# Izere language

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Dialect continuum of Plateau languages in Nigeria

Izere Afusare Izarek Native to Nigeria Region Kaduna State, Bauchi State, Plateau Native speakers 500,000 (2006–2016)[1] Language family Niger–Congo? Atlantic–Congo Benue–Congo Plateau Central ? Izeric Izere Language codes ISO 639-3 Variously: izr – NE & NW Izere cen – Cèn (Chen) gne – Ganàng (Gashish) fiz – Izere (retired) Glottolog None izer1242 Izeric, incl. Firan

**Izere** is a [dialect continuum](/source/Dialect_continuum) of [Plateau languages](/source/Plateau_languages) in [Nigeria](/source/Nigeria).[2] According to Blench (2008), it is four languages, though *Ethnologue* does not distinguish NW and NE Izere. The Cen and Ganang varieties are spoken by only 2000 each. Cen has added [Berom](/source/Berom_language) noun-class prefixes and consonant alternation to an Izere base.

## Dialects

Blench (2019) lists the following Izere dialects.[3]

- Fobur

- Northeastern (Federe)

- Southern (Foron)

- Ichèn

- Faishang

- Ganang

## Phonology

The Izere phonetic inventory includes 29 consonants and seven vowels and distinguishes three tone levels; two additional contour tones appear only rarely, in loanwords and due to [onomatopoeia](/source/Onomatopoeia).[4]

### Consonants

The consonant [phonemes](/source/Phoneme) of Izere are shown in the following table.

Bilabial Labiodental Alveolar Palato-alveolar Palatal Velar Labial–velar Glottal Stop p b t d c ɟ k ɡ k͡p ɡ͡b Nasal m n ɲ ŋ ŋ͡m Trill (r) Fricative f v s z ʃ ʒ h Affricate ts Approximant j, ɥ w Lateral l

### Vowels

The vowel phonemes of Izere are shown in the following table.

Vowel phonemes Front Back Close i u Close-mid e o Open-mid ɛ Open a

### Tonemes

There are three level (L, M & H) and two contour [tonemes](/source/Tone_(linguistics)) (LM & HL) in Izere; the latter two are found only in loanwords and onomatopoeia.

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-e18_1-0)** [NE & NW Izere](https://www.ethnologue.com/18/language/izr/) at *[Ethnologue](/source/Ethnologue)* (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required) [Cèn (Chen)](https://www.ethnologue.com/18/language/cen/) at *[Ethnologue](/source/Ethnologue)* (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required) [Ganàng (Gashish)](https://www.ethnologue.com/18/language/gne/) at *[Ethnologue](/source/Ethnologue)* (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required) [Izere (retired)](https://www.ethnologue.com/18/language/fiz/) at *[Ethnologue](/source/Ethnologue)* (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin (eds.). ["Izeric"](http://glottolog.org/resource/languoid/id/izer1242). *[Glottolog](/source/Glottolog)*. Jena, Germany: Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-BlenchAtlas4_3-0)** Blench, Roger (2019). [*An Atlas of Nigerian Languages*](https://www.academia.edu/40463130) (4th ed.). Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Blench, Roger; Kaze, Bitrus. [*Dictionary of the Izere language*](http://www.rogerblench.info/RBOP.htm).

- Blench (2008) [*Prospecting proto-Plateau*](https://web.archive.org/web/20140407193342/http://www.rogerblench.info/Language/Niger-Congo/BC/Plateau/General/Prospecting%20proto-Plateau%20Unicode.pdf). Manuscript.

## External links

- [Roger Blench: Izere page](http://www.rogerblench.info/Language/Niger-Congo/BC/Plateau/Izeric/IzOP.htm)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Izere language](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Izere_language) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Izere_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.