Zeem, or Chaari, is an endangered
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 vari ...
of
Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of G ...
, whose speakers are shifting to
Hausa
Hausa may refer to:
* Hausa people, an ethnic group of West Africa
* Hausa language, spoken in West Africa
* Hausa Kingdoms, a historical collection of Hausa city-states
* Hausa (horse) or Dongola horse, an African breed of riding horse
See also ...
. Dyarim is closely related.
The Zeem language is spoken in
Toro LGA,
Bauchi State
Bauchi State (Fula: ''Leydi Bauchi'' 𞤤𞤫𞤴𞤣𞤭 𞤦𞤢𞤵𞤷𞥅𞤭) is a state in the North-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, bordered by Kano and Jigawa to the north, Taraba and Plateau to the south, Gombe and Yobe to the ...
. The Tulai and Danshe dialects are no longer spoken.
[ It is also called Chaari, Dokshi, Dyarum, Kaiwari, Kaiyorawa, Lukshi, and Lushi.
Dyarim had been influenced by Beromic languages during a time when Beromic was more widespread.][Blench, Roger. 2005]
The Dyarim language of Central Nigeria and its affinities
Varieties
Zeem-Caari-Danshe-Dyarim cluster varieties listed by Blench (2019):Jimi Jimi may refer to:
* Jimi language (Cameroon)
* Jimi language (Nigeria)
* Jimi languages
* Jimi system, the administration system of ancient China
* Jimi River, in Papua New Guinea
* Jimi Valley, in Papua New Guinea
* Jimi District, in Papua New G ...
Blench reports in 2019 that only 3 very elderly speakers of the Dokshi (or Lukshi[Blench, Roger. 2020. ]
The South Bauchi languages of Central Nigeria: a fresh view based on recent fieldwork
'. CALL 50. Leiden University, August 31, 2020.) language remain in the village of Lukshi, Bauchi State
Bauchi State (Fula: ''Leydi Bauchi'' 𞤤𞤫𞤴𞤣𞤭 𞤦𞤢𞤵𞤷𞥅𞤭) is a state in the North-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, bordered by Kano and Jigawa to the north, Taraba and Plateau to the south, Gombe and Yobe to the ...
.
Notes
Chadic languages
{{Nigeria-stub