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Jju language

Jju (; ) is the native language of the Bajju people of Kaduna State in central Nigeria. As of 1988, there were approximately 300,000 speakers. Jju is one of the Southern Kaduna languages. Although usually listed separately from the Tyap cluster, Jju's separation, according to Blench R.M. (2018), seems to be increasingly ethnic rather than a linguistic reality.

Distribution

Jju is spoken as a first language by the Bajju people in Zangon Kataf, Jema'a, Kachia, Kaura and Kaduna South Local Government Areas of Kaduna state. It is also spoken in neighbouring Atyap, Fantswam, Agworok, Ham, Adara, and other kin communities as a second or third language.

Phonology

Vowels

A few words also include the long vowels and .

Consonants

  • There is a tenseness distinction, which McKinney (1990) calls a fortis-lenis distinction. McKinney analyzes the fortis consonants as longer than lenis consonants.
  • There is allophonic palatalization before front vowels and allophonic labialization before rounded vowels.
  • Most consonants have a three-way contrast between plain, labialized , and palatalized .
  • Aspiration may phonetically occur among stops.
  • Tense stops may also be heard as affricates .

Numerals

Vocabulary

List of vocabulary relating to body parts.

  • zwuoi - nose
  • shog - cheek
  • aÌ kpukpa kaÌ nu - lip
  • zwuak - throat
  • du̱ryem - tongue
  • pffwa - neck
  • kaÌ dyet - chin
  • kaÌ hog - chest
  • trang - beard
  • ka̱wiyang - armpit
  • du̱ccu - head
  • aÌ nyyi teeth
  • tsuo mbvak - elbow
  • kaÌ ma - back
  • du̱kkwat - back of head
  • tak - leg
  • kaÌ hwa - stomach
  • du̱kkwut - knee
  • hun-tak - ankle
  • gruang - shoulder
  • ka̱nu - mouth
  • kop - navel
  • pffwo - ear
  • du̱ssi - eye
  • aÌ cat - hair
  • du̱byiang - breast
  • kaÌ taÌ ssi - forehead
  • aÌ taÌ ngbak - wrist
  • kaÌ taÌ ng-hurung bvak - finger
  • bvaÌ k - hand

Notes

References

External links