Bade (also spelled Bede, Bedde, or Bode) is a West Chadic language spoken by the Bade people in Yobe State and Jigawa State, Nigeria. Their traditional ruler is the Emir of Bade. Similar to many other Western African languages, Bade is a vulnerable language at great risk of extinction.[2] With 356,000 speakers,[3] the language and the culture of the Bade people have suffered over the last several years. As the language continues to fade, the culture and historic value associated with the language perishes as well. The local dialect is shifting from Bade to Hausa.[3] Across West Africa, the impact on local communities through the loss of the indigenous tongues will be significant. The endangerment of the Bade language represents the worldwide language diversity that is at risk.[4] Many African languages have only received little linguistic attention, impacting these African languages.[5]
Bade is classified under the following categories: Afro-Asiatic, Chadic, West, B, B.1, Bade Proper.[3]
History
While historical information about the Bade language is limited in scope, many words in the Bade language take root in the Kanuri language.[6] The Kanuri language is primarily spoken in West Africa, including: Nigeria and Chad. Bade and Ngizim have borrowed a number of words from the Kanuri language.[6] According to traditional accounts, the Bade language itself originates from the Badr of Yemen and Muhammad purportedly drove the Bade people out after a failure to pray.[6] Currently, as one of the many Nigerian endangered languages, bade serves as a local dialect. In general, Nigerian languages comprise the wealth of linguistic diversity that exists in the country.[7] Over the years, colonization has also played a role in the deteroriation of local languages, which Bade happens to be among, that for now, most of the Bade villages are becoming Hausa speaking villages.[8]
Geographic distribution
The speakers of the Bade language are centered in Nigeria. It is spoken in the northern part of Yobe State, Nigeria.[9]
Official status
The language is not the official language of Nigeria or any other country.
Dialects/varieties
There are three dialects of the Bade language that coincide with regions:[3]
Gashua Bade (Mazgarwa)
Southern Bade (Bade-Kado)
Western Bade (Amshi, Maagwaram, Shirawa)
Phonology
Most West Chadic languages have a similar consonant inventory separated into eight major groups: labialized laryngeal, laryngeal, labialized velar, velar, lateral, alveopalatal, alveolar, and labial.[10] In the Bade/Ngizim languages, the glottal stop plays no role, but the vowel hiatus relies on elision and coalescence. The sounds also feature a "yawning" and has a shift from fricative to stop.[10]
The grammar for the Bade language is consistent with the Ngizim language.[10]
Morphology and syntax
The Bade/Ngizim languages slightly differ from other Chadic languages.[10] Bade and Ngizim have long vowels in closed syllables. Mid vowels also have a restricted use compared to other vowels. Mid vowels will rather appear as loanwords from other languages.[10] The language preserves diphthongs in both native and loanwords.
Vocabulary
The Bade language has strong influence from the Kanuri language. There are many loanwords from Kanuri to West Chadic languages, including Bade.[11] Bade is commonly grouped with the Ngizim language. As an example, the word "healthy" is nga in the Kanuri language and ngā in the Ngizim language.[11] More recently, the Hausa language has influenced the Bade language.[12]
Below are some fish names of the Hadejia-Nguru wetlands in Bade, along with their Hausa and Manga Kanuri equivalent names. Note that many of the species have not been observed recently, due to the drying up of the region.[13]
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