Bariba, also known as Baatonum, is the language of the Bariba people and was the language of the state of Borgu. The native speakers are called Baatombu (singular Baatonu),[2] Barba, Baruba, Berba and a number of various other names and spellings.
It is primarily spoken in Benin, but also across the border in adjacent Kwara State and Niger State, a percentage of speakers are also found in Saki West local government area of Oyo State Nigeria, and some Bariba are in Togo, Burkina Faso and Niger. Welmers (1952) reported the Bariba language as spoken in the cities of Nikki, Parakou, Kandi, and Natitingou.[3]
One person who speaks Bariba is called Baatɔnu and two or more persons or speakers are called Baatɔmbu and the language of the Baatɔmbu/Borgawa people is called Baatɔnum.
Geographic distribution
In Nigeria, Bariba is spoken mainly in BorguLGA of Niger State, Saki West LGA and in Baruten LGA of Kwara state. A number of Bariba have migrated to other parts of Nigeria, including Abuja. The Bariba people are referred to as Borgawa in Hausa.
In Benin, Bariba is spoken mainly in Alibori, Donga, Atakora and Borgou departments. A number of Bariba have migrated to other parts of Benin, including Cotonou.
Bariba is usually classed as an independent member of the Savanna languages, but some consider it and a number of other languages, such as Miyobe, as a Gur language. However, other than Bariba, there are other unclassified Gur languages, including Miyobe, Koromfe, Viemo, and Natyoro.
Bariba is a tonal language.[5] Tonal patterns in Bariba have been claimed to present a challenge[clarification needed] to the Two-Feature Model of tonal phonology.[6]
Nouns
Bariba has 7 noun classes:
1. y-class
2. t-class
3. g-class
4. w-class
5. m-class
6. s-class
7. n-class
The data was collected by William E. Welmers in August and September 1949 at Nikki, Benin.[3]
y-class
The y-class is the largest noun class. y-class singular nouns usually in -a.
banana
àgɛ̀dɛ̀ (no pl.)
palm tree
bãã
large calabash
bàka
stick
bɔ̀ra
mosquito
bũ̀ɛ̃̀yã
character
dàà (no pl.)
tree, wood
dã̀ã̀ (pl.?)
fallen branch
dã̀kàmā
branch on a tree
dã̀kàsā
root of a tree
dã̀kpinā
habit
dēn̄dī (pl.?)
mirror
digí (pl.?)
guinea corn
dobi (pl.?)
gun
dɔ̃̀bɔ̀ra
well
dɔ̀kɔ̀ (pl.?)
male
dua
horse
duma
bag
fɔ̀rɔ̀tɔ̀, -bá
name of a month
gã̀ã̀ní (no pl.)
village gate
gàm̀bò, -bà
wall
gana
word, matter
gari (pl.?)
termite
gɛ́ma
driver ant
gɛ̃́ya
gazelle
gina
money
gobi (pl.?)
guinea fowl
gònā
death
gɔɔ (no pl.)
rain, storm
gúra
chicken
guwā, guwē
axe
gbãã
calabash
gbàká
lion
gbèsùnɔ̄, gbèsìnansu
grain of millet
gbɛyā
spirit
hùindè (pl.?)
papaya
kàràbósì, -bà
motor
kɛ̀kɛ, -bà
animal horn
kɔbā
wildcat
konā
bamboo stalk
kɔ̃sā
antelope
kpása
stew
kpee (no pl.)
star; hippopotamus
kpera
corn cake
másà, -bà
rice sprout
mɔ́ra
cow
naā
house spider
nára
scorpion
nía
female
nia
mouth
nɔɔ (pl.?)
hand
nɔbū, nɔma
peanut
sãã
offering
sàrâ
bridge
sàsarā
comb
séḿbù, -ba
hair
serā
covering
sèsèbìa
pestle
sobiā
edible seeds
sonki (pl.?)
road, path
súa
fish
sũ̀ã
bean
suìā
bracelet
sumā
judgment
tààrɛ (pl.?)
tobacco
tába
ant
tànā
mud brick
tèǹdɔ́ka
self
tīī
bee
tĩya
inheritance
túbí (pl.?)
snake
waā
rope
wɛ̃ya
straw
wĩ́ya, wĩĩ
law
wodà
small gray monkey
wonkéra
gold
wúra (no pl.)
face
wurusuā, -ɛ̄
animal, meat
yaa
needle
yabúra
cloth, robe
yasa
spear
yàsa/yɛ̀sa
pepper
yɛ̃̀ɛ̃̀kú (no pl.)
evil spirit
zínì
t-class
All forms end in -ru for t-class nouns.
cutlass
àdaru
dysentery
bàǹdúbàǹdū
sickness
baràrū
tension drum
bàraru
doorway
bàràrū
shoe
bàràrū (only pl.)
cloth
bekùrū
basket
bíréru
back
biru
salt
bɔ̀rū
river
daaru
loincloth
dɛmbɛru
house
dìrū
tooth
dondu
stalk
gãnã̀rū
arm
gã̀sèrū
rat
gɔnɔru
large wild rat
gɔ̀nɔ̀ǹguru
egg
goòsĩã̀rū
mountain
guru
rain cloud
gúrúwiru
(musical) horn
guùrū
crow
gbãgbã̀rū
field, farm
gbèrū
pot
gbɛ̃́ru
gourd
kaaru
bush cow
kɛ̀tɛ̀gbèèkìrū
male (of some animals)
kìnèrū
bread
kìràrū
love
kĩ́ru
stool
kìtàrū
box
kpàkoruru
stone
kpèrū
bed
kpenyeru
bone
kukuru
a swelling
mɔsìrū
odor
nubùrū
rabbit
satàbūr̄ū
pitfall
sɛ̃̀rū
brass, copper
sigàǹdū
grave
sìkìrū
tail
siru
stinkbug
sísíkènèrū
pounded yam
sɔ̀kùrū
work
sɔ̀mbùrū
clay for pots
sɔǹdū
mortar
soru
porridge
sòrū
toad
suréru
leg
taaru
garden hill
takàrū
bow
tendu
panther
túǹdū
nose
wɛ̃ru
head
wiru
neck
wĩ́yìrū
knife
wobùrū
pot
wókeru
night, darkness
wɔ̃̀kùrū
baboon
wompɔkɔru
red monkey
wónsũ̀ã̄rū
coldness
wóòrū
sheep
yã̀ã̀rū
market
yàburu
sacrifice
yãkùrū
place
yanyeeru
open space
yeeru
broom
yiìrū
name
yísìrū
frog
yɔ̃ɔ̃ru
g-class
Forms usually end in back vowels for g-class nouns.
chameleon
àgāmānàkí, -bà
onion
àlùmásà, -nu
goat
boo, bonu
water pot
bòo, -nu
dog
bɔ̃ɔ̃, bɔ̃nu
owl
booro, -su
lizard
bɔ̀su, -nu
infestation of lice
gã́ã́ní (pl.?)
louse
gã́ã́núkú, -nù
airplane
gogùnɔ̀, -su
robe
gɔ̃kɔ, -su
drum
gɔ̃̀ɔ̃̀, gã̀ã̀su
vehicle
gòo, -su
canoe
gòoninkū, -nu
bird
gùnɔ̄, -su
cricket
gbɔɔ̄, -nu
sandfly
kòtókámbu, -munu
spoon
kààtó, -nù
cat
kòkónyambu, -munu
doorway
kɔ́ǹdɔ, -su
mat
kɔ̃ɔ̄, -su
pig
kúrúsɔ̄, -su
partridge
kusu, -nu
leopard, cat
músúkú, -nù
antelope
nemū, neǹnu
eye
nɔnu, nɔni
bush hog
sàkɔ̄, -nu
trap
sɛ́kpɛ̀ǹkú, -nù
arrow
sɛ̃ũ̄, sɛ̃ɛ̃̀nu
pot
sirū, -su
fly
sɔnu, -su
ear
so / soa, -su
elephant
sùùnū, -su
ring
tààbu, -nu
small black ant
tàm̀bu, -munu
army ant
tàsonu, -su
hoe
tebo, -nu
shadow
tíro, -nu
parrot
titimokò, -nu
year
wɔ̃̄ɔ̃̄n, wɔ̃̄su
monkey
womu, wonnu
wind
woo, -nu
hole
wɔrū, -su
town
wuu, -su
rabbit
wùkū, -nu
leaf
wurū, -su
tongue
yara, -nu
vulture
yèbèrèkú, -nù
household
yɛnu, -su
hartebeest
yiiku, -nu
w-class
father
bàa
Bariba person or language
bàtɔ̀nù
older brother, friend
bɛɛrɛ̄
child
bìī
ulcer
bòō
hunter
bɔso
fire
dɔ̃̀ɔ̃̀
mother’s brother
dùàni
rich man
gobigi
person
goo
pregnant woman
guràgi
God
gúsūnɔ̄
guard
kɔ̃so
mother
merō
older brother
mɔɔ̄
paramount chief
sènàboko
sister
sesu
sun, day
sɔ̃ɔ̃
chief
sùnɔ̄, sìnambu
moon, month
surú
person
tɔ̀nū, tɔ̀m̀bu
younger brother
wɔ́nɔ̄
guardian spirit
yãrō
slave
yòō
enemy
yíbɛ̀rɛ̀
m-class
m-class nouns often end in -m.
language
bàrūm̄
milk
bom
strength
dam
oil
gum
raised garden row
kɔ̀rɔ̄m̄
water
nim
liquor
tam
ground, dirt
tem
medicine
tìm̄
honey
tim
soap
werem
air
wom
space, room
yam
sand
yànīm̄
blood
yem
s-class
The s-class is a small noun class. Most forms are collectives and end in -su.
one (yam)
tan (teèsū)
foot
naàsu
silver
sigeèsū
iron
sísú
cotton
wɛ̃su
grass, the bush
yàkàsu
n-class
The n-class is a small noun class. Most forms are collectives and end in -nu.
^Abdu, Hussaini (January 2019). Partitioned Borgu: State, Society and Politics in a West African Border Region (HB). United Kingdom: Adonis and Abbey publishers. ISBN978-1-906704-216.
^ abcdeWelmers, William E. 1952. Notes on Bariba. Language 28: 82-103.
^N.L. Haddock (1959) The tones of Bariba Phonetica 3:90-94
^Clements, Michaud, and Patin, Do we need tone features? In Tones and features: phonetic and phonological perspectives, Goldsmith, Hume, and Whetzels, editors
