Jalaa (autonym: bàsàrə̀n dà jàlààbè̩), also known as Cèntûm,[2]Centúúm or Cen Tuum, is an extinct language of northeastern Nigeria (Loojaa settlement in Balanga Local Government Area, Gombe State), of uncertain origins, apparently a language isolate. The Jalabe (as descendants of speakers of the language are called) speak the Bwilim dialect of the Dikaka language. It is possible (but unconfirmed) that some remembered words have been retained for religious ceremonies, but in 1992 only a few elders remember words that their parents had used, and by 2010 there may not even remain any such rememberers.[1]
The Jalabe are said to have come to Loojaa from an area a few miles south within the Muri Mountains, where they had shared a settlement with Tso and Kwa clans. (The name of this settlement, Cèntûm or Cùntûm, is used as a name for the language in some sources. Jalaa elders differ in whether they believe Jalaa or Centum/Cuntum was their original name for themselves.) Later, during the nineteenth century, the Dikaka arrived in the area, fleeing attacks from the larger Waja to the north; the Cham intermarried with the Jalabe, and the Jalabe began to adopt the Dikaka language.
The Jalaa lexicon is also strongly influenced by Dikaka (which it has in turn influenced); some similarities are also found with the nearby Tso. However, most of its vocabulary is extremely unusual. In Kleinewillinghöfer's words, "The major part of the lexicon seems to differ entirely from all the surrounding languages, which themselves represent different language families."
Both Dikaka and the Tso traditionally avoided using names of the dead. When those names were also words of the language, as often happened, this forced them to change the word, sometimes by replacing it with a word from a neighboring language. Kleinewillinghöfer regards this as a motivation for certain cases of borrowing from Jalaa into Dikaka.
Numerals
The numerals 1-6 in Jalaa are:
násán
tiyú, tə́só
tətáá, bwànbí
təbwár, ŋbár
(tə)nó
tənúkùn
Above 5, the numerals are almost identical to Dikaka. The numerals 2 through 5 are almost identical with Tso, while "one" has no clear cognates.
Morphology
Jalaa morphology (at least in its present form) is almost identical to that of Cham. The main differences in the noun class system are two of the plural suffixes: Jalaa -ta versus Cham -te̩ and (for humans) Jalaa -bo, -ba versus Cham -b(e̩).
Noun morphology is similar to that of Cham, but with some differences. Some sample singular and plural noun sets in Jalaa and Cham:[3]
Gloss
Jalaa, sg.
Jalaa, pl.
Cham, sg.
Cham, pl.
mouth
bɔɔ
bɔɔní
ɲii
ɲiini
tree
gwììràŋ
gwììtɛ̀
riyaŋ
riitɛ
meat
lìbò
lìbòté
nàm
nàmtɛ
hole
suroŋ
suroŋte
nose
yamər
yaməta
ʤʊ̀r
ʤʊ̀tɛ
leg
kobər
kobta
fish
fui
fuuta
wife
ʧùwì
ʧùùbó
person
nətâ
nətaaba
nii
nə̀b
crocodile
kùlɔŋ
kùlɔ̀ŋtɛ
knot
fúbər
fúbtɛ
dog
ʤɔil
ʤɔɔtɛ
stranger
(nii) fui
fùbɛ
See also
Look up Appendix:Jalaa word list in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
^ abKleinewillinghöfer, Ulrich (December 2010). Jalaa, the last member of an extinct language family. Workshop Language Isolates in Africa. Lyon, France; which in words of the author is a revised edition of Kleinewillinghöfer, Ulrich (2001). "Jalaa - An almost forgotten language of NE Nigeria: A language isolate". In Nurse, Derek (ed.). Historical Language Contact in Africa. SUGIA Sprache und Geschichte in Afrika. Vol. 16/17. Cologne, Germany: Rüdiger Köppe Verlag. pp. 239–271. ISBN978-3-89645-091-3.
^ abBlench, Roger (30 June 2014). "African language isolates: Circulation draft" (PDF). Cambridge, UK. p. 9.
^Blench, Roger (2017). "African Language Isolates". In Campbell, Lyle (ed.). Language Isolates. Routledge Language Family. Routledge. doi:10.4324/9781315750026. ISBN9781138821057.
May 02, 2023
jalaa, language, jalaa, redirects, here, other, uses, jalaa, disambiguation, jalaa, autonym, bàsàrə, jàlààbè, also, known, cèntûm, centúúm, tuum, extinct, language, northeastern, nigeria, loojaa, settlement, balanga, local, government, area, gombe, state, unce. Jalaa redirects here For other uses see Jalaa disambiguation Jalaa autonym basare n da jalaabe also known as Centum 2 Centuum or Cen Tuum is an extinct language of northeastern Nigeria Loojaa settlement in Balanga Local Government Area Gombe State of uncertain origins apparently a language isolate The Jalabe as descendants of speakers of the language are called speak the Bwilim dialect of the Dikaka language It is possible but unconfirmed that some remembered words have been retained for religious ceremonies but in 1992 only a few elders remember words that their parents had used and by 2010 there may not even remain any such rememberers 1 JalaaCentuumbasare n da jalaabe Native toNigeriaRegionLoojaa settlement in Balanga Local Government Area Gombe StateExtinctseveral elders remembered words from their forefathers in 1992 likely none by 2010 1 Language familylanguage isolateLanguage codesISO 639 3 a href https iso639 3 sil org code cet class extiw title iso639 3 cet cet a Glottologcent2045ELPCentuumThe Jalabe are said to have come to Loojaa from an area a few miles south within the Muri Mountains where they had shared a settlement with Tso and Kwa clans The name of this settlement Centum or Cuntum is used as a name for the language in some sources Jalaa elders differ in whether they believe Jalaa or Centum Cuntum was their original name for themselves Later during the nineteenth century the Dikaka arrived in the area fleeing attacks from the larger Waja to the north the Cham intermarried with the Jalabe and the Jalabe began to adopt the Dikaka language Contents 1 Phonology 2 Lexicon 2 1 Numerals 3 Morphology 4 See also 5 Bibliography 6 ReferencesPhonology Edit 2 Consonants Bilabial Alveolar Postalveolar Palatal Velar Labial velar GlottalNasal m n ɲ ŋPlosive Affricate voiceless p t t ʃ k kpvoiced b d d ʒ gFricative f s hApproximant l j wTrill rVowels Front Central BackClose i uNear close ɪ ʊClose mid e ɘ oOpen mid ɛ ɔOpen aLexicon EditThe Jalaa lexicon is also strongly influenced by Dikaka which it has in turn influenced some similarities are also found with the nearby Tso However most of its vocabulary is extremely unusual In Kleinewillinghofer s words The major part of the lexicon seems to differ entirely from all the surrounding languages which themselves represent different language families Both Dikaka and the Tso traditionally avoided using names of the dead When those names were also words of the language as often happened this forced them to change the word sometimes by replacing it with a word from a neighboring language Kleinewillinghofer regards this as a motivation for certain cases of borrowing from Jalaa into Dikaka Numerals Edit The numerals 1 6 in Jalaa are nasan tiyu te so tetaa bwanbi tebwar ŋbar te no tenukunAbove 5 the numerals are almost identical to Dikaka The numerals 2 through 5 are almost identical with Tso while one has no clear cognates Morphology EditJalaa morphology at least in its present form is almost identical to that of Cham The main differences in the noun class system are two of the plural suffixes Jalaa ta versus Cham te and for humans Jalaa bo ba versus Cham b e Noun morphology is similar to that of Cham but with some differences Some sample singular and plural noun sets in Jalaa and Cham 3 Gloss Jalaa sg Jalaa pl Cham sg Cham pl mouth bɔɔ bɔɔni ɲii ɲiinitree gwiiraŋ gwiitɛ riyaŋ riitɛmeat libo libote nam namtɛhole suroŋ suroŋtenose yamer yameta ʤʊ r ʤʊ tɛleg kober kobtafish fui fuutawife ʧuwi ʧuuboperson neta netaaba nii ne bcrocodile kulɔŋ kulɔ ŋtɛknot fuber fubtɛdog ʤɔil ʤɔɔtɛstranger nii fui fubɛSee also Edit Look up Appendix Jalaa word list in Wiktionary the free dictionary Bung language Komta languageBibliography EditCrozier David H Blench Roger M Hansford Keir Stanford Ronald Bendor Samuel John T 1992 1976 An index of Nigerian languages 2nd ed Abuja Dallas TX Nigerian Language Development Centre Department of Linguistics and Nigerian Languages University of Ilorin Summer Institute of Linguistics References Edit a b Kleinewillinghofer Ulrich December 2010 Jalaa the last member of an extinct language family Workshop Language Isolates in Africa Lyon France which in words of the author is a revised edition of Kleinewillinghofer Ulrich 2001 Jalaa An almost forgotten language of NE Nigeria A language isolate In Nurse Derek ed Historical Language Contact in Africa SUGIA Sprache und Geschichte in Afrika Vol 16 17 Cologne Germany Rudiger Koppe Verlag pp 239 271 ISBN 978 3 89645 091 3 a b Blench Roger 30 June 2014 African language isolates Circulation draft PDF Cambridge UK p 9 Blench Roger 2017 African Language Isolates In Campbell Lyle ed Language Isolates Routledge Language Family Routledge doi 10 4324 9781315750026 ISBN 9781138821057 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Jalaa language amp oldid 1075632049, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
