Zeem language

{{Short description|Chadic languages spoken in Nigeria}}

{{Infobox language

|name=Zeem

|region=Bauchi State

|speakers=400

|date=2003

|ref=e18

|familycolor=Afro-Asiatic

|fam2=Chadic

|fam3=West

|fam4=Barawa (B.3)

|fam5=Zaar

|lc1=zem|ld1=Zeem

|lc2=cxh|ld2=Chaʼari

|lc3=dsk|ld3=Dokshi

|lc4=dyr|ld4=Dyarim

|lc5=tvi|ld5=Tulai

|glotto=zeem1242

|glottoname=Zeem

|glotto2=dyar1234

|glottoname2=Dyarim

|glotto3=dans1239

|glottoname3=Chaari

|glotto4=lush1256

|glottoname4=Dokshi

|glotto5=nucl1693

|glottoname5=Tulai

|dia1=Zeem (†)

|dia2=Caari

|dia3=Danshe (†)

|dia4=Lushi (?)

|dia5=Dyarim

|dia6=Tule (†)

}}

Zeem, or Chaari, is an endangered Chadic dialect cluster of Nigeria, whose speakers are shifting to Hausa.{{cite book|last=Newman|first=Paul|title=Nominal and verbal plurality in Chadic|publisher=Walter de Gruyter|year=1990|pages=3|isbn=978-90-6765-499-9|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R1w6Fgpo-RQC&dq=Zeem+%22Chadic+language%22&pg=PR9|access-date=2009-07-28}} Dyarim is closely related.

The Zeem language is spoken in Toro LGA, Bauchi State. The Tulai and Danshe dialects are no longer spoken. It is also called Chaari, Dokshi, Dyarum, Kaiwari, Kaiyorawa, Lukshi, and Lushi.[http://www.language-archives.org/language/zua OLAC resources in and about the Zeem language]

Dyarim had been influenced by Beromic languages during a time when Beromic was more widespread.Blench, Roger. 2005. [https://www.academia.edu/2775947/The_Dyarim_language_of_Central_Nigeria_and_its_affinities The Dyarim language of Central Nigeria and its affinities].