Jarawa language (Nigeria)

Jarawa (also known as Jhar, or in ) is the most populous of the Jarawan languages of northern Nigeria. It is a dialect cluster consisting of many varieties.

Phonology

• /β/ only appears as a marginal phoneme.
• [ʔ] only appears in non-word-initial syllables.
• Sounds /n, t, l, r/ can be heard as palatal or retroflex [ɲ, ʈ, É­, ɽ] in word-final position. /k/ can also be heard as uvular [q] in the same position, and may also alternate with [ʁ] or [É¢].

• Sounds /kÍ¡x, É¡Í¡É£/ can be heard as fricatives [x, É£] or [χ, ʁ] in intervocalic position.

• Sounds /ɛ, ɔ/ only appear after glides.

Dialects

Jarawa dialects are:

• Zhár (Bankal)
• Zugur (Duguri)
• Gwak (Gingwak)
• Ndaŋshi
• Dòòrì
• Mbat (Bada)
• Mùùn
• Kantana
• Dàmùl

Kantana may be a distinct language.

Blench (2019) lists these varieties as dialects of Jar (Jarawa).

• Zhar
• Ligri
• Kantana
• Bobar (?)
• Gwak (Gingwak)
• Dõõri
• Mbat
• Mbat-Galamkya

References