Tunzu language

Last updated
Tunzu
Tunzuii
Duguza
Native to Nigeria
Region Plateau State and Bauchi State
Native speakers
2,500 (2003) [1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3 dza
Glottolog tunz1235
ELP Tunzu
Tunzu [2]
PersonTunzú
PeopleàTunzû
LanguageìTunzû

Tunzu (Tunzuii), or Itunzu, also known as Duguza (Dugusa) in Hausa, is a Kainji language of Nigeria.

Demographics

The Tunzu people live in 7 villages. There are 5 villages (including the main settlement of Gada) in Jos East LGA, Plateau State and 2 villages (Kurfi and Magama) in Toro LGA, Bauchi State. The Tunzu villages in Bauchi State are assimilated into Hausa culture. There were 2,500 speakers (2003 estimate), although there might be 2,000 more ethnic Tunzu who do not speak the Tunzu language. [3]

Related Research Articles

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The West Chadic languages of the Afro-Asiatic family are spoken principally in Niger and Nigeria. They include Hausa, the most populous Chadic language and a major language of West Africa.

Kariya or Vinahə, is an Afroasiatic language spoken in a cluster of villages near the Stone Age archaeological site of Kariya Wuro in Ganjuwa LGA, Bauchi State, Nigeria. The ethnic group is known as Wììhə́.

Warji (Warjawa) or Sirzakwai is an Afro-Asiatic language spoken in Bauchi State, Nigeria. Speakers are shifting to Hausa.

Mantsi is an endangered Afro-Asiatic language spoken in Mangas town in Bauchi State, Nigeria. Blench (2020) reports that it is also called Mantsi. According to Blench, the structure of Mantsi differs significantly from the other South Bauchi languages.

Daza or Dazawa is listed by Blench (2006) as a Chadic language within the Bole group. It is allegedly spoken in a few villages of Darazo LGA, Bauchi State, Nigeria. Glottolog (2017) lists the language as "unattested". Newman (2019) lists Daza as a possible synonym of Bole.

Zeem, or Chaari, is an endangered Chadic dialect cluster of Nigeria, whose speakers are shifting to Hausa. Dyarim is closely related.

Ahwai, also called the Ndunic languages, is a Plateau language cluster spoken to the southwest of Fadan Karshi in Sanga LGA, Kaduna State, Nigeria. Most villages are located at the foot of the Ahwai Mountains in Kaduna State.

Kwanka, or Kwang (Kwaŋ), is a dialect cluster of Plateau languages in Nigeria.

Sanga is an East Kainji language of Nigeria belonging to the Shammo cluster.

The Kamuku languages are a branch of the Kainji languages spoken by the Kamuku people of Niger State, western Nigeria, mostly in Mariga and Rafi LGAs.

Lela or C'lela (Clela) is a Kainji language of Nigeria. It is known as Chilela in Hausa, and it is also known as Dakarkari, because it is spoken by the Dakarkari people

Bauchi is a cluster of Kainji languages spoken in Rafi, Nigeria LGA, Niger State, Nigeria.

Geji (Gezawa) is a minor Chadic dialect cluster of Bauchi State, Nigeria. The three varieties are Buu, Gyaazi and Mәgang. The latter two are quite close.

Ju is a language from the West Chadian branch of the Chadic language family. The language is spoken solely in Nigeria, and had approximately 900 native speakers in 1993. The language is unwritten.

Panawa (Bujiyel) is an East Kainji language of Nigeria belonging to the Shammo cluster.

Gusu is an East Kainji language of Nigeria belonging to the Shammo cluster. It is spoken in Toro LGA, Bauchi State and in Bassa LGA, Plateau State.

Damlanci is a Southern Bantoid Jarawan language of Nigeria. It was reported by Roger Blench (2019), but is not reported in Ethnologue or Glottolog. Speakers are over age 50, located in Maccido village, Alkaleri LGA, Bauchi State.

Moro is an East Kainji language of Nigeria belonging to the Shammo cluster.

Bunu or Ribina is an East Kainji language of Toro LGA, Bauchi State, Nigeria belonging to the Shammo cluster.

References

  1. Tunzu at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. Blench, Roger (2019). An Atlas of Nigerian Languages (4th ed.). Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.
  3. Blench, Roger. 2021. Introduction to the Shammɔ peoples of Central Nigeria .