Warji language
{{Short description|Chadic language spoken in Nigeria}}
{{Infobox language
|name=Warji
|altname=Sirzakwai
|states=Nigeria
|region=Bauchi State
|speakers={{sigfig|75000|2}}
|date=2022
|ref=e27
|script=Latin
|familycolor=Afro-Asiatic
|fam2=Chadic
|fam3=West Chadic
|fam4=Bade–Warji
|fam5=Warji languages (B.2)
|iso3=wji
|glotto=warj1253
|glottorefname=Warji
}}
Warji (Warjawa) or Sirzakwai is an Afro-Asiatic language spoken in Bauchi State, Nigeria. Speakers are shifting to Hausa.
Distribution
- Ganjuwa district, Darazo LGA, Bauchi State
- Warji district, Ningi LGA, Bauchi State
- Birnin Kudu LGA, Jigawa State
Morphology
Within the Bade–Warji languages, Warji has the most complex nominal plural marking system.Blench, Roger. 2021. [https://www.academia.edu/46654471/The_erosion_of_number_marking_in_West_Chadic The erosion of number marking in West Chadic Roger Blench]. WOCAL, Leiden. Plurals are marked by the following suffixes.Blench, Roger [http://www.rogerblench.info/Language/Afroasiatic/Chadic/West/Warji/Sirzakwai%20dictionary.pdf Wordlist of the Sirzakwai (Warji) language with Hausa and English equivalents].
- -tsǝ
- -sA (-sǝ, -sa)
- -Aŋsǝ (-ǝŋsǝ, -aŋsǝ)
- -(aŋ)ʃi (-shi, -aŋshi; stem-final -i is assimilated)
These may be all allomorphs of a single suffix, with optional inserted nasals.
Suppletive nominal plurals are:
| class="wikitable"
! English !! singular !! plural | ||
| child | ŋaa | mǝru |
| girl | ŋaagǝɗ | mǝrǝgudi |
| woman | gǝɗ | guɗi |
| man | mumwan | mumwanci |
| human being | warji | zarsǝ |
Notes
{{Reflist}}
{{Languages of Nigeria}}
{{West Chadic languages}}