2003)[1] |
| Dialects |
|
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | Variously:zem – Zeemcxh – Chaʼaridsk – Dokshidyr – Dyarimtvi – Tulai |
| Glottolog | zeem1242 Zeemdyar1234 Dyarimdans1239 Chaarilush1256 Dokshinucl1693 Tulai |
| ELP | Zeem |
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 (or Tulai, 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.
