A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
| Bariba | |
|---|---|
| Baatɔnum | |
| Native to | Benin, Nigeria, Togo, Burkina Faso, Niger |
| Region | Borgu |
| Ethnicity | Bariba people |
Native speakers | (1.1 million cited 1995–2021)[1] |
| Latin | |
| Official status | |
Recognised minority language in | |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | bba |
| Glottolog | baat1238 |
| Bariba | |
|---|---|
| Person | Baatɔnu |
| People | Baatɔmbu |
| Language | Baatɔnum |
Bariba, also known as Baatonum, is the language of the Bariba people and was the language of the state of Borgu. The native speakers are called Baatombu (singular Baatonu),[2] Barba, Baruba, Berba and a number of various other names and spellings.
It is primarily spoken in Benin, but also across the border in adjacent Kwara State and Niger State, Nigeria, and some Bariba are in Togo, Burkina Faso and Niger. Welmers (1952) reported the Bariba language as spoken in the cities of Nikki, Parakou, Kandi, and Natitingou.[3]
Names
The language can be known by different names:
- the Bariba people call their language Baatɔnum;
- the Yoruba people call the language Baruba;
- the Hausa people refer to the language as Borganci (also spelled Borganchi) after Borgu where it is spoken;
- the names in the Busa language and the Boko language are Borgu and Borgunya.
Other names include Barba or Berba.
One person who speaks Bariba is called Baatɔnu and two or more persons or speakers are called Baatɔmbu and the language of the Baatɔmbu/Borgawa people is called Baatɔnum.
Geographic distribution
In Nigeria, Bariba is spoken mainly in Borgu LGA of Niger State and in Baruten LGA of Kwara state. A number of Bariba have migrated to other parts of Nigeria, including Abuja. The Bariba people are referred to as Borgawa in Hausa.
In Benin, Bariba is spoken mainly in Alibori, Donga, Atakora and Borgou departments. A number of Bariba have migrated to other parts of Benin, including Cotonou.
In Togo, Bariba is spoken in the Centrale Region.
In Burkina Faso, Bariba is spoken in Kompienga Province.
There are also some Bariba in Niger in Tillabéri Region and Dosso Region.
Classification
Bariba is usually classed as an independent member of the Savanna languages, but some consider it and a number of other languages, such as Miyobe, as a Gur language. However, other than Bariba, there are other unclassified Gur languages, including Miyobe, Koromfe, Viemo, and Natyoro.
Alphabet
There are 23 letters of Batonou alphabet.[4]
Phonology
Consonants
| Labial | Alveolar | Palatal | Velar | Labio- velar |
Glottal | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nasal | m | n | |||||
| Plosive | voiceless | p | t | k | k͡p | ||
| voiced | b | d | ɡ | ɡ͡b | |||
| Fricative | voiceless | f | s | h | |||
| voiced | z | ||||||
| Rhotic | ɾ | ||||||
| Lateral | l | ||||||
| Approximant | j | w | |||||
- /ɾ/ may be heard as a lateralized when preceding front vowels.
- /s, z/ may be heard as when preceding front vowels.[3]
Vowels
| Front | Central | Back | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Close | i ĩ | u ũ | |
| Close-mid | e | o | |
| Open-mid | ɛ ɛ̃ | ɔ ɔ̃ | |
| Open | a ã |
Tone
Bariba is a tonal language.[5] Tonal patterns in Bariba have been claimed to present a challenge[clarification needed] to the Two-Feature Model of tonal phonology.[6]
Nouns
Bariba has 7 noun classes:
- 1. y-class
- 2. t-class
- 3. g-class
- 4. w-class
- 5. m-class
- 6. s-class
- 7. n-class
The data was collected by William E. Welmers in August and September 1949 at Nikki, Benin.[3]
y-class
The y-class is the largest noun class. y-class singular nouns usually in -a.
| banana | àgɛ̀dɛ̀ (no pl.) |
| palm tree | bãã |
| large calabash | bàka |
| stick | bɔ̀ra |
| mosquito | bũ̀ɛ̃̀yã |
| character | dàà (no pl.) |
| tree, wood | dã̀ã̀ (pl.?) |
| fallen branch | dã̀kàmā |
| branch on a tree | dã̀kàsā |
| root of a tree | dã̀kpinā |
| habit | dēn̄dī (pl.?) |
| mirror | digí (pl.?) |
| guinea corn | dobi (pl.?) |
| gun | dɔ̃̀bɔ̀ra |
| well | dɔ̀kɔ̀ (pl.?) |
| male | dua |
| horse | duma |
| bag | fɔ̀rɔ̀tɔ̀, -bá |
| name of a month | gã̀ã̀ní (no pl.) |
| village gate | gàm̀bò, -bà |
| wall | gana |
| word, matter | gari (pl.?) |
| termite | gɛ́ma |
| driver ant | gɛ̃́ya |
| gazelle | gina |
| money | gobi (pl.?) |
| guinea fowl | gònā |
| death | gɔɔ (no pl.) |
| rain, storm | gúra |
| chicken | guwā, guwē |
| axe | gbãã |
| calabash | gbàká |
| lion | gbèsùnɔ̄, gbèsìnansu |
| grain of millet | gbɛyā |
| spirit | hùindè (pl.?) |
| papaya | kàràbósì, -bà |
| motor | kɛ̀kɛ, -bà |
| animal horn | kɔbā |
| wildcat | konā |
| bamboo stalk | kɔ̃sā |
| antelope | kpása |
| stew | kpee (no pl.) |
| star; hippopotamus | kpera |
| corn cake | másà, -bà |
| rice sprout | mɔ́ra |
| cow | naā |
| house spider | nára |
| scorpion | nía |
| female | nia |
| mouth | nɔɔ (pl.?) |
| hand | nɔbū, nɔma |
| peanut | sãã |
| offering | sàrâ |
| bridge | sàsarā |
| comb | séḿbù, -ba |
| hair | serā |
| covering | sèsèbìa |
| pestle | sobiā |
| edible seeds | sonki (pl.?) |
| road, path | súa |
| fish | sũ̀ã |
| bean | suìā |
| bracelet | sumā |
| judgment | tààrɛ (pl.?) |
| tobacco | tába |
| ant | tànā |
| mud brick | tèǹdɔ́ka |
| self | tīī |
| bee | tĩya |
| inheritance | túbí (pl.?) |
| snake | waā |
| rope | wɛ̃ya |
| straw | wĩ́ya, wĩĩ |
| law | wodà |
| small gray monkey | wonkéra |
| gold | wúra (no pl.) |
| face | wurusuā, -ɛ̄ |
| animal, meat | yaa |
| needle | yabúra |
| cloth, robe | yasa |
| spear | yàsa/yɛ̀sa |
| pepper | yɛ̃̀ɛ̃̀kú (no pl.) |
| evil spirit | zínì |
t-class
All forms end in -ru for t-class nouns.
| cutlass | àdaru |
| dysentery | bàǹdúbàǹdū |
| sickness | baràrū |
| tension drum | bàraru |
| doorway | bàràrū |
| shoe | bàràrū (only pl.) |
| cloth | bekùrū |
| basket | bíréru |
| back | biru |
| salt | bɔ̀rū |
| river | daaru |
| loincloth | dɛmbɛru |
| house | dìrū |
| tooth | dondu |
| stalk | gãnã̀rū |
| arm | gã̀sèrū |
| rat | gɔnɔru |
| large wild rat | gɔ̀nɔ̀ǹguru |
| egg | goòsĩã̀rū |
| mountain | guru |
| rain cloud | gúrúwiru |