Yiwom (Ywom), also known as Gerka or Gerkawa by the Hausa,[2] is a Chadic (Afro-Asiatic) language spoken in Plateau State, Nigeria.
Yiwom | |
---|---|
Gerka | |
Pronunciation | [jʷom] |
Native to | Nigeria |
Region | Plateau State |
Native speakers | 14,000 (2000)[1] |
Language family | Afro-Asiatic
|
Language codes | |
ISO 639-3 | gek |
Glottolog | yiwo1237 |
Ywom was formerly much more widespread, with Ywom toponyms found in southern Tarok-speaking areas.[2] Roger Blench (2013)[3] reports that Ywom is spoken in Hyel Ywom town and nearby hamlets. Many Ywom speak Jukun and Tarok as additional languages.[3] Due to influence from Plateau languages, Ywom has various phonological features that are considered unusual for a West Chadic language, such as labiovelar consonants.[2]
Tones are at least high and low. Mid tone may be allophonic. Rising and falling tones are probably restricted to sequences.
Vowels are /i e a ɨ ə u o/. There may also be an ?/ɯ/. Three vowels are long, /aa ee ɨɨ/.
Consonants are:
ɓ | ɗ | ||||||||
p b | t d | c ɟ | k ɡ | kp ɡb | ɢ | ʔ | |||
f v | θ | s z | ʃ ʒ | ʃʲ | ɣ | h | |||
m | n | ɲ | ŋ | ||||||
ʙ̪ | l r | ||||||||
j | w |
Syllable-initial consonant clusters are Cw, Cj, Cr and Cl. NC also occurs; the N takes its own tone.
Languages of Nigeria | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Official languages |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
National languages | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Recognised languages | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Indigenous languages |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sign languages |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Immigrant languages | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Scripts |
|
West Chadic languages | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hausa–Gwandara (A.1) | |||||||
Bole–Tangale (A.2) |
| ||||||
Angas (A.3) | |||||||
Ron (A.4) | |||||||
Bade (B.1) | |||||||
Warji (B.2) | |||||||
Barawa (B.3) |
| ||||||
Others | |||||||
Italics indicate extinct languages. See also: Chadic languages |
![]() | This Nigeria-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
This article about a West Chadic language is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |