View source for Tyap

{{Short description|Dialect cluster of Plateau languages of central Nigeria}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}}
{{Infobox language
|name=Tyap
|altname=Katab
|nativename={{lang|kcg|A̱lyem Tyap}}
|region=[[Kaduna State|Kaduna]] and [[Plateau State|Plateau]] States
|states=[[Nigeria]]
|ethnicity=[[Atyap people|Atyap]]
|dialects= *Fantswam<br/>
*Gworok
*Sholyio
*Takad
*"Mabatado" (Tyap 'proper')
*Tyecarak
*Tyuku
|speakers=255,000
|date=2020
|speakers2=875,000 with [[Jju language|Jju]]
|ref=e26
|familycolor=Niger-Congo
|fam2=[[Atlantic–Congo languages|Atlantic–Congo]]
|fam3=[[Benue–Congo languages|Benue–Congo]]
|fam4=[[Plateau languages|Plateau]]
|fam5=[[Central Plateau languages|Central]] ?
|fam6=[[Tyapic]]
|iso3=kcg
|script=[[Latin script|Latin]] (Tyap alphabet)
|agency = Tyap Literacy Committee
|glotto=tyap1238
|glottorefname=Tyap
| glottopedia      = Tyap
| lingua           =
| mapcaption       =
| ietf             =
| notice           = IPA
| map2             = Lang Status 80-VU.svg
| mapcaption2      = {{center|{{small|Tyap is classified as [https://en.wal.unesco.org/languages/tyap Vulnerable] by the UNESCO [[Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger]]}}}}
}}
{{Infobox ethnonym|person=A̱tyotyap, A̱tyotyab|people=[[Atyap people|A̱tyap]], A̱tyab|language=Tyap, Tyab|root=Tyap, Tyab<ref name="BlenchAtlas4">{{Cite book|title=An Atlas of Nigerian Languages|last=Blench|first=R.|publisher=Kay Williamson Educational Foundation|year=2019|edition=4th|location=Cambridge}}</ref>|country=A̱tyap or A̱byin A̱tyap}}
{{Infobox ethnonym|person=A̱tyufantswam|people=[[Atyap people|Fantswam]]|language=Fantswam|root=Tyap: Fantswam|country=Fantswam or A̱byin Fantswam}}
{{Infobox ethnonym|person=A̱tyigworok, A̱tyigworog|people=[[Atyap people|Əgworog, Əgwolog, A̱gworok, Oegworok]]|language=Gworog, Gwolog|root=Tyap: Gworok, Gworog|country=Gworog or Əbyin Əgworog}}
{{Infobox ethnonym|person=A̱tyosholyio|people=[[Atyap people|A̱sholyio]]|language=Sholyio|root=Tyap: Sholyio|country=Sholyio or A̱byin A̱sholyio}}
{{Infobox ethnonym|person=A̱tyotyeca̱rak|people=[[Atyap people|A̱tyeca̱rak]]|language=Tyeca̱rak|root=Tyap: Tyeca̱rak|country=Tyeca̱rak or A̱byin A̱tyeca̱rak}}
{{Infobox ethnonym|person=A̱tyotakad|people=[[Atyap people|A̱takad, Takad]]|language=Takad, Takat|root=Tyap: Takad, Takat|country=Takad or A̱byin A̱takad}}
{{Infobox ethnonym|person=A̱tyotyuku|people=[[Atyap people|A̱tyuku, A̱tuku, A̱tukum]]|language=Tyuku, Tuku|root=Tyap: Tyuku, Tuku|country=Tyuku or [[Atuku|A̱byin A̱tyuku]]}}
'''Tyap''' is a regionally important [[dialect cluster]] of [[Plateau languages]] in [[Nigeria]]'s [[Middle Belt]], named after its [[prestige dialect]]. It is also known by its ''[[Hausa language|Hausa]]'' [[exonym]] as Katab or Kataf.<ref name="MeekPO">{{Cite journal |last=Meek |first=C. K. |date=1928 |title=The Katab and Their Neighbours: Part I |url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/717082 |journal=Journal of the Royal African Society |volume=27 |issue=106 |pages=104–126 |jstor=717082 |access-date=December 14, 2020}}</ref><ref name="Mc">McKinney, N. P. (April 1990), p. 255.</ref> It is also known by the names of its dialectical varieties including Sholyio, [[Kafanchan|Fantswam]], [[Kagoro|Gworok]], Takad, "Mabatado" (Tyap 'proper'), Tyeca̱rak and Tyuku (Tuku). In spite of being listed separately from the Tyap cluster, [[Jju language|Jju]]'s separation, according to Blench R.M. (2018), seems to be increasingly ethnic rather than a linguistic reality.<ref name="EBCongo"/>
==<span class="anchor" id="Geographical distribution"></span>Distribution==
Native Tyap speakers are primarily found in the [[Local government areas of Nigeria|local government areas]] of [[Jema'a]], [[Kaura, Nigeria|Kaura]] and [[Zangon Kataf]], although pockets of speakers are also found in [[Kachia]] and [[Kauru]] in [[Southern Kaduna|southern]] [[Kaduna]] state, and [[Riyom]] (especially Takad speakers<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.plateaustate.gov.ng/government/lgas/riyom|title=Riyom Local Government Area|website=Plateau State Government|access-date=February 23, 2023
}}</ref>) in [[Plateau State]] of [[Nigeria]]. There are also large speaking communities in [[Kaduna South]] and [[Chikun]] Local Government Areas of the state.<ref name=Unpub /> Skoggard (2014) presented the distribution of the Atyap (Katab) people in Nigeria to include: [[Niger State|Niger]], [[Nasarawa State|Nasarawa]], [[Kaduna State|Kaduna]] states and the [[Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria|FCT]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://ehrafworldcultures.yale.edu/ehrafe/citation.do?method=citation&forward=browseAuthorsFullContext&col=collection(%27/eHRAF/ethnography/Africa/FF38%27)&docId=ff38-000&tocOffsetId=tocPubInfoP |title=Culture Summary: Katab |date=2014 |last=Skoggard |first=I. A. |format=Online |publisher=New Haven: Human Relations Area Files |website=eHRAF |access-date=January 18, 2021}}</ref>
==Classification and dialects==
Meek (1931:2) suggested that the Katab (Atyap), Morwa (Asholyio), Ataka (Atakad) and Kagoro (Agworok) speak a common tongue and may be regarded as one; and later on, McKinney (1983:290) commented that the Kaje ([[Bajju people|Bajju]]) should likewise be included with the above, due to the linguistic and cultural similarities shared by them.<ref>Meek, C. K. (1931), p. 2.</ref><ref>McKinney, C. (1983), p. 290</ref> Murdock (1959) classified ''Kagoro'' (Gworok) and other dialects comprising the current Tyap language group as "Plateau Nigerian",<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Smith |first=M. G. |date=1982 |title=Cosmology, Practice, and Social Organization among the Kadara and Kagoro |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/3773702 |journal=Ethnology |volume=21 |issue=1 |pages=1–20 |doi=10.2307/3773702 |jstor=3773702 |access-date=December 14, 2020}}</ref> in his "Semi-Bantu" branch of "Bantoid subfamily" of "Negritic Stock".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Murdock |first=G. P. |date=1959 |title=Africa: Its Peoples and Their Culture History |language=en|location=New York |publisher=McGraw-Hill |isbn=0070440522 |page=91}}</ref><ref>Smith, M. G. (1960), p. 138.</ref> Tyap and Jju were placed by Greenberg (1963) under the "Plateau II" branch of the Benue-Congo language family. Later on, Gerhardt (1974) made a reconstruction of the branch, assigning it as "proto-Plateau". Again in 1989, Gerhardt placed Tyap and Jju under the South-Central subgroup, Central group, Plateau branch of Platoid, a division of the Benue-Congo languages.<ref name="Mc"/><ref>{{Cite book |last=Gerhardt |first=L. |date=1974 |title=Beitrage zur Kenntnis der Sprachen des nigerianischen Plateaus |publisher=J.J. Augustin |isbn=9783870300623 |format=mimeographed |language=de|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=agsjAAAAMAAJ}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Gerhardt |first=L. |date=1989 |title=Kainji and Platoid. In The Niger-Congo languages |edition=1 |editor=Bendor-Samuel |publisher=University Press of America}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Greenberg |first=J. H. |date=1963 |title=The languages of Africa |location=The Hague |publisher=Mouton |journal=International Journal of American Linguistics |volume=29 |issue=1}}</ref> Achi (2005) stated that the [[Atyap people|Atyap]] speak a language in the [[Kwa languages|Kwa group]] of the [[Benue-Congo language]] family.<ref name=AchiH>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Pq5wGaae5qkC&pg=PA374
|last=Achi |first=B. |title=Writing African history
|trans-title=Local History in Post-Independent Africa
|publisher=University of Rochester Press |editor=Philips, J. E.
|year=2005 |format=Print book |language=en
|isbn=9781580462563
|page=375}}</ref> However, according to Bitiyong, Y. I., in Achi et al. (2019:44), the Kataf Group (an old classification) to which Tyap language belongs, is a member of the eastern Plateau. He went further to suggest that by utilizing a glotochronological time scale established for [[Yoruba language|Yoruba]] and [[Edo language|Edo]] [[languages]] and their neighbours,  the separation of the Kataf Group into distinguishable dialects and dialect clusters would require thousands of years. Also mentioned was that,
{{Blockquote|Between [[Igala language|Igala]] and [[Yoruba language|Yoruba]] language, for example, at least 2,000 years were required to develop the distinction, while 6,000 years were needed for the differences observable in a comparison of [[Idoma language|Idoma]] and [[Yoruba language|Yoruba]] language clusters}}
noting further that this indicates that
{{Blockquote|even within dialect clusters, a period of up to 2,000 years was needed to create clearly identifiable dialect separation and that it is thus a slow process of steady [[population growth]] and expansion and cultural differentiation over thousands of years.<ref name="Achi" />}}
He thereafter summarized that the implication for Tyap is that it has taken thousands of years to separate, in the same general geographical location from its about six most closely related dialects and stated that as a sub-unit, they required probably more thousands of years earlier to separate from other members of the "Kataf group" like [[Gyong language|Gyong]], [[Hyam language|Hyam]], [[Duya language|Duya]] and [[Ashe language|Ashe]] (Koro) who are little intelligible to them. The stability of language and other culture traits in this region of [[Nigeria]] has been recognized.<ref>{{cite book|author=Fagg, B.|title=The Nok Culture in Prehistory|publisher=Journal of Historic Society of Nigeria, 1:4|year=1959|pages=288–293}}</ref><ref name=Achi >{{cite book
|title=A Short History of the Atyap
|author1=Achi, B.|author2=Bitiyonɡ, Y. A. |author3=Bunɡwon, A. D. |author4=Baba, M. Y. |author5=Jim, L. K. N. |author6=Kazah-Toure, M. |author7=Philips, J. E.
|publisher=Tamaza Publishinɡ Co. Ltd., Zaria
|year=2019
|isbn=978-978-54678-5-7
|pages=9–245}}</ref>
===Dialects===
Tyap has a number of dialects, including:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!style=background:#FFDEAD;| Dialect
!style=background:#FFDEAD;| Description
|-
|| Fantswam <br>(''[[Hausa language|Hausa]] [[exonym]]'' [[Kafanchan]], Kafancan)
|| Spoken by inhabitants of the Fantswam chiefdom in [[Jema'a|Jema'a LGA]], earlier regarded as ''Kagoro'' (of Jama'a) not until about the late 1950s were they recognized as a separate entity.<ref>Smith, M. G. (1960), p. 143.</ref> It is closely related to Jju, the Gworok and Tyap ''proper'' dialects.
|-
|| Gworok <br>(''[[Hausa language|Hausa]] [[exonym]]'' [[Kagoro]]; ''Tyap proper'' Gwoot)
|| Spoken by the {{lang|kcg|A̱gworok}} (also spelt: ''Oegworok''), inhabitants of chiefdom bearing their name, in [[Kaura, Nigeria|Kaura LGA]]. It seems like a 'junction dialect' between Jju and Takad and seems to be influenced by neighbouring dialects of the nearest [[language cluster]], most notably [[Nikyob-Nindem language|Nikyob-Nindem]] and others.
|-
|| [[Jju language|Jju]] <br>(''[[Hausa language|Hausa]] [[exonym]]'' Kaje, Kajji; ''Tyap proper'' Jhyo)
|| Listed as a separate language (with the [[SIL International#Ethnologue and ISO 639-3 codes|SIL code]] ''kaj'', although its [[grammar]] and [[morphology (linguistics)|morphology]] are similar those of a Tyap dialect, with a bit of a variation in its [[syntax]]). It is spoken by inhabitants of the Ba̱jju chiefdom in [[Zangon Kataf]], [[Jema'a]] and [[Kachia]] [[Local Government Area|LGAs]]. It has the greater number of speakers of any Tyap dialect, and could have been deeply influenced by [[Izere language|Izere]] and [[Rigwe language|Rigwe]] (with whose speakers the [[Bajju people|Ba̱jju]] lived near Chawai with, in today's [[Kauru]] by oral narrative, before migrating to their present homeland several centuries ago). [[Jju language|Jju]] was also probably influenced by the dialects of its present [[Hyam language|Hyam]]-speaking neighbours and former neighbours, to the southwest. These contacts seem to be the leading factor in its drift from Tyap in comparison to other dialects.
|-
|| Sholyio <br>(''variant spellings'' Sholio, Sholyia̱; ''[[Hausa language|Hausa]] [[exonym]]'' Moro'a, Moroa, Marwa)
|| Spoken by the A̱sholyio (also spelt: Osholio, Aesholio, Asholio, A̱sholyia̱) people of the chiefdom bearing their name in the Kaura LGA. It seems to have been influenced by the Beromic dialect of [[Beromic languages|Iten]], [[Rigwe language|Rigwe]] and Gworok; its speakers share common borders to the east and south, respectively, with the people of the aforementioned.
|-
|| Takad <br>(''variant spellings'' Takat; ''[[Hausa language|Hausa]] [[exonym]]'' Attakar, Attaka, Ataka)
|| Spoken by the Takad (Tyap proper {{lang|kcg|A̱takat}}) of the chiefdom bearing their name, in Kaura LGA, [[Kaduna State]] and [[Riyom]] LGA, [[Plateau State]]. It is closely related to the Tyuku and Gworok dialects, as well as Jju. Although its speakers see themselves as brothers of the Ba̱jju (with whom the migrated from Chawai by oral narrative), Takat seems more related to the core Tyap dialects than to [[Jju language|Jju]], although has some of its special elements.
|-
|| Tyap proper <br>(also Tyap-Central,<ref>Akau, K. T. L. (2014), p. xxi.</ref> Tyap Mabatado, Tyab; ''[[Hausa language|Hausa]] [[exonym]]'' Katab, Kataf, Katab proper)
|| Spoken by the [[Atyap people|A̱tyap]] people of the chiefdom bearing their name, in [[Zangon Kataf]], also found in neighbouring chiefdoms in Kaura, [[Jema'a]] and [[Kauru]] LGAs. The dialect seems to be the mother dialect from which the others evolved, and was probably influenced by other languages, causing its drift from its parent proto-Plateau language root. British colonial anthropologist, [[Charles Kingsley Meek]] in 1931, classified most of the proto-Plateau ethno-linguistic groups as part of the "Kataf (Atyap) Culture Complex", speaking closely related dialects of a possible single language. The A̱tyap language holds significant historical and cultural importance in the Plateau region, representing a key link to the diverse ethno-linguistic groups of central Nigeria. As a foundational dialect, its evolution and spread to surrounding chiefdoms in Zangon Kataf, Kaura, Jema'a, and Kauru reflect both regional interaction and the natural linguistic drift over tyap tyap skibidi gd bloodbath dudududu, influenced by neighboring languages. This linguistic divergence, as observed by British colonial anthropologist Charles Kingsley Meek, suggests a dynamic process of cultural exchange and adaptation, which ultimately led to the distinct dialects within the broader "Kataf (Atyap) Culture Complex" that he identified in 1931.
|-
|| Tyecha̱rak <br>(also spelt Tachirak, Techerak, Ticarak; ''[[Hausa language|Hausa]] [[exonym]]'' Kachechere, Kacecere, Kacicere; ''Tyap proper'' Tyecaat, Ta̱caat, Ta̱chaat)
|| Spoken by the {{lang|kcg|A̱tyeca̱rak}}; (Tyap proper ''{{lang|kcg|A̱tyecaat}})'' people in the A̱tyap, A̱sholyio (Moro'a) and Gworok (Kagoro) chiefdoms in [[Zangon Kataf]] and [[Kaura, Nigeria|Kaura]] LGAs and as far south as the [[Jema'a]] LGA.
|-
|| Tyuku <br>(variant spelling: Tuku, Tukun,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://globalrecordings.net/en/language/kcg |title=Atuku language |publisher=Global Recordings Network |access-date=December 14, 2020}}</ref> Tyukum; ''[[Hausa language|Hausa]] [[exonym]]'' Atuku)
|| Spoken by the ''A̱tyuku'' (also ''Atuku'', Atukum, Atyukum) people in [[Jema'a]] [[Local Government Area]] in Takat chiefdom, around the {{lang|kcg|Ni̱mbyio}} (also spelt ''Nimbio'') forest reserve of [[Southern Kaduna|southern]] [[Kaduna State]]. The dialect is often regarded as a dialect of Takad, and seems to possess the most language drift of any [[Tyap]] dialect, second to [[Jju language|Jju]].
|-
|| Other dialects
|| Other dialects related to Tyap include [[Kulu language|Kulu]] (SIL code ''ikl'', also an [[Adara language|Adara]] dialect), [[Kamantan language|Nghan]] (SIL code ''kcl'', a [[Central Plateau languages|Gyongic]] dialect) and [[Terri]] (SIL code ''cfd'').
|}<ref name=Unpub />
== Phonology ==
The Tyap [[alphabet]] (''Zwunzwuo A̱lyem Tyap ji'') had 39 letters, as drafted by the Tyap Literacy Committee (TLC) during the early 1990s:<ref>Haruna, D.; Follingstad, C. & J. (n.d.), p. 74.</ref><ref>{{Cite book |title=Zhwunzhwuo A̱lyem A̱ Tyap |last=Follingstad |first=C. |date=1992 |publisher=Tyap Literacy Committee & Nigeria Bible Translation Trust |language=kcg, en |pages=4–43}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style=text-align:center
! colspan="41" |Tyap alphabet: previous basic
|-
|A
|A̱
|B
|CH
|CHY
|D
|E
|F
|G
|GB
|GH
|GHW
|GHY
|H
|HY
|HW
|I
|I̱
|J
|JHY
|K
|KH
|KP
|L
|M
|N
|NG
|NY
|O
|P
|R
|S
|SH
|SHY
|T
|TS
|U
|V
|W
|Y
|Z
|-
|a
|a̱
|b
|ch
|chy
|d
|e
|f
|g
|gb
|gh
|ghw
|ghy
|h
|hy
|hw
|i
|i̱
|j
|jhy
|k
|kh
|kp
|l
|m
|n
|ng
|ny
|o
|p
|r
|s
|sh
|shy
|t
|ts
|u
|v
|w
|y
|z
|-
! colspan="41" |Phonetic value
|-
|{{IPA link|a}}
|{{IPA link|ə}}
|{{IPA link|b}}
|{{IPA link|t͡ʃ}}
|{{IPA link|t͡ʃʲ}}
|{{IPA link|d}}
|{{IPA link|e}}
|{{IPA link|f}}
|{{IPA link|g}}
|{{IPA link|g͡b}}
|{{IPA link|ɣ}}
|{{IPA link|ɣʷ}}
|{{IPA link|ɣʲ}}
|{{IPA link|h}}
|{{IPA link|ç}}
|{{IPAlink|ʍ}}
|{{IPA link|i}}
|{{IPA link|ɪ}}
|{{IPA link|d͡ʒ}}
|{{IPA link|ʒʲ}}
|{{IPA link|k}}
|{{IPA link|x}}
|{{IPA link|k͡p}}
|{{IPA link|l}}
|{{IPA link|m}}
|{{IPA link|n}}
|{{IPA link|ŋ}}
|{{IPA link|ɲ}}
|{{IPA link|o}}
|{{IPA link|p}}
|{{IPA link|r}}
|{{IPA link|s}}
|{{IPA link|ʃ}}
|{{IPA link|ʃʲ}}
|{{IPA link|t}}
|{{IPA link|t͡s}}
|{{IPA link|u}}
|{{IPA link|v}}
|{{IPA link|w}}
|{{IPA link|j}}
|{{IPA link|d͡z}}
|}
However, a current development as of 2018, has the Tyap Basic Alphabetical Chart reduced to 24, as follows:
{| class="wikitable" style=text-align:center
! colspan="28" |Tyap alphabet: new basic
|-
|A
|B
|C
|D
|E
|F
|G
|H
|I
|J
|K
|L
|M
|N
|O
|P
|R
|S
|T
|U
|V
|W
|Y
|Z
|-
|a
|b
|c
|d
|e
|f
|g
|h
|i
|j
|k
|l
|m
|n
|o
|p
|r
|s
|t
|u
|v
|w
|y
|z
|-
! colspan="28" |Phonetic value
|-
|{{IPA link|a}}
|{{IPA link|b}}
|{{IPA link|t͡ʃ}}
|{{IPA link|d}}
|{{IPA link|e}}
|{{IPA link|f}}
|{{IPA link|g}}
|{{IPA link|h}}
|{{IPA link|i}}
|{{IPA link|d͡ʒ}}
|{{IPA link|k}}
|{{IPA link|l}}
|{{IPA link|m}}
|{{IPA link|n}}
|{{IPA link|o}}
|{{IPA link|p}}
|{{IPA link|r}}
|{{IPA link|s}}
|{{IPA link|t}}
|{{IPA link|u}}
|{{IPA link|v}}
|{{IPA link|w}}
|{{IPA link|j}}
|{{IPA link|d͡z}}
|}
The letter "ch" would henceforth be represented by the symbol "c", without the "h". All others remain the same.
=== Vowels ===
{| class="wikitable" style=text-align:center
!
![[Front vowel|Front]]
![[Central vowel|Central]]
![[Back vowel|Back]]
|- align="center"
![[Close vowel|Close]]
|[[i]]
|[[ɨ]]
|[[u]]
|- align="center"
![[Close-mid vowel|Close-mid]]
|[[e]]
|
|[[o]]
|-
![[Mid vowel|Mid]]
|
|[[ə]]
|
|- align="center"
![[Open vowel|Open]]
|
|[[a]]
|
|}
The seven vowels of Tyap may either be short or long [[monophthong]]s sounds. The language has five (or six) [[diphthong]]s: {{IPA|/ei(/əi)  ea  əu ai oi/}}.<ref>A̱lyiat A̱gwaza na di̱n Tyap: A̱li̱ka̱uli A̱fai (2015), p. vii.</ref><ref>McKinney, N. P. (April 1990), p. 256.</ref><ref>Akau, K. T. L. (2014), pp. xxv-xxvi.</ref>
=== Consonants ===
The language has over 80 [[monograph (orthography)|monograph]]ic and [[digraph (orthography)|digraph]] labialized and palatalized consonant sounds, classified into [[fortis and lenis]] modifications.<ref>Akau, K. T. L. (2014), p. xxiv-xxix.</ref><ref>Haruna, D.; Follingstad, C. & J. (n.d.), pp. 72-73</ref> The following table contains the main basic consonant sounds of Tyap:
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
! rowspan="2" |
! rowspan="2" |[[Labial consonant|Labial]]
! rowspan="2" |[[alveolar consonant|Alveolar]]
! colspan="2" |[[post-alveolar consonant|Post-<br>alveolar]]
! rowspan="2" |[[palatal consonant|Palatal]]
! colspan="2" |[[velar consonant|Velar]]
! rowspan="2" |[[Labialization|Labio-<br>velar]]
! rowspan="2" |[[glottal consonant|Glottal]]
|-
!<small>plain</small>
![[Palatalization (phonetics)|<small>pal.</small>]]
!<small>plain</small>
![[Palatalization (phonetics)|<small>pal.</small>]]
|-
![[Nasal stop|Nasal]]
| {{IPAlink|m}}
| {{IPAlink|n}}
| {{IPAlink|ɲ}}
|
|
| {{IPAlink|ŋ}}
|
|
|
|-
![[Plosive]]
| {{IPAlink|p}}&nbsp;&nbsp;{{IPAlink|b}}
| {{IPAlink|t}}&nbsp;&nbsp;{{IPAlink|d}}
|
|
|
| {{IPAlink|k}}&nbsp;&nbsp;{{IPAlink|ɡ}}
|
| {{IPAlink|k͡p}}&nbsp;&nbsp;{{IPAlink|ɡ͡b}}
|
|-
![[Affricate]]
|
| {{IPAlink|t͡s}}&nbsp;&nbsp;{{IPAlink|d͡z}}
| {{IPAlink|t͡ʃ}}&nbsp;&nbsp;{{IPAlink|d͡ʒ}}
| {{IPAlink|t͡ʃʲ}}
|
|
|
|
|
|-
![[Fricative]]
| {{IPAlink|f}}&nbsp;&nbsp;{{IPAlink|v}}
| {{IPAlink|s}}
| {{IPAlink|ʃ}}&nbsp;&nbsp;{{IPAlink|ʒ}}
| {{IPAlink|ʃʲ}}&nbsp;&nbsp;{{IPAlink|ʒʲ}}
| {{IPAlink|ç}}
| {{IPAlink|x}}&nbsp;&nbsp;{{IPAlink|ɣ}}
| {{IPAlink|ɣʲ}}
| {{IPAlink|ɣʷ}}
| {{IPAlink|h}}
|-
![[lateral consonant|Lateral]]
|
| {{IPAlink|l}}
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
![[rhotic consonant|Rhotic]]
|
|
| {{IPAlink|r}}
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
![[Semivowel|Glide]]
|
|
|
|
| {{IPAlink|j}}
|
|
| {{IPAlink|ʍ}}&nbsp;&nbsp;{{IPAlink|w}}
|
|}<ref>A̱lyiat A̱gwaza na di̱n Tyap: A̱li̱ka̱uli A̱fai (2015), p. viii-ix.</ref><ref>McKinney, N. P. (April 1990), p. 257</ref>
<!--
==Characteristics of Tyap and the Inter-relationship Among Its Dialects==
# As you can see from above, there are two "A"s and "I"s. The second "A" and "I" are usually written with an [[underscore]] each i.e. as "A̱" and "I̱" respectively. The sound produced then becomes like the "a" in "about," and the "y" in "symbol" respectively.
# The 39th letter (z) is usually pronounced "dz", and written phonetically /d͡z/ i.e. it produces a diphonic sound. Tyap lacks the pure "z" sound, as found in English words such as "zebra" and "zero". Should a Tyap speaker pronounce those two English words, what you will hear shall be "dzebra" and "dzero."
# The 25th letter (ng) is same as the phonetic symbol /ŋ/, and is found in English words such as "si'''ng'''er" and "ki'''ng'''", and in Tyap words such as "'''ng'''gwon" (a child]) and "tu'''ng'''" (to meet). The 26th letter of the Tyap alphabet (i.e. ny) however is the same as the phonetic symbol /ɲ/, and is not found in English language.
# The [[digraph (orthography)|digraph]]s: "cy, gb, gh, ghw, ghy, jhy, kh, kp, ng, ny, sh, shy and ts," are pronounced as though a unit of sound, not separately.
# The letters written without [[diacritics]] have pronunciations corresponding more or less exactly to their [[International Phonetic Alphabet]] equivalents with the exception of the labial-dental plosive consonants /k͡p/ (written "kp") and /g͡b/ (written "gb"); the alveolar-dental plosives /t͡s/ (written "ts") and /d͡z/ (written "z"); the Palato-alveolar fricatives /ʃ͡j/ (written "shy") and /ʒ͡j/ (written "jhy"); the plain, labialized and palatalized vector fricatives /x/ (written "kh"), /ɣ/ (written "gh"), /ɣw/ (written "ghw") and /ɣj/ (written "ghy"); and the palatalized affricate /t͡ʃ͡j/ (written "cy"), in which these consonants are not pronounced sequentially, but simultaneously.
# Tyap language has not yet been standardized. Each individual dialect operates its own language committee and orthography (e.g. (Jju, '''Gworok''' and '''Sholyia̱''', while the '''Tyap proper''' also operate in isolation) and no single unifying dialect is yet in use across the language cluster.
# Other letters used by other Tyap dialects include (i) '''lvw''', usually used in Gworok and Fantswam to replace Tyap Proper letter '''v''' hence, a word like '''van''' (to be tired) becomes '''lvwan'''. (ii) '''bv''' is used to replace Tyap Proper's '''b''' in Jju and some times in Gworok wherein a word like '''a̱bwu''' (a dog) in Tyap Proper becomes '''ka̱bvwu''' in Jju and '''ubvwu''' in Gworok. (iii) '''mnu''' is used in Gworok and Fantswam where a word starts with an "m" in Tyap proper as in '''mam''' (sun) which becomes '''mnuwam'''. (iv) '''tf''' used in Gworok, Fantswam and Takat and '''pf''' in Jju to replace Tyap Proper's "f" in words such as '''fwung''' (to rest), which becomes '''tfwung''' and '''pfwung''' respectively.
# The prefix "k-" is usually placed before a noun word beginning with "a̱-" in Tyap Proper in number of Tyap dialects, and letter "l" in other Tyap dialects usually transformed to the phoneme "r" in Jju. E.g. "A̱li" (house) in Tyap proper becomes "ka̱ryyi" in Jju and "Ka̱li" in Fantswam.
# Tyap words do not usually begin with any other vowel apart from "a" and "a̱", with the exception of 'southeastern' Tyap dialects such as Gworok, Takat and Tyuku where words beginning with "a̱-" or "ka̱-" in other Tyap dialects do change to "u-" as in "a̱yit" ('''bush''' in Tyap Proper), "ka̱yit" or "ka̱jit" in Jju, Fantswam, Sholyia̱ and Tyia̱cha̱rak, which becomes "uyit" in Gworok, Takat and Tyuku. However, in Sholyia̱, an "æ" or "e" phoneme is used instead of the "a̱" or "ka̱-" or "u-" in other Tyap dialects, as in "æli" (house).
# Where Tyap Proper uses long monophthong vowels or the diphthong "ea" in words, other dialects most notably, Jju, Fantswam, Gworok and Takat, (some times in all others), usually breaks the longevity by introducing an /r/ to replace the first vowel of the long monophonic sound and changing the last letter, usually "t" into a "k". E.g. "'''doot'''" (to arise) in Tyap Proper becomes "'''drok'''", and "'''nyeang'''" (marriage) in Tyap Proper becomes "'''nyrang'''", etc. in those other dialects.
# Finally, almost each Tyap dialect can be identified easily by its affinity to certain phonemes. For example, Gworok, Takat and Tyuku use much of "u" in word beginnings, Jju uses much of /r/ in place of /l/ as well as prefix "k-" in word beginnings. Fantswam falls between Jju, Gworok and Tyap Proper, but does not use "u" to begin words, instead like Jju, uses prefix "k-".
-->
==Syntax==
Tyap has the SVO constituent [[Word order|order type]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wals.info/languoid/lect/wals_code_gwo|title=Language Gworok|website=WALS Online|access-date=May 28, 2022}}</ref> as illustrated below in the first given example:
{{interlinear|indent=3
|Shyimfwuo wan kyayak hu
|Shyimfwuo cook.PST food DET
|‘Shyimfwuo cooked the food.’}}
{{interlinear|indent=3
|N na ngya bah
|I will.MOD eat NEG
|‘I will not eat.’}}
{{interlinear|indent=3
|A̱li nung ka shyia̱ gbang
|House my DET is far
|‘My house is far.’}}
==Vocabulary==
===Affixes and concord===
Tyap's noun-class affixes appear after its word stem. These affixes consist of prefixes, usually attached to the root of the word for pluralization. For example: ''a̱som'' (hare)—''a̱yaasom'' (hares), ''bwak'' (hand)—''mbwak'' (hands), ''a̱kwon'' (tree)—''a̱ka̱kwon'' (trees), etc. Meanwhile, the CV suffixes—usually alternating, and following the noun, are usually rendered as separate words in the orthography. For example, ''a̱som wu'' (the hare), ''a̱yaasom ba'' (the hares), ''bwak hu'' (the hand)—''mbwak na'' (the hands), ''a̱kwon ka'' (the tree)—''a̱ka̱kwon na'' (the trees), etc. These constitute the nominal affixes and concord of Tyap.<ref name="EBCongo">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KqF5DwAAQBAJ&dq=Tyap&pg=PA128|title=East Benue-Congo: Nouns, pronouns, and verbs (Niger-Congo Comparative Studies 1)|trans-title=Nominal affixes and number marking in the Plateau languages|editor=Watters, John R.|last=Blench|first=Roger M.|publisher=Language Science Press|pages=128–129|location=[[Berlin]]|year=2018|isbn=9783961101009 |access-date=13 December 2023}}</ref>
===Reduplication===
Reduplication of nouns takes place for pluralization. Usually, the first root syllable gets duplicated. For example, ''tyan'' (place)—''tityan'' (places), ''a̱nyung'' (tooth)—''a̱nyunyung'' (teeth), ''a̱kwon'' (tree)—''a̱ka̱kwon'' (trees), etc.<ref name="EBCongo"/>
==<span class="anchor" id="Some words associated with the alphabet"></span>Words associated with the alphabet==
{| class="wikitable"
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Letter
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | IPA Symbol
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Tyap dialects and Jju
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | English translation
|-
|''a''
| /a/
| [[Wikt:kcg:aba̱n|'''a'''ba̱n]]
| welcome (masculine)
|-
| ''a̱''
| /ə/
| [[Wikt:kcg:a̱gwam|'''a̱'''gwam]]
|  ruler, king, chief
|-
| ''b''
| /b/
| [[Wikt:kcg:bat|'''b'''at]]
|  wall, fence
|-
|''c''
|/t͡ʃ/
| [[Wikt:kcg:cat|'''c'''at]] (''tsat'' in Sholyio, Takad, Tyuku)
| want, love, need, like
|-
| ''cy''
| /t͡ʃʲ/
|[[Wikt:kcg:cyat|'''cy'''at]]
| cut/thatch grass
|-
| ''d''
| /d/
| [[Wikt:kcg:dam|'''d'''am]]
| to worry
|-
| ''e''
| /e/; /ɛ/
| [[Wikt:kcg:a̱lyem|a̱ly'''e'''m]] ( ''diry'''e'''m'' in Jju)
| tongue, language
|-
| ''f''
| /f/
| [[Wikt:kcg:faat|'''f'''aat]] ( '''''f'''a̱rak'' in Fantswam, Gworok, Takad, Tyuku)
| to cut
|-
| ''g''
| /g/
| [[Wikt:kcg:gaat|'''g'''aat]] ( '''g'''a̱rak in Fantswam, Gworok, Takad, Tyuku)
| (visitors' room)
|-
|''gb''
| /g͡b/
| [[Wikt:kcg:gbang|'''gb'''ang]]
| far
|-
| ''gh''
| /ɣ/
| [[Wikt:kcg:ghan|'''gh'''an]]
| to hurry
|-
| ''ghw''
| /ɣʷ/
| [[Wikt:kcg:ghwang|'''ghw'''ang]]
| drawing
|-
| ''ghy''
| /ɣʲ/
| [[Wikt:kcg:a̱ghyang|a̱'''ghy'''ang]] ( ''a̱yaan'' in Fantswam, Jju; ''a̱zang'' in Tyuku)
| another
|-
| ''h''
| /h/
| [[Wikt:kcg:hyet|'''h'''yet]] ( '''''h'''ywet'' in Jju)
| arrow
|-
|''hy''
|/ç/
| [[Wikt:kcg:hyenhyiam|'''hy'''enhyiam]]
|sour
|-
|''hw''
|/ʍ/
| [[Wikt:kcg:yihwa|yi'''hw'''a]]
|what
|-
| ''i''
| /i/
| [[Wikt:kcg:ii|'''i'''i]]
| yes (feminine)
|-
|''i̱''
| /ɨ/
| [[Wikt:kcg:ci̱p|c'''i̱'''p]]
| twisting
|-
| ''j''
| /d͡ʒ/
| [[Wikt:kcg:jem|'''j'''em]] ( ''zem'' in Sholyio, Tyeca̱rak)
| hippopotamus
|-
| ''jhy''
| /ʒʲ/
| [[Wikt:kcg:jhyi|'''jhy'''i]] ( ''jyi'' in Fantswam, Jju)
| to repair
|-
|''k''
| /k/
| [[Wikt:kcg:kan|'''k'''an]]
| medicine
|-
| ''kh''
| /x/
| [[Wikt:kcg:khap|'''kh'''ap]]
| cultivating
|-
| ''kp''
| /k͡p/
| [[Wikt:kcg:kpa|'''kp'''a]] ( '''''kp'''e'' in Sholyio; '''''kp'''i'' in Takad, Tyuku)
| to pound, pestle
|-
|''l''
| /l/
| [[Wikt:kcg:li|'''l'''i]] ( ''ryi'' in Jju)
| to see
|-
| ''m''
| /m/
| [[Wikt:kcg:mup|'''m'''up]]
| to grab
|-
| ''n''
| /n/
| [[Wikt:kcg:nam|'''n'''am]] ( ''di'''n'''am'' Jju)
| meat, flesh, muscle
|-
| ''ng''
| /ŋ/
| [[Wikt:kcg:ngaan|'''ng'''aan]]
| to be last
|-
| ''ny''
| /ɲ/
| [[Wikt:kcg:nyam|'''ny'''am]]
| animal
|-
| ''o''
| /ɔ/; /o/
| [[Wikt:kcg:long|l'''o'''ng]] ( ''r'''o'''ng'' in Jju)
| fire
|-
| ''p''
| /p/
| [[Wikt:kcg:piit|'''p'''iit]]
| nothing, to lose, to score nought
|-
|''r''
| /r/
| [[Wikt:kcg:ra̱ra̱k|'''r'''a̱'''r'''a̱k]]
| to enter with ease
|-
| ''s''
| /s/
| [[Wikt:kcg:san|'''s'''an]]
| to receive, to save
|-
| ''sh''
| /ʃ/
| [[Wikt:kcg:shan|'''sh'''an]]
| stick, staff
|-
| ''shy''
| /ʃʲ/
| [[Wikt:kcg:shyi|'''shy'''i]]
| to swear
|-
| ''t''
| /t/
| [[Wikt:kcg:ta|'''t'''a]]
| to throw
|-
| ''ts''
| /t͡s/
| [[Wikt:kcg:tsang|'''ts'''ang]]
| crocodile
|-
| ''u''
| /u/
| [[Wikt:kcg:lyuut|ly'''u'''ut]] ( ''ly'''u'''r'''u'''k'' in Fantswam, Gworok; ''jem'' in Jju)
| to write
|-
|''v''
| /v/
| [[Wikt:kcg:vam|'''v'''am]] ( ''lvam'' in Fantswam; ''lwam'' in Gworok; ''rwam'' in Jju)
| body
|-
| ''w''
| /w/
| [[Wikt:kcg:wan|'''w'''an]]
| to cook
|-
| ''y''
| /j/
| [[Wikt:kcg:ya|'''y'''a]] ( [[Wikt:kcg:gye|''[g]'''y'''e'']] in Sholyio, Tyeca̱rak; [[Wikt:kcg:gyi|''[g]'''y'''i'']] in Takad, Tyuku)
| to eat
|-
| ''z''
| /d͡z/
| [[Wikt:kcg:za|'''z'''a]] ( [[Wikt:kcg:ze|'''''z'''e'']] in Sholyio, Tyeca̱rak; [[Wikt:kcg:zi|'''''z'''i'']] in Takad, Tyuku)
| rain
|}<ref name=Unpub />
==<span class="anchor" id="Common phrases and sentences in Tyap"></span>Common phrases and sentences==
{| class="wikitable"
!Tyap
!English (Shong)
|-
|A nyia̱ ni?
|How are you?
|-
|N shyia̱ ka̱nɡka̱ra̱ng, n gwai.
|I am fine, thank you.
|-
|A neet a̱ji ni/wa?
|Where are you from?
|-
|N neet a̱mali kya.
|I am from home.
|-
|Á̱ ngyei ang a̱nyan a?
|Who are you called? (What is your name?)
|-
|Á̱ ngyei nung Kambai A̱ka̱u.
|I am called Kambai A̱ka̱u. (My name is Kambai A̱ka̱u.)
|-
|Bai a ya kyayak.
|Come and eat.
|-
|N cat a̱lyem nung ka.
|I love my language.
|-
|A̱nienzi̱t ba neet di̱ fam Kwararafa hwa.
|The Nienzit people are from [[Kwararafa]].
|-
|A̱gwaza gu nang ang/nyin nda. OR, A̱gwaza gu nang nda ang/nyin.
|God bless you (sing.)/(plur.).
|}<ref name=Unpub />
==<span class="anchor" id="Comparison between Tyap dialects"></span><span class="anchor" id="Dialect comparison"></span>Comparison of dialects ==
Comparing the [[cognate]] percentages between Kaje (Jju), Katab ("Mabatado" Tyap) and Kagoro (Gworok) on the [[Swadesh list|Swadesh wordlist]] consisting of 118 items of ''core basic vocabulary'', Wurm (1971), in his remark stated that, the cognate percentages indicate that the three ethnic groups speak dialects of the same language.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Wurm |first=S.A. |date=1971 |title=Papuan Linguistic Situation|trans-title=Current Trends in Linguistics |editor=Sebeok, T.A. |volume=8 |pages=541–657 |location=The Hague|journal=Linguistics|doi=10.1515/ling.1975.13.147.31 |url=https://doi.org/10.1515/ling.1975.13.147.31}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
| Kaje
|-
! 84%
| Katab
|-
! 83%
! 91%
| Kagoro
|}<sub>Percentages of cognates on the Swadesh wordlist: Wurm (1971).</sub><br>
With a further comparison of their kinship terminologies, McKinney (1983:291), after comparing 174 entries between the above three found only eight to be non-cognate.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=McKinney |first=C. |date=1983 |title=A Linguistic Shift in Kaje, Kagoro, and Katab Kinship Terminology |journal=Ethnology |volume=22 |issue=4 |pages=281–293 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/3773677 |doi=10.2307/3773677 |jstor=3773677 |access-date=December 15, 2020}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
| Kaje
|-
! 83%
| Katab
|-
! 83%
! 90%
| Kagoro
|}<sub>Percentages of kingship cognate terms: McKinney (1983:291).</sub>
<ref name=Unpub /> Below are comparisons made by Akau (2020) between the seven Tyap core dialects and Jju.
{| class="wikitable"
!
!English (Shong)
!"Maba̱ta̱do" (Tyap 'proper')
!Jju
!Gworok (Gworog)
!Sholyio (Sholyia̱, Sholio)
!Tyeca̱rak
!Fantswam
!Takad (Takat)
!Tyuku
|-
|1
|Come and eat.
|Bai a ya kyayak.
|Ba a ya kyangya.
|Bai u ya kyayak.
|Bai a gye kyayak
|Bai a gye kyayak.
|Bai a ya kyangya.
|Bai u gyi kyangyi.
|Bai u gyi kyangyi.
|-
|2
|Let us rise with strength.
|Yok zi̱ doot yong ma̱ng cet.
|Ryok zi drok ryong bu cet.
|Yok zi̱t durok yong bi̱ cet.
|Yok zi̱ durok yong ma̱ng tset.
|Yok zi̱ durok yong ma̱ng cet.
|Yok zi̱ durok yong bi̱ cet.
|Yok zi̱ durok yong bi̱ tset.
|Yok zi̱ durok yong bi̱ tset.
|-
|3
|I am not going to the wedding.
|N na nat la̱p nyeang (nyi̱yang) hu bah.
|N ni nat rop nyreng a ba.
|N na nat la̱p nyi̱rang ku dak.
|N na nat la̱p nyi̱rang hu bah.
|N na nat la̱p nyi̱rang hu bah.
|N na nat la̱p nyi̱rang ku dak.
|N li nat la̱p nyi̱rang hu dak.
|N li nat la̱p nyi̱rang hu dak.
|-
|4
|The people are hungry.
|Á̱niet ba fwuong zong.
|Ba̱nyet ba pfong zong.
|Á̱niet ba tswuong jong.
|Á̱niet be fwuong jong.
|Á̱niet be fwuong zong.
|Á̱nyet ba tfwuong zong.
|Á̱niet bi fwuong zong.
|Á̱niet bi fwuong zong.
|-
|5
|The child was walking, and fell down.
|Nggwon ka ncong, ka̱ si̱ kwa a̱byin.
|Ka̱won ka ncong, ka̱ yin kpa ka̱byen.
|Nggwon ka ncong, ka̱ si̱ kwa a̱byin.
|Nggwon ke ncong, ka̱ si̱ kwa a̱byin.
|Nggwon ke ncong, ka̱ si̱ kwa a̱byin.
|Nggwon ka ncong, ka̱ si̱ kwa a̱byin.
|Nggwon ki ncong, ka̱ si̱ kwa a̱byin.
|Nggwon ki ncong, ka̱ si̱ kwa a̱byin.
|-
|6
|The pot is here.
|A̱la̱n ka shyia̱ a̱ji.
|Ka̱ra̱n ti shyi aki.
|Ula̱n ka shyio a̱ji.
|A̱la̱n ke shyia̱ a̱zi.
|A̱la̱n ke shyia̱ a̱ji.
|Ka̱la̱n ti shyia a̱ji.
|Ula̱n ki syia̱ a̱zi.
|Ula̱n ki syia̱ a̱zi.
|-
|7
|They are too mouthy. God will help them.
|Ba̱ la̱u byia̱ a̱nu. A̱gwaza/A̱za na beang mba.
|Ba̱ ra̱u byi ka̱nu. Ka̱za ni mba brang.
|Ba̱ la̱u byia̱ a̱nu. A̱gwaza/Uza na beang mba.
|Ba̱ la̱u byia̱ a̱nu. A̱gwaze/A̱ze na beang mbe.
|Ba̱ la̱u byia̱ a̱nu. A̱gwaze/A̱ze na beang mbe.
|Ba̱ la̱u byia ka̱nu. Gwaza/Ka̱za na beang mba.
|Ba̱ la̱u byia̱ a̱nu. A̱gwazi/Uzi li beang mbi.
|Ba̱ la̱u byia̱ a̱nu. A̱gwazi/Uzi li beang mbi
|-
|8
|Kuyet went to the forest with me to get water.
|Kuyet nwuo a̱yit ka ma̱ng a̱nung a̱ bwuo a̱sa̱khwot.
|Kuyet nwa ka̱yit ka ba̱ nzuk a̱ bvwa ba̱shekwot.
|Kuyet nwuo uyit ka bi̱ nung a̱ bvwuo a̱sa̱khwot.
|Kuyet nwuo ka̱yit ke ma̱ng a̱nung a̱ bwuo a̱sa̱khwot.
|Kuyet nwuo a̱yit ke ma̱ng a̱nung a̱ bwuo a̱sa̱khwot.
|Kuyet nwua ka̱yit ka bi̱ nung a̱ bwua a̱sa̱khwot.
|Kuyet nwuo uyit ki ba̱ a̱nung a̱ bvwuo a̱sa̱khwot.
|Kuyet nwua uyit ki ba̱ a̱nung a̱ bvwua a̱sa̱khwot.
|-
|9
|Who is home?
|A̱nyan wa a̱ nshyia̱ a̱mali ka?
|A̱nyan a̱mi a̱ nshyi ka̱ryi ka?
|A̱nyan a̱ a̱ nshyia̱ buli ka?
|A̱nyan a a̱ nshyia̱ a̱mali ke?
|A̱nyan a a̱ nshyia̱ a̱mali ke?
|A̱nyan a a̱ nshyia ka̱li ka?
|A̱nyan a a̱ nsyia̱ buli ki?
|A̱nyan a a̱ nsyia̱ buli ki?
|-
|10
|It is above.
|A̱ shyia̱ tazwa ka.
|A̱ shyi tazwa ka.
|A̱ shyio tuza ka.
|A̱ shyia̱ tanzwe ke.
|A̱ shyia̱ tanzwe ke.
|A̱ shyia tazwa ka.
|A̱ syia̱ tuzi ki.
|A̱ syia̱ tuzi ki.
|-
|11
|Will you drink?
|A na swuo a?
|A ni fwa a?
|A na swuo a?
|A na swuo a?
|A na swuo a?
|A na fwua a?
|U li swuo a?
|U li swuo a?
|-
|12
|They said some children came here today.
|Ba̱ nyia̱ mman á̱ghyang bai a̱ji a̱fwun ka.
|Ba̱ yya na̱won ka̱yaan ba aki ka̱pfwun ka.
|Ba̱ nyio nuwan á̱ghyang bai a̱ji utswun ka.
|Ba̱ nyia̱ mman á̱ghyang bai a̱zi a̱fwun ke.
|Ba̱ nyia̱ mman á̱ghyang bai a̱ji a̱fwun ke.
|Ba̱ nyia mnuwan á̱yaan bai a̱ji ka̱tfwun ka.
|Ba̱ hyia̱ mman á̱ghyang bai a̱zi ufwun ki.
|Ba̱ shyia̱ mman á̱zang bai a̱zi utswun ki.
|-
|13
|Eight of us.
|Nzi̱t a̱ni̱nai.
|Njit a̱ninai.
|Nzi̱t unaimbwag.
|Nzi̱t a̱ri̱nai.
|Nzi̱t a̱ri̱nai.
|Njit a̱naimbwak.
|Nzi̱t unaimbwak.
|Nzi̱t unaimbwak.
|-
|14
|Let us unite.
|Zi̱ tung ndung.
|Zi tung ndung.
|Zi̱t tung ndung.
|Zi̱ tung ndung.
|Zi̱ tung ndung.
|Zi̱ tung ndung.
|Zi̱ tung ndung.
|Zi̱ tung ndung.
|}
==<span class="anchor" id="Numbers (Á̠na̠mba Tyap na)"></span><span class="anchor" id="Small Numbers"></span>Numbers==
* 0: {{lang|kcg|gum}}/{{Lang|kcg|piit}}/{{lang|kcg|sa̱khat}}
* 1: {{lang|kcg|a̱nyiung}} (also {{lang|kcg|nyiung, jhyiung}})
* 2: {{lang|kcg|a̱feang}} (also {{lang|kcg|feang, sweang}})
* 3: {{lang|kcg|a̱tat}} (also {{lang|kcg|tat, tsat}})
* 4: {{lang|kcg|a̱naai}} (also {{lang|kcg|naai, nyaai}})
* 5: {{lang|kcg|a̱fwuon}} (also {{lang|kcg|fwuon, tswuon}})
* 6: {{lang|kcg|a̱taa}}
* 7: {{lang|kcg|a̱natat}}
* 8: {{lang|kcg|a̱ni̱nai}} (or {{lang|kcg|a̱ri̱nai}})
* 9: {{lang|kcg|a̱kubunyiung}}
===10 to 100===
The numbers 11 to 19 are created by adding 1–9 to 10 with the middle {{lang|kcg|ma̱ng}} (often shortened in pronunciation to {{lang|kcg|ma̱}} and the next a̱, e.g. in {{lang|kcg|a̱fwuon}}, being silent) to the adjoining number, but usually each word is written in full: e.g. {{lang|kcg|swak ma̱ng a̱fwuon}} (15).
* 10: {{lang|kcg|Swak}}
* 11: {{lang|kcg|Swak ma̱ng a̱nyiung}}
* 12: {{lang|kcg|Swak ma̱ng a̱feang}}
* 13: {{lang|kcg|Swak ma̱ng a̱tat}}
* 14: {{lang|kcg|Swak ma̱ng a̱naai}}
* 15: {{lang|kcg|Swak ma̱ng a̱fwuon}}
* 16: {{lang|kcg|Swak ma̱ng a̱taa}}
* 17: {{lang|kcg|Swak ma̱ng a̱natat}}
* 18: {{lang|kcg|Swak ma̱ng a̱ni̱nai}}
* 19: {{lang|kcg|Swak ma̱ng a̱kubunyiung}}
The numbers 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90 are formed by replacing the prefix 2 to 5, affixed to the "{{lang|kcg|swak}}" (ten) with ''n-'', with the {{lang|kcg|swak}} itself taking the prefix ''n-'' throughout:
* 20: {{lang|kcg|Nswak nfeang}}
* 30: {{lang|kcg|Nswak ntat}}
* 40: {{lang|kcg|Nswak nnaai}}
* 50: {{lang|kcg|Nswak nfwuon}}
* 60: {{lang|kcg|Nswak a̱taa}}
* 70: {{lang|kcg|Nswak a̱natat}}
* 80: {{lang|kcg|Nswak a̱ni̱nai}} (or {{lang|kcg|nswak a̱ri̱nai}})
* 90: {{lang|kcg|Nswak a̱kubunyiung}}
Other numbers are formed by adding 1–9, similar to the teens:
* 91: {{lang|kcg|Nswak a̱kubunyiung ma̱ng a̱nyiung}}
* 92: {{lang|kcg|Nswak a̱kubunyiung ma̱ng a̱feang}}
* 93: {{lang|kcg|Nswak a̱kubunyiung ma̱ng a̱tat}}
* 94: {{lang|kcg|Nswak a̱kubunyiung ma̱ng a̱naai}}
* 95: {{lang|kcg|Nswak a̱kubunyiung ma̱ng a̱fwuon}}
* 96: {{lang|kcg|Nswak a̱kubunyiung ma̱ng a̱taa}}
* 97: {{lang|kcg|Nswak a̱kubunyiung ma̱ng a̱natat}}
* 98: {{lang|kcg|Nswak a̱kubunyiung ma̱ng a̱ni̱nai}}
* 99: {{lang|kcg|Nswak a̱kubunyiung ma̱ng a̱kubunyiung}}
===<span class="anchor" id="Large Numbers"></span>Hundreds===
Note that what could be termed as the "ancient" counting system used for 1-5 is usually used from 100 until infinity. 1 becomes ''jhyiung'', and no more ''a̱nyiung''. Same thing the 2,3,4 and 5 placed immediately after ''cyi'', the word for ''hundred''.
* 100: ''Cyi jhyiung''
* 200: ''Cyi sweang''
* 300: ''Cyi tsat''
* 400: ''Cyi nyaai''
* 500: ''Cyi tswuon''
* 600: ''Cyi a̱taa''
* 700: ''Cyi a̱natat''
* 800: ''Cyi a̱ni̱nai'' (or ''a̱ri̱nai'')
* 900: ''Cyi a̱kubunyiung''
* 479: ''Cyi nyaai ma̱ng nswak a̱natat ma̱ng a̱kubunyiung''
===Thousands===
Hayab (2016:66-67) in his research on [[Hyam language|Hyam]], a related language to Tyap found out that the original word for number 10 is "kop"/''kwop'', and that the present word used for ''ten'' was the de facto word used for ''twelve'' or ''a dozen'' is "shwak" (in [[Hyam language|Hyam]]) or ''swak'' (in Tyap). Due to the growing Hausa/English influence, undoubtedly before 1920 (because Thomas (1920:59) cited an example with ''Kagoro'' (Gworok) which, unlike its neighbours the Nungu, Ninzam, S. Mada and Mama, was not using as of then, the [[duodecimal|duodecimal system]]<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Thomas |first=N. |date=1920 |title=32. Duodecimal Base of Numeration |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/2840036 |journal=Man |volume=20 |pages=56–60 |doi=10.2307/2840036 |jstor=2840036 |access-date=December 16, 2020}}</ref>), the counting system has taken the shape of the Hausa/English decimal style and the word "kop/kwop" became almost extinct, while the "swak" took its place and misplaced its original meaning, which is ''twelve'', to now mean ''ten''. With this in mind, when one considers the number "1,000" or ''cyi kwop jhyiung'' ("cyi kwop" is spelled one word), one can say that it literally means "hundred ten one" or "100 X 10 X 1".
Below are the modern Tyap Counting style in thousands:
* 1,000: ''Cyikwop jhyiung''
* 2,000: ''Cyikwop sweang''
* 3,000: ''Cyikwop tsat''
* 4,000: ''Cyikwop nyaai''
* 5,000: ''Cyikwop tswuon''
* 6,000: ''Cyikwop a̱taa''
* 7,000: ''Cyikwop a̱natat''
* 8,000: ''Cyikwop a̱ni̱nai''
* 9,000: ''Cyikwop a̱kubunyiung''
* 2,018: ''Cyikwop sweang ma̱ng nswak ma̱ng a̱ni̱nai''
* 10,000: ''Cyikwop swak''
* 100,000: ''Cyikwop cyi jhyiung''
===Larger numbers===
* 1,000,000: ''Milyon'' or ''cyikwop cyikwop jhyiung'' or simply ''Cyikwop a̱ka̱feang jhyiung''
* 1,000,000,000: ''Bilyon'' or ''Cyikwop cyikwop cyikwop'' or simply ''Cyikwop a̱ka̱tat jhyiung''
* 1,000,000,000,000: ''Trilyon'' or ''cyikwop cyikwop cyikwop cyikwop'' or simply ''Cyikwop a̱ka̱naai jhyiung''.<ref name=Unpub />
===Concord===
Tyap has three ways of writing units 1-5. This is because concord in Tyap is brought down to only lower numerals and a few adjectives. The 'direct-copy' or 'echo' type of agreement in which the numeral has the same prefix as the noun it is in agreement with, is being followed here.<ref name="EBCongo"/><ref>{{Cite book |last=Follingstad |first=Alison J. |title=Aspects of Tyap Syntax |location=Arlington |publisher=University of Texas MA thesis |page=71 |year=1991}}</ref> For example, ''a̱ka̱sa'' (houses)—''a̱ka̱sa na'' (the houses)—''a̱ka̱sa a̱feang'' (two houses)—''a̱ka̱sa a̱feang na'' (the two houses), ''nkyang'' (things)—''nkyang na'' (the things)—''nkyang nfeang'' (two things)—''nkyang nfeang na'' (the two things), and ''nywán'' (fowls)—''nywán ji'' (the fowls)—''nywán sweang'' (two fowls)—''nywán sweang ji'' (the two fowls). For the second example, an "n-" prefix is added to the lower unit when used with a plural noun carrying the "hu" singular like ''kyang'' (thing).
==Names for other languages==
Some Tyap names for neighbouring and other languaɡes are as follows:
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Language !! Classification !! Tyap name
|-
| [[Adara language|Adara]] || Northern Plateau, Benue-Conɡo, Atlantic-Congo || [[Wikt:kcg:Á̱niet Tswaywan|Á̱niet Tswaywan]]
|-
| [[Atsam language|Atsam]] || Piti-Atsam, Eastern Kainji, Benue-Conɡo, Atlantic-Congo || [[Wikt:kcg:Tsamyia̱|Tsamyio]]
|-
| [[Berom language|Berom]] || Beromic, Plateau, Benue-Conɡo, Atlantic-Congo || [[Wikt:kcg:Kuut|Kuut]], [[Wikt:kcg:Kuruk|Kuruk]]
|-
| [[English language|English]] || West, Germanic, Indo-European || [[Wikt:kcg:Shong|Shong]]; [[Wikt:kcg:Nggi̱li̱t|Nggi̱li̱t]]
|-
| [[Fulfulde]], Fula || Central, Eastern Fula, Fulani-Wolof, Sene-Gambian, Northern, West Atlantic, Atlantic-Congo || [[Wikt:kcg:Fa̱taa|Fa̱taa]]
|-
| [[Hausa language|Hausa]] || A.1, A, West Chadic, Afro-Asiatic || [[Wikt:kcg:Kpat|Kpat]]
|-
| [[Hyam language|Hyam]] || Hyamic, Northwestern, Western Plateau, Benue-Conɡo, Atlantic-Congo || [[Wikt:kcg:Daa|Daa]]
|-
| [[Igala language|Igala]] || Yoruboid, YEAI, Volta-Conɡo, Atlantic-Congo || [[Wikt:kcg:Ga̱ra|Ga̱ra]]
|-
| [[Igbo language|Igbo]] || Igbo, Igboid, YEAI, Volta-Conɡo, Atlantic-Congo ||[[Wikt:kcg:A̱kum-a̱cyi|A̱kum-a̱cyi]]; [[Wikt:kcg:Igbo|Igbo]]
|-
| [[Aten language|Iten]] || Beromic, Plateau, Benue-Conɡo, Atlantic-Congo || [[Wikt:kcg:Tyen|Tyen]]
|-
| [[Kanuri language|Kanuri]] || Western, Nilo-Saharan || [[Wikt:kcg:Á̱niet A̱tyin|Á̱niet A̱tyin]], Ka̱nuri, Ba̱reba̱re
|-
| [[Ikulu language|Kulu]] || Northern Plateau, Benue-Conɡo, Atlantic-Congo || [[Wikt:kcg:Sunkurum|Sunkurum]]
|-
| [[Nigerian Pidgin]] || Krio, Atlantic, English Creole || [[Wikt:kcg:Shong Kaswuo|Shong Kaswuo]]
|-
| [[Kamanton language|Nɡhan]] || Ninzic, Plateau, Benue-Conɡo, Atlantic-Congo || [[Wikt:kcg:Byoot|Byoot]], [[Wikt:kcg:Byorok|Byorok]]
|-
| [[Ninkyob-Nindem language|Nikyob]] || A, Southwestern, Western Plateau, Benue-Conɡo, Atlantic-Congo || [[Wikt:kcg:Kuu|Kuu]]
|-
| [[Rigwe language|Rigwe]] || Southcentral, Central Plateau, Benue-Conɡo, Atlantic-Congo || [[Wikt:kcg:Á̱nietza̱fan|Á̱nietza̱fan]]
|-
| [[Tiv language|Tiv]] || Tivoid, Southern Bantoid, Benue-Conɡo, Atlantic-Congo || [[Wikt:kcg:Zi̱ya|Zi̱ya]], [[Wikt:kcg:Zi̱tya|Zi̱tya]]; [[Wikt:kcg:Tivi|Tivi]]
|-
| [[Kurama language|T'kurmi]]  || Kauru, Northern Jos, Eastern Kainji, Benue-Conɡo, Atlantic-Congo || [[Wikt:kcg:Wai|Wai]]
|-
| [[Yoruba language|Yoruba]] || Edekiri, Yoruboid, YEAI, Volta-Conɡo, Atlantic-Congo
|| [[Wikt:kcg:A̱ghwangkpang|A̱ghwangkpang]]; [[Wikt:kcg:Yoruba|Yoruba]]
|}.<ref name=Unpub>Akau, K. (2020). [Untitled work]. ''Unpublished raw data.</ref>
==Related languages==
A research list called the "Swadesh 100-word List" presented by Shimizu (1975:414) shows that Tyap ('''''Katab''''') shares the following cognate percentages with fellow [[Plateau languages]] and [[Wapan language|Jukun]] beginning from the highest to the lowest: 72% with [[Izere language|Izere]] (Izarek), 66% with [[Rigwe language|Rigwe]], 50% with [[Cara language|Chara]], 49% with [[Berom language|Berom]], 42% with [[Tarok language|Tarok]], 41% with [[Fyem language|Pyem]], 41% with [[Ninzo language|Ninzam]], 39% with [[Rukuba language|Kuche]], 39% with [[Eggon language|Eggon]], 38% with [[Ribina language|Ibunu]], 37% with [[Rindre language|Rindre]] and 34% with [[Wapan language|Jukun]].<ref name=Shim>{{Cite journal |url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/30027577 |last=Shimizu |first=Kiyoshi |title=A Lexicostatistical Study of Plateau Languages and Jukun. |journal=Anthropological Linguistics |volume=17 |issue=8 |date=1975 |pages=413–418 |jstor=30027577 |access-date=September 1, 2020}}</ref>
{{bar box
|title=Cognate Percentages Shared by fellow [[Plateau languages]] and [[Wapan language|Jukun]] with Tyap|titlebar=#ddd
|left1=Languages
|right1=percent
|float=right
|bars=
{{bar percent|[[Izere language|Izere]]|orange|72.0}}
{{bar percent|[[Rigwe language|Rigwe]]|red|66.0}}
{{bar percent|[[Cara language|Chara]]|orange| 50.0}}
{{bar percent|[[Berom language|Berom]]|yellow|49.0}}
{{bar percent|[[Tarok language|Tarok]]|green|42.0}}
{{bar percent|[[Fyem language|Pyem]]|blue| 41.0}}
{{bar percent|[[Ninzo language|Ninzam]]|yellow|41.0}}
{{bar percent|[[Rukuba language|Kuche]]|pink|39.0}}
{{bar percent|[[Eggon language|Eggon]]|grey|39.0}}
{{bar percent|[[Ribina language|Ibunu]]|black|38.0}}
{{bar percent|[[Rindre language|Rindre]]|purple|37.0}}
{{bar percent|[[Wapan language|Jukun]]|cyan|34.0}}
}}
==<span class="anchor" id="Endangered language"></span>Endangered status==
Research has shown that the Tyap language is classified as one of the [[endangered languages]] vulnerable towards extinction.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Ndimele |first1=Ozo-Mekuri |last2=Byat |first2=Grace Caleb |last3=Bivan |first3=Amos D. |title=Language Endangerment: Globalisation & the fate of minority languages in Nigeria |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G266CwAAQBAJ |trans-title=Towards the Preservation of the Tyap language |journal=The Nigerian Linguists Festschrift Series |date=2015 |issue=12 |pages=99–106 |isbn=9789785412727 |access-date=December 3, 2020}}</ref>
{{Blockquote|text=Language is the key to the heart of a people. If we lose the key, we lose the people. A lost language is a lost tribe, a lost tribe is a lost culture, a lost culture is a lost civilization a lost civilization is invaluable knowledge lost. The whole vast archives of knowledge and experience in them will be consigned to oblivion.|author=Centre for Endangered Languages
(1996).}}
A study by Ayuba (2014) showed that Tyap is endangered and that the [[Hausa language]] and the non-transmission of Tyap by the older generation of [[Atyap people|Atyap]] to the younger generation largely accounted for the endangerment of Tyap.
The study recommended, among other measures, that the [[Atyap Community Development Association]] (ACDA) should set up a committee to create awareness on the need for [[Atyap people|Atyap]] to rise up and save their language and another to work towards establishing vacation schools where older adults would provide [[pre-school]] child care where Tyap children could be immersed in the language.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Ayuba |first=Y. |year=2014 |title=Language Endangerment and the Survival of Tyap: Implications for Transitional Bilingual Education (MA Thesis) |url=https://kubanni-backend.abu.edu.ng/server/api/core/bitstreams/7a7864de-dbe1-4583-84d9-c8da911a9c98/content |format=PDF |website=Ahmadu Bello University |publisher=Unpublished |access-date=December 13, 2023}}</ref>
==<span class="anchor" id="See also"></span>See also==
* [[Jju language]]
* [[Kuteb language]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==Further reading==
;Books and manuscripts
{{Refbegin|33em}}
* {{Cite book |title=Grammatik des Gworok (Kagoro): Phonologie, Tonologie, Morphologie und Textanalyse |last=Adwiraah |first=E. |publisher=Peter Lang |location=[[Frankfurt am Main]] |language=de |date=1989 |isbn=3631416032 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aGwOAAAAYAAJ |pages=1–155}}
* {{Cite book |last=Akau |first=K. T. L. |year=2014 |title=The Tyap-English Dictionary |location=[[Benin City]] |isbn=978-978-0272-15-9 |pages=x-xxxii}}
* {{Cite book |title=A̱lyiat A̱gwaza na di̱n Tyap: A̱li̱ka̱uli A̱fai (The New Testament in the Tyap language of Nigeria) |date=2015 |publisher=The Nigeria Bible Translation Trust & Wycliffe Bible Translators, Inc. |edition=1 |location=[[Lagos]] |language=kcg |page=vii |isbn=978-978-944-941-5}}
* Blench, R. (2008). ''Prospecting proto-Plateau''. (manuscript)
* {{Cite book |author=Dabo, L. A. |year=2009 |title=Introduction to Tyap for Beginners |location=[[Kaduna]] |publisher=Bi-Shann Publishing |isbn=978-978-49261-0-2}}
* {{Cite book |last=Follingstad |first=Alison J. |title=Aspects of Tyap Syntax |publisher=Arlington: Ann Arbor: UMI |year=1991}}
*{{Cite book |last1=Haruna |first1=D. |last2=Follingstad |first2=C. & J. |year=n.d. |title=Learn to Read and Write Tyap (Myam Fang ma̱ng Lyuut Tyap) |publisher=Tyap Literacy Committee & Nigeria Bible Translation Trust |url=https://www.sil.org/resources/archives/53626 |location=[[Jos]] |pages=3–39 |isbn=978-2104-00-0}}
* {{Cite book |last=Hayab |first=P. |year=2016 |title=Basic Hyam Grammar with Ethnographic Notes |publisher=Beltina Digital Press |location=[[Abuja]] |isbn=978-978-95298-9-6}}
* {{Cite journal |last=McKinney |first=N. P. |title=Temporal characteristics of fortis stops and affricates in Tyap and Jju |date=April 1990 |journal=Journal of Phonetics |volume=18 |issue=2 |pages=255–266 |doi=10.1016/S0095-4470(19)30392-4 |doi-access=free}}
* {{Cite book |last1=Meek |first1=C. K. |year=1931 |title=Tribal Studies of Northern Nigeria |volume=2 |publisher=Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner and Co. |location=[[London]]}}
* {{Cite journal |last=Smith |first=M. G. |date=1960 |title=Kagoro Political Development |url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/44127738 |journal=Human Organization |volume=19 |issue=3 |pages=137–149 |doi=10.17730/humo.19.3.d423j73861544u8t |jstor=44127738 |access-date=December 14, 2020}}
{{Refend}}
==External links==
{{sisterlinks|auto=1|voy=Tyap phrasebook|wikt=Tyap|iw=kcg|d=Q3912765}}
{{Incubator|kcg|Wikiquote}}
* [http://comparalex.org/resources/index.php?page=query&w1=262 Sholio (Tyap) ComparaLex]
* [https://door43.org/u/Joseph/kcg-x-takad_luk_text_ulb/master/ The Book of Luke in Takad]
* [https://asjp.clld.org/languages/TYAP Wordlist Tyap (Gworok)]
* [http://www.4laws.com/laws/tyap/default.htm 4laws] (in Tyap)
* [https://globalrecordings.net/en/language/2045 Tyap: Katab language] (Global Recordings Network)
* [https://5fish.mobi/kcg/2045 Programs in Tyap] (Global Recordings Network)
* [https://wals.info/languoid/lect/wals_code_gwo World Atlas of Language Structure Online] (Gworok)
* [http://www.language-archives.org/language/kcg OLAC resources in and about the Tyap language]
{{Languages of Nigeria}}
{{Platoid languages}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Central Plateau languages]]
[[Category:Languages of Nigeria]]
[[Category:Endangered languages of Africa]]