The four Beromic languages are a branch of the Plateau languages spoken in central Nigeria by approximately 1 million people.
Classification The following classification is taken from Blench (2008).
Beromic Shall-Zwall
Iten
Cara (Teriya) Berom
Blench (2019) also includes Nincut.
Names and locations Below is a list of language names, populations, and locations from Blench (2019).
Language Cluster Dialects Alternate spellings Own name for language Endonym(s) Other names (location-based) Other names for language Exonym(s) Speakers Location(s) Aten Ten, Etien sg Àtên, pl. Nìtèn Ganawuri, Jal 6,710 (1963 Census): est. 40,000 (Kjenstad 1988); est. 40,000 (Blench 2003) Plateau State, Barkin Ladi LGA; Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA Berom Gyel–Kuru–Vwang; Fan–Foron–Heikpang; Bachit–Gashish; Du–Ropp–Rim–Riyom; Hoss (?). Nincut is treated as a separate language. Birom, Berum Cèn Bèrom sg. Wòrom, pl. Berom, Birom (Du dialect) Afango, Akuut, Baho, Gbang, Kibbo, Kibo, Kibbun, Kibyen, Sine Shosho, Shaushau (not recommended) 54,500 (HDG), 200,000 (1985 SIL) Plateau State, Jos and Barkin Ladi LGAs; Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA Cara Chara, Nfachara, Fakara, Pakara, Fachara, Terea, Teria, Terri, Tariya 735 (1936 HDG); 5000 (Blench est. 2012). Nine villages Plateau State, Bassa LGA Shall–Zwall cluster Shall–Zwall Bauchi State, Dass LGA Shall Shall–Zwall Zwall Shall–Zwall Nincut Aboro 8 villages (5000 ? Blench 2003 est.) Kaduna State, ?? LGA. ca. 7 km. north of Fadan Karshe
Comparative vocabulary Sample basic vocabulary of Beromic languages from Blench (2006):Blench, Roger. 2006. Comparative Beromic.
Gloss Berom F. Berom R. Tahos Nincut Cara Iten Shall Zwall eye rēyīʃ byènêŋ ryis ryis ris ìrisé̱ iʃe iʃi eyes bāyīʃ byénêŋ bayis be-yis anyis ìrwisé̱ nose wol wol wɔl i-ŋwul ìlol munon mun noses bawol bawol be-wɔl a-ŋwul ìlyol tongue lɛ̄m lem lɛm lɛm ìle̱m lumo tongues balɛ̄m balem lɛlɛm a-lɛm ìlywe̱m ear fwóŋ twoŋ cyoŋ ki-cuŋ ìtsóró yan yan ears bētòŋ bètòŋ be-toŋ a-tuŋ ìtórò mouth nú nu nu ku-nu è̱nú nun kunun mouths nenu nènù ni-nu a-nu nìnù tooth hywín hwin kwin windi ìdzìnè̱ yinin teeth ngyìn yìn vin anyindi ìdziné̱ blood nèmí mmǐ; mmì (pl.) nimi mi nnyi bari baren bone kùp kùp kup vis ìkub kup bones bekup bekùp be-kup agis ìkpub eat re re re reke+ ri eat (pl.) reres rere re tree tin, retin cɔ̀gɔ̄t cɔgɔt cɔ̀gɔt tsɔ́gɔt fɔn èhôn kun kun trees batin cɔgɔ́t cɔ́gɔt cɔgɔ́t bítsɔ́gɔ́t akɔn nìhòn water nshí nèshí ninci mal nnè̱n jinen jini
Notes
References Blench (2008) . Manuscript.
External links Roger Blench: Beromic page