# Firan language

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**Firan** or **Fəràn** (also **Ibaas**) is a [Plateau language](/source/Plateau_language)[2] closely related to [Izere](/source/Izere_language). Most Firan speakers are multilingual in Firan, [Hausa](/source/Hausa_language), [English](/source/English_language), [Iten](/source/Iten_language) and sometimes [Berom](/source/Berom_language).[3]

## Phonology

### Consonants

Consonants of Firan [SIL][3] Bilabial Labiodental Alveolar Postalveolar Palatal Velar Labialvelar Glottal Plosive b p d t ɡ k ɡ͡b k͡p Nasal m n ɲ ŋ Sibilant affricate dz ts d̠ʒ t̠ʃ Sibilant fricative z s ʃ Non-sibilant fricative ɸ v f ç ɣ h Approximant j w Tap/flap ɾ Trill r Lateral approximant l

Consonants of Firan [Blench][4] Bilabial Labiodental Alveolar Postalveolar Palatal Velar Labialvelar Glottal Plosive b p d t ɡ k ɡ͡b k͡p Nasal m n ɲ ŋ Sibilant affricate ts d̠ʒ t̠ʃ Sibilant fricative z~dz s ʃ Non-sibilant fricative f h Approximant j ɥ w Tap/flap ɾ Lateral approximant l

/Cj/ and /Cw/ sequences are permitted but are uncommon

### Vowels

Vowels of Firan [SIL][3] Front Near-front Central Near-back Back Close i ɨ u Near-close ɪ ʊ Close-mid e o Mid ə Open-mid ɛ ɜ/ə ɔ Open a/ɑ

Vowels of Firan [Blench][4] Front Near-front Central Near-back Back Close i ɨ u Close-mid e o Open-mid ɛ ɔ Open a

### Tones

There are 5 tones -- high, mid, low, rising and falling. The rising and falling tones are described as 'aris[ing] from sequences of level tones', but it is not clear what is meant by that, as there are no long vowels in the language.[4]

## References

1. Blench, Roger (2019). *An Atlas of Nigerian Languages*. 4th ed. Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.

1. ["A Sociolinguistic Profile of the Firan \[fir\] Language of Plateau State, Nigeria"](https://www.sil.org/resources/publications/entry/87279#:~:text=According%20to%20Blench%20(2008b)%2C,not%20all%20the%20ethnic%20group.). *SIL International*. Retrieved 3 January 2023.

1. Roger Blench, 2024, Introduction to a preliminary dictionary of the Fɨran language of Central Nigeria

## Further reading

- *[A Sociolinguistic Profile of the Firan (fir) Language of Plateau State, Nigeria](https://www.sil.org/resources/publications/entry/87279)*

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Firan language](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firan_language) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firan_language?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.