Geji (Gezawa) is a minor
Chadic
The Chadic languages form a branch of the Afroasiatic language family. They are spoken in parts of the Sahel. They include 150 languages spoken across northern Nigeria, southern Niger, southern Chad, the Central African Republic, and northern Cam ...
dialect cluster
A dialect continuum or dialect chain is a series of language varieties spoken across some geographical area such that neighboring varieties are mutually intelligible, but the differences accumulate over distance so that widely separated varie ...
of
Bauchi State, Nigeria. The three varieties are Buu, Gyaazi and Mәgang. The latter two are quite close.
[Blench, Roger. 2020. ]
An introduction to Mәgang, a South Bauchi language of Central Nigeria
'.
Varieties
Blench (2020) lists:
*Buu
*Gyaazi, Mәgang
Zaranda, an exonym for Bu, endonym ''Bùù'', is a Chadic language spoken in the South of Bauchi State, in Nigeria, belonging to the South-Bauchi West group of Chadic languages (Shimizu 1978). Although generally associated with Bolu, Pelu and Geji, Buu stands apart from these other lects with which there is no intercomprehension. Most of the Buu population has migrated from the original location of the
Zaranda village (Zaranda Habe, longitude 9,57; latitude 10,28) to the present Zaranda (longitude 9,52; latitude 10,23) where they have abandoned their language for Hausa and Fulfulde. The few that have retained their language live in Zaranda Habe, in houses scattered in the hills, gathering around the chief once a year for the traditional religious festivities. It is believed to be clearly distinct and probably a separate language.
Buu-Zaranda
/ref>
Gezawa, Gaejawa are exonyms for Geji, endonym ''Gyaazә''. Bagba is a loconym.
Mәgang ('Mugan') is spoken by about 3,000-4,000 speakers in the following 8 villages of Bauchi
Bauchi (earlier Yakoba) is a city in northeast Nigeria, the Administrative center of Bauchi State, of the Bauchi Local Government Area within that State, and of the traditional Bauchi Emirate. It is located on the northern edge of the Jos Plateau ...
LGA, Bauchi State (all located just to the south of Bauchi
Bauchi (earlier Yakoba) is a city in northeast Nigeria, the Administrative center of Bauchi State, of the Bauchi Local Government Area within that State, and of the traditional Bauchi Emirate. It is located on the northern edge of the Jos Plateau ...
city).
Numerals
The Mәgang numerals are:
References
Chadic languages
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