Alumu language

{{Infobox language

| name = Alumu-Tesu

| states = Nigeria

| region = Nassarawa State

| speakers = 7,000

| date = 1999

| ref = e18

| familycolor = Niger-Congo

| fam2 = Atlantic–Congo

| fam3 = Benue–Congo

| fam4 = Plateau

| fam5 = Alumic

| fam6 = Alumu-Toro

| fam7 = Alumu-Akpondu

| dia1 = Alumu

| dia2 = Tesu

| iso3 = aab

| glotto = alum1246

| glottorefname = Alumu-Tesu

| nativename = Təsu

}}

Alumu is a Plateau language spoken by approximately 7,000 people in Nassarawa State, Nigeria. It has lost the nominal affix system characteristic of the Niger–Congo family.

Dialects

Two varieties, Alomoh and Tesu, differ only in intonation. Information for Alomoh and Tesu is listed from Blench (2004).Blench, Roger. 2004. [http://www.rogerblench.info/Language/Niger-Congo/BC/Plateau/Tarokoid/Tarokoid-subclassification.pdf Tarok and related languages of east-central Nigeria].

Alomoh (or Arum), with 4,000 speakers, is spoken in the settlements of Anji-Mara (main settlement),Tsavoh, Tapha,Tumara, Chugbu, Shu'a (Gbira),Chini.

Tesu (Təsu) (Hausa: ChessuBlench, Roger. 2010. [http://www.rogerblench.info/Language/Niger-Congo/BC/Plateau/Alumic/Tesu%20wordlist%20Unicode.pdf The Təsu language of Central Nigeria and its affinities].), with just under 2,000 speakers, is spoken in the two villages of Chessu Sarki and Chessu Madaki, which are about one kilometre apart from each other on the Wamba - Fadan Karshi road.

Akpondoh is also closely related (also Babur, Nisam and Nigbo) but moribund or extinct, and its classification as a separate language or as a shifting dialect or sociological group of related dialects is not clear.Blench, Roger, 2005. Akpondoh, Nigbo, Bəbər and Nisam: Moribund or Extinct Languages of Central Nigeria, manuscript, 16 November 2005. 4pp.

Phonology

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" \|+Consonant phonemesRoger Blench (2012:6) ! !Labial !Alveolar !Palatal !Labialized palatal !Velar !Labialized velar !Glottal
Nasal \|{{IPA link\|m}} \|{{IPA link\|n}} \|{{IPA link\|ɲ}} \| \|{{IPA link\|ŋ}} \| \|
Plosive \|{{IPA link\|p}} {{IPA link\|b}} \|{{IPA link\|t}} {{IPA link\|d}} \|{{IPA link\|tʃ}} {{IPA link\|dʒ}} \| \|{{IPA link\|k}} {{IPA link\|ɡ}} \|{{IPA link\|kp}} {{IPA link\|ɡb}} \|
Implosive \|{{IPA link\|ɓ}} \|{{IPA link\|ɗ}} \| \| \| \| \|
Fricative \|{{IPA link\|f}} {{IPA link\|v}} \|{{IPA link\|s}} {{IPA link\|z}} \|{{IPA link\|ʃ}} {{IPA link\|ʒ}} \| \|{{IPA link\|x}} \| \|{{IPA link\|h}}
Approximant \| \|{{IPA link\|l}} \|{{IPA link\|j}} \|{{IPA link\|ɥ}} \| \|{{IPA link\|w}} \|
Tap \| \|{{IPA link\|ɾ}} \| \| \| \| \|
Trill \| \|{{IPA link\|r}} \| \| \| \| \|

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"

|+Consonant phonemesRoger Blench (2012:6)

!

|{{IPA link|m}}

|{{IPA link|n}}

|{{IPA link|ɲ}}

|

|{{IPA link|ŋ}}

|

Plosive

|{{IPA link|p}} {{IPA link|b}}

|{{IPA link|t}} {{IPA link|d}}

|{{IPA link|tʃ}} {{IPA link|dʒ}}

|

|{{IPA link|k}} {{IPA link|ɡ}}

|{{IPA link|kp}} {{IPA link|ɡb}}

|

Implosive

|{{IPA link|ɓ}}

|{{IPA link|ɗ}}

|

Fricative

|{{IPA link|f}} {{IPA link|v}}

|{{IPA link|s}} {{IPA link|z}}

|{{IPA link|ʃ}} {{IPA link|ʒ}}

|

|{{IPA link|x}}

|

|{{IPA link|h}}

Approximant

|

|{{IPA link|l}}

|{{IPA link|j}}

|{{IPA link|ɥ}}

|

|{{IPA link|w}}

|

Tap

|

|{{IPA link|ɾ}}

|

Trill

|

|{{IPA link|r}}

|

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" \|+Vowel phonemesRoger Blench: The Təsu language of Central Nigeria and its affinities. (2012:5). ! ! Front ! Central ! Back
Close \|{{IPA link\|i}} \| \|{{IPA link\|u}}
Near-Close \|{{IPA link\|ɪ}} \| \|{{IPA link\|ʊ}}
Close-Mid \|{{IPA link\|e}} \| \|{{IPA link\|o}}
Open-Mid \|{{IPA link\|ɛ}} \|{{IPA link\|ə}} \|{{IPA link\|ɔ}}
Open \| \|{{IPA link\|a}} \|

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"

|+Vowel phonemesRoger Blench: The Təsu language of Central Nigeria and its affinities. (2012:5).

!

! Front

! Central

! Back

Close

|{{IPA link|i}}

|

|{{IPA link|u}}

Near-Close

|{{IPA link|ɪ}}