Ngizim (miya Ngǝzǝm)

Ngizim is a West Chadic language spoken in Yobe State in northeast Nigeria, particular in the town of Potiskum, and south and east of there. In 1993 there were about 80,000 speakers of Ngizim, which is also known as Ngezzim, Ngizmawa or Ngódṣin. It is closely related to Bade, a language spoken north of Potiskum, but the two languages are not mutually intelligible.

The first publication in Ngizim, a language primer, appeared in 1955. A dictionary of Ngizim was published in 1981, based on research undertaken by Russell Schuh in the 1960s and 70s. A number of other people have researched the language since then.

Ngizim alphabet and pronunciation

Notes

Long vowels are indicated by doubling (aa, ee, etc) or by a macron (ā)
A high tone is indicated with an acute accent (á), a low with a grave accent (à), a falling tone with a circumflex accent (â), and a rising tone with a caron (ǎ). The mid tone is not marked

Download an alphabet chart for Ngizim (Excel)

Sample text in Ngizim

I adak Ngəzəm, mayim a maka zəba aci na aɗagəri bai, a makeci zəba nən afku. Lakwtu mayim batana zəba nən, afəkgu a tlai da makici wənya war̃a aci a zəbau, gawau da wita kutli amanagəri.

Translation

In the Ngizim custom, a boy does not seek marriage himself, it is his father who seeks marriage for him. When a boy reaches (the age of) marriage, his father will arise to seek him out a girl that he will marry, mostly from among the children of his close friends.

Source: https://ucla.app.box.com/v/AdH-NiA-ngizim-marriage

Sample videos in Ngizim

Links

Information about Ngizim
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ngizim_language
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ngizim_(langue)
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Нгизим_(язык)
https://www.ethnologue.com/language/ngi
http://aflang.humanities.ucla.edu/language-materials/chadic-languages/yobe/ngizim/

Chadic languages

Bade, Barein, Bole, Dangaléat, Gawar, Goemai, Hausa, Hdi, Karai-karai, Kera, Lele, Marba, Migaama, Miya, Moloko, Musey, Mwaghavul, Ngizim, Polci, Sokoro, Somrai, Tangale, Tumak

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page last modified: 17.11.22

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