Bariba language

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), Barba, Baruba, Berba and a number of various other names and spellings.

Bariba
Baatɔnum
Native to	Benin, Nigeria, Togo, Burkina Faso, Niger
Region	Borgu
Ethnicity	Bariba people
Native speakers	(1.1 million cited 1995–2021)
Language family	Niger–Congo? Atlantic–Congo Volta-Congo Savannas Gur? Bariba
Writing system	Latin
Official status
Recognised minority language in	Benin
Language codes
ISO 639-3	bba
Glottolog	baat1238

Bariba
Person	Baatɔnu
People	Baatɔmbu
Language	Baatɔnum

It is primarily spoken in Benin, but also across the border in adjacent Kwara State and Niger 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.

Names

The language can be known by different names:

• the Bariba people call their language Baatɔnum;
• the Yoruba people call the language Baruba;
• the Hausa people refer to the language as Borganci (also spelled Borganchi) after Borgu where it is spoken;
• the names in the Busa language and the Boko language are Borgu and Borgunya.

Other names include Barba or Berba.

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 Borgu LGA of Niger State 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.

In Togo, Bariba is spoken in the Centrale Region.

In Burkina Faso, Bariba is spoken in Kompienga Province.

There are also some Bariba in Niger in Tillabéri Region and Dosso Region.

Classification

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.

Alphabet

There are 23 letters of Batonou alphabet.

Phonology

Consonants

		Labial	Alveolar	Palatal	Velar	Labio- velar	Glottal
Nasal		m	n
Plosive	voiceless	p	t		k	k͡p
	voiced	b	d		ɡ	ɡ͡b
Fricative	voiceless	f	s				h
	voiced		z
Rhotic			ɾ
Lateral			l
Approximant				j		w

• /ɾ/ may be heard as a lateralized [ɺ] when preceding front vowels.
• /s, z/ may be heard as [ʃ, ʒ] when preceding front vowels.

Vowels

	Front	Central	Back
Close	i ĩ		u ũ
Close-mid	e		o
Open-mid	ɛ ɛ̃		ɔ ɔ̃
Open		a ã

Tone

Bariba is a tonal language. Tonal patterns in Bariba have been claimed to present a challenge to the Two-Feature Model of tonal phonology.

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.

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.

one	teènū
greens	àfonu
thing	gáánu
necklace	goònū
corn	gbèrɛnu
cucumber	gbɛ̀zɛnu
okra	yàbonu

Verbs

Aspects

There are 7 primary verb aspects in Bariba:

• consecutive
• habitual
• continuative
• frequentative
• imperative
• past
• past negative

There are 5 verb classes, which are grouped according to the formation of the past aspect.

List of verbs

Consecutive verb forms are given below. S denotes stative forms.

get sick	bārā
split	bɛ̄rā
push	bɔ̄rīā
dawn, whiten	būrūrā, S burīrī
taste	dēn̄dā
pass by	dōōnā
sell	dɔ̄ɔ̄rā
sleep	dūīā, S dò
come in	dūmā
pull	gāwā
chase	gīrā
beseech	kānā
break (rope)	kārā
shatter	kɔ̄ɔ̄rā
loosen	kūsīā
lie down	kpūnā, S kpī̃
receive	mūā
burn	mūārā
fight	sān̄nā
become clean	sā̃rā
name, call	sīā
pick up	sūā
wash	tīā
become black	tī̃ī̃rā, S tĩĩrī
arrive	tūnūmā
fall	wɔ̄rūmā
fill	yībīā
meet	yīn̄nā
stop	yɔ̃̄rā
leave	dērī
eat	dī (Cont. di)
forget	dūārī
hurt by burning	mɛ̄nī
help	sōmī
increase	sōsī
tether	sɔ̄rī
take a long time	tɛ̄
hand over	wɛ̃̄
blow (air)	wūrī
throw away	yārī
lay down	yī
become hard	bɔbiā, S bɔ̄(bū)
become fat	bɔriā, S bɔ̄rū
become much	dabiā, S dabī
catch up with	deèmā
become long	dẽɛ̃̀nyā, S dɛ̄ū̄
become deep	dukiā, S dúku
learn	giā
turn over	gɔsìā
turn around	gɔsìrā
gather	gurā
become high, tall	guriā, S gúru
open	kɛnīā
get down	sarā
become difficult	sɛ̃sīā, S sɛ̃̄
sit down	sinā, S sɔ̃̀
become bitter	sosiā, S sō(sū)
become red	sũɛ̃rā, S sũɛ̃rī
become tough	taàyā, S tāū
become wide	yasiā, S yasū
become cold, damp	yemiā, S yēm̄
fire (a gun)	suē
touch	babā
go around	besirā
break in two	buā
cut in two	burā
do become sweet	dorā, S
catch	gabā
become dry	gberā
tear	gĩā̃
scratch	gɔ̃rā
want	kĩã̄, S kĩ́
cut up	murā
jump, drop	surā
draw up	takā
bring	tamā
become good	wɛ̃rā, S wã
believe	wurā
come back	wúràmā
pierce	yabā
remember	yayā
play	duē
become clean	dɛ́ɛ́rā
become big	kpɛ̃́yā, S kpã́
become hot	sṹyā, S sum̄
become clear	déérē
look for	kásū
show	sɔ̃́nɔ̃́sĩ̄
warm oneself	wɔ̃́sū
cover	wukírī
peel	kɛ̄ɛ̄rī
chew, eat	tēm̄
plant	dūūrē
separate	gɔsi
dig	gbe
wait	ma, maru
study	mɛɛri
fall (of rain)	nɛ
leave, walk	sĩ
call	soku
be enough, arrive	turi
see	wa
answer	wisi
measure	yĩre
hear	nɔ̂
fix up	sɔmɛ̀, sɔm̀
dye black	wɔ̃kù
dance	yâ
enter, hurt	dū
flow	kōkū
stand up	sē, S yɔ̃̀
climb	yɔ̄
shine	baàlì
count	garì
rot	kɔ̃sì
give birth to	mâ, marù
swell	mɔsì
rejoice	yɛ̃ɛ̃rì
buy	dūē
give	kɛ̃̄
build	bānī
steal	gbɛ̄nī
prick	sɔ̄kū
tell	sɔ̃
put on the head	sɔbe, sɔ
fry	sɔmɛ, sɔm
?	su
fly	yɔ̃
tie up	bɔ̄kē
sew	yīnɛ̄
speak, say	gere
close	kɛnɛ̀
hide	kukè
frighten	narè
cook	yikè
write	yɔ̃rì
do, make	kō, S mɔ̀
kill	gô
throw down	kɔ̃̂
finish	kpê
hit	sô

Adjectives

Invariable adjectives:

male	dɔ, dua
raw	goma
high	gbãrã
white	kaà
a little bit	pikó
narrow	tereré
difficult	sɛ̃sɔ

Adjectives with a class of their own, which remains the same after all nouns; singular and plural forms are like those of nouns:

t-class adjectives:

some, a few (pl. only)	binu
much, many	dabīrū
dead	gorū
male (of certain animals)	kìnèrū
old	tɔ̀kɔ̄rū
short, small (also g-class)	kpirìrū

g-class adjectives:

small	yã̀kàbū
small	píbu
short, small (also t-class)	kpirìbū

Attributive adjectives with alternants for each noun class:

big	baka-
fresh	bèku-
hard	bɔɔ̀bɔā-
fat	bɔrùbɔrū-
good	bùra-
strong	dangi-
long	dɛǹdɛn̄-
good	ge-
dry	gbebu-
new	kpaà-
white	kpikī-
female	ni-
thick	sìnùǹgi-
bitter	soòsuā-
red	sũ̀ã̄-
hot	súm-
tough	taàtaā-
black	wɔ̃kū-
cold	yĩ́re-

Numerals

1	tiā
2	yìru
3	yìta
4	ǹnɛ
5	nɔ̄ɔ̄bù
6	nɔ̄ɔ̄bâ tiā
7	nɔ̄ɔ̄bá yìru
8	nɔ̄ɔ̄bá yìta
9	nɔ̄ɔ̄bá ǹnɛ
10	ɔkuru
20	yɛndu
30	tɛ̀nā

External links

• Baatonum at WolframAlpha