Tyap

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Dialect cluster of Plateau languages of central Nigeria

title: "Tyap" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["tyap", "tyapic-languages", "languages-of-nigeria", "endangered-languages-of-africa"] description: "Dialect cluster of Plateau languages of central Nigeria" topic_path: "linguistics" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyap" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Dialect cluster of Plateau languages of central Nigeria ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox language"]

Field	Value
name	Tyap
altname	Katab
nativename	A̱lyem Tyap
region	Kaduna and Plateau States
states	Nigeria
ethnicity	Atyap
dialects	*Fantswam

Gworok
Sholyio
Takad
"Mabatado" (Tyap 'proper')
Tyecarak
Tyuku |speakers=255,000 |date=2020 |speakers2=875,000 with Jju |ref=e26 |familycolor=Niger-Congo |fam2=Atlantic–Congo |fam3=Benue–Congo |fam4=Plateau |fam5=Central ? |fam6=Tyapic |iso3=kcg |script=Latin (Tyap alphabet) |agency = Tyap Literacy Committee |glotto=tyap1238 |glottorefname=Tyap | glottopedia = Tyap | lingua = | mapcaption = | ietf = | notice = IPA | map2 = Lang Status 80-VU.svg | mapcaption2 =

Tyap is a regionally important dialect cluster of Plateau languages in Nigeria's Middle Belt, named after its prestige dialect. It is also known by its Hausa exonym as Katab or Kataf. It is also known by the names of its dialectical varieties including Sholyio, Fantswam, Gworok, Takad, "Mabatado" (Tyap 'proper'), Tyeca̱rak and Tyuku (Tuku). In spite of being listed separately from the Tyap cluster, Jju's separation, according to Blench R.M. (2018), seems to be increasingly ethnic rather than a linguistic reality.

Distribution

Native Tyap speakers are primarily found in the local government areas of Jema'a, Kaura and Zangon Kataf, although pockets of speakers are also found in Kachia and Kauru in southern Kaduna state, and Riyom (especially Takad speakers{{cite web|url=https://www.plateaustate.gov.ng/government/lgas/riyom|title=Riyom Local Government Area|website=Plateau State Government|access-date=February 23, 2023

Classification and dialects

Meek (1931:2) suggested that the Katab (Atyap), Morwa (Asholyio), Ataka (Atakad) and Kagoro (Agworok) speak a common tongue and may be regarded as one; and later on, McKinney (1983:290) commented that the Kaje (Bajju) should likewise be included with the above, due to the linguistic and cultural similarities shared by them. Murdock (1959) classified Kagoro (Gworok) and other dialects comprising the current Tyap language group as "Plateau Nigerian", in his "Semi-Bantu" branch of "Bantoid subfamily" of "Negritic Stock". Tyap and Jju were placed by Greenberg (1963) under the "Plateau II" branch of the Benue-Congo language family. Later on, Gerhardt (1974) made a reconstruction of the branch, assigning it as "proto-Plateau". Again in 1989, Gerhardt placed Tyap and Jju under the South-Central subgroup, Central group, Plateau branch of Platoid, a division of the Benue-Congo languages. Achi (2005) stated that the Atyap speak a language in the Kwa group of the Benue-Congo language family.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Pq5wGaae5qkC&pg=PA374 |last=Achi |first=B. |title=Writing African history |trans-title=Local History in Post-Independent Africa |publisher=University of Rochester Press |editor=Philips, J. E. |year=2005 |format=Print book |language=en |isbn=9781580462563 |page=375}} However, according to Bitiyong, Y. I., in Achi et al. (2019:44), the Kataf Group (an old classification) to which Tyap language belongs, is a member of the eastern Plateau. He went further to suggest that by utilizing a glotochronological time scale established for Yoruba and Edo languages and their neighbours, the separation of the Kataf Group into distinguishable dialects and dialect clusters would require thousands of years. Also mentioned was that, noting further that this indicates that He thereafter summarized that the implication for Tyap is that it has taken thousands of years to separate, in the same general geographical location from its about six most closely related dialects and stated that as a sub-unit, they required probably more thousands of years earlier to separate from other members of the "Kataf group" like Gyong, Hyam, Duya and Ashe (Koro) who are little intelligible to them. The stability of language and other culture traits in this region of Nigeria has been recognized.{{cite book |title=A Short History of the Atyap |author1=Achi, B.|author2=Bitiyonɡ, Y. A. |author3=Bunɡwon, A. D. |author4=Baba, M. Y. |author5=Jim, L. K. N. |author6=Kazah-Toure, M. |author7=Philips, J. E. |publisher=Tamaza Publishinɡ Co. Ltd., Zaria |year=2019 |isbn=978-978-54678-5-7 |pages=9–245}}

Dialects

Tyap has a number of dialects, including: ::data[format=table]

Dialect	Description
	Fantswam
(Hausa exonym Kafanchan, Kafancan)
	Gworok
(Hausa exonym Kagoro; Tyap proper Gwoot)
	Jju
(Hausa exonym Kaje, Kajji; Tyap proper Jhyo)
	Sholyio
(variant spellings Sholio, Sholyia̱; Hausa exonym Moro'a, Moroa, Marwa)
	Takad
(variant spellings Takat; Hausa exonym Attakar, Attaka, Ataka)
	Tyap proper
(also Tyap-Central, Tyap Mabatado, Tyab; Hausa exonym Katab, Kataf, Katab proper)
	Tyecha̱rak
(also spelt Tachirak, Techerak, Ticarak; Hausa exonym Kachechere, Kacecere, Kacicere; Tyap proper Tyecaat, Ta̱caat, Ta̱chaat)
	Tyuku
(variant spelling: Tuku, Tukun, Tyukum; Hausa exonym Atuku)
	Other dialects
::

Phonology

The Tyap alphabet (Zwunzwuo A̱lyem Tyap ji) had 39 letters, as drafted by the Tyap Literacy Committee (TLC) during the early 1990s: ::data[format=table]

Tyap alphabet: previous basic	Phonetic value
A	A̱
a	a̱

::

However, a current development as of 2018, has the Tyap Basic Alphabetical Chart reduced to 24, as follows:

::data[format=table]

Tyap alphabet: new basic	Phonetic value
A	B
a	b

::

The letter "ch" would henceforth be represented by the symbol "c", without the "h". All others remain the same.

Vowels

::data[format=table]

Front	Central	Back
i	ɨ	u
e		o
	ə
	a
::

The seven vowels of Tyap may either be short or long monophthongs sounds. The language has five (or six) diphthongs: .

Consonants

The language has over 80 monographic and digraph labialized and palatalized consonant sounds, classified into fortis and lenis modifications. The following table contains the main basic consonant sounds of Tyap:

::data[format=table] | Labial | Alveolar | Post- alveolar | Palatal | Velar | Labio- velar | Glottal | plain | pal. | plain | pal. | Nasal | Plosive | Affricate | Fricative | Lateral | Rhotic | Glide | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ::

Characteristics of Tyap and the Inter-relationship Among Its Dialects

As you can see from above, there are two "A"s and "I"s. The second "A" and "I" are usually written with an underscore each i.e. as "A̱" and "I̱" respectively. The sound produced then becomes like the "a" in "about," and the "y" in "symbol" respectively.
The 39th letter (z) is usually pronounced "dz", and written phonetically /d͡z/ i.e. it produces a diphonic sound. Tyap lacks the pure "z" sound, as found in English words such as "zebra" and "zero". Should a Tyap speaker pronounce those two English words, what you will hear shall be "dzebra" and "dzero."
The 25th letter (ng) is same as the phonetic symbol /ŋ/, and is found in English words such as "singer" and "king", and in Tyap words such as "nggwon" (a child]) and "tung" (to meet). The 26th letter of the Tyap alphabet (i.e. ny) however is the same as the phonetic symbol /ɲ/, and is not found in English language.
The digraphs: "cy, gb, gh, ghw, ghy, jhy, kh, kp, ng, ny, sh, shy and ts," are pronounced as though a unit of sound, not separately.
The letters written without diacritics have pronunciations corresponding more or less exactly to their International Phonetic Alphabet equivalents with the exception of the labial-dental plosive consonants /k͡p/ (written "kp") and /g͡b/ (written "gb"); the alveolar-dental plosives /t͡s/ (written "ts") and /d͡z/ (written "z"); the Palato-alveolar fricatives /ʃ͡j/ (written "shy") and /ʒ͡j/ (written "jhy"); the plain, labialized and palatalized vector fricatives /x/ (written "kh"), /ɣ/ (written "gh"), /ɣw/ (written "ghw") and /ɣj/ (written "ghy"); and the palatalized affricate /t͡ʃ͡j/ (written "cy"), in which these consonants are not pronounced sequentially, but simultaneously.
Tyap language has not yet been standardized. Each individual dialect operates its own language committee and orthography (e.g. (Jju, Gworok and Sholyia̱, while the Tyap proper also operate in isolation) and no single unifying dialect is yet in use across the language cluster.
Other letters used by other Tyap dialects include (i) lvw, usually used in Gworok and Fantswam to replace Tyap Proper letter v hence, a word like van (to be tired) becomes lvwan. (ii) bv is used to replace Tyap Proper's b in Jju and some times in Gworok wherein a word like a̱bwu (a dog) in Tyap Proper becomes ka̱bvwu in Jju and ubvwu in Gworok. (iii) mnu is used in Gworok and Fantswam where a word starts with an "m" in Tyap proper as in mam (sun) which becomes mnuwam. (iv) tf used in Gworok, Fantswam and Takat and pf in Jju to replace Tyap Proper's "f" in words such as fwung (to rest), which becomes tfwung and pfwung respectively.
The prefix "k-" is usually placed before a noun word beginning with "a̱-" in Tyap Proper in number of Tyap dialects, and letter "l" in other Tyap dialects usually transformed to the phoneme "r" in Jju. E.g. "A̱li" (house) in Tyap proper becomes "ka̱ryyi" in Jju and "Ka̱li" in Fantswam.
Tyap words do not usually begin with any other vowel apart from "a" and "a̱", with the exception of 'southeastern' Tyap dialects such as Gworok, Takat and Tyuku where words beginning with "a̱-" or "ka̱-" in other Tyap dialects do change to "u-" as in "a̱yit" (bush in Tyap Proper), "ka̱yit" or "ka̱jit" in Jju, Fantswam, Sholyia̱ and Tyia̱cha̱rak, which becomes "uyit" in Gworok, Takat and Tyuku. However, in Sholyia̱, an "æ" or "e" phoneme is used instead of the "a̱" or "ka̱-" or "u-" in other Tyap dialects, as in "æli" (house).
Where Tyap Proper uses long monophthong vowels or the diphthong "ea" in words, other dialects most notably, Jju, Fantswam, Gworok and Takat, (some times in all others), usually breaks the longevity by introducing an /r/ to replace the first vowel of the long monophonic sound and changing the last letter, usually "t" into a "k". E.g. "doot" (to arise) in Tyap Proper becomes "drok", and "nyeang" (marriage) in Tyap Proper becomes "nyrang", etc. in those other dialects.
Finally, almost each Tyap dialect can be identified easily by its affinity to certain phonemes. For example, Gworok, Takat and Tyuku use much of "u" in word beginnings, Jju uses much of /r/ in place of /l/ as well as prefix "k-" in word beginnings. Fantswam falls between Jju, Gworok and Tyap Proper, but does not use "u" to begin words, instead like Jju, uses prefix "k-". --

Syntax

Tyap has the SVO constituent order type as illustrated below in the first given example:

|Shyimfwuo wan kyayak hu |Shyimfwuo cook.PST food DET |‘Shyimfwuo cooked the food.’}}

| indent = 3|N na ngya bah|I will.MOD eat NEG|‘I will not eat.’

| indent = 3|A̱li nung ka shyia̱ gbang|House my DET is far|‘My house is far.’

Vocabulary

Affixes and concord

Tyap's noun-class affixes appear after its word stem. These affixes consist of prefixes, usually attached to the root of the word for pluralization. For example: a̱som (hare)—a̱yaasom (hares), bwak (hand)—mbwak (hands), a̱kwon (tree)—a̱ka̱kwon (trees), etc. Meanwhile, the CV suffixes—usually alternating, and following the noun, are usually rendered as separate words in the orthography. For example, a̱som wu (the hare), a̱yaasom ba (the hares), bwak hu (the hand)—mbwak na (the hands), a̱kwon ka (the tree)—a̱ka̱kwon na (the trees), etc. These constitute the nominal affixes and concord of Tyap.

Reduplication

Reduplication of nouns takes place for pluralization. Usually, the first root syllable gets duplicated. For example, tyan (place)—tityan (places), a̱nyung (tooth)—a̱nyunyung (teeth), a̱kwon (tree)—a̱ka̱kwon (trees), etc.

Words associated with the alphabet

::data[format=table]

Letter	IPA Symbol	Tyap dialects and Jju	English translation
a	/a/	aba̱n	welcome (masculine)
a̱	/ə/	a̱gwam	ruler, king, chief
b	/b/	bat	wall, fence
c	/t͡ʃ/	cat (tsat in Sholyio, Takad, Tyuku)	want, love, need, like
cy	/t͡ʃʲ/	cyat	cut/thatch grass
d	/d/	dam	to worry
e	/e/; /ɛ/	a̱lyem ( diryem in Jju)	tongue, language
f	/f/	faat ( fa̱rak in Fantswam, Gworok, Takad, Tyuku)	to cut
g	/g/	gaat ( ga̱rak in Fantswam, Gworok, Takad, Tyuku)	(visitors' room)
gb	/g͡b/	gbang	far
gh	/ɣ/	ghan	to hurry
ghw	/ɣʷ/	ghwang	drawing
ghy	/ɣʲ/	a̱ghyang ( a̱yaan in Fantswam, Jju; a̱zang in Tyuku)	another
h	/h/	hyet ( hywet in Jju)	arrow
hy	/ç/	hyenhyiam	sour
hw	/ʍ/	yihwa	what
i	/i/	ii	yes (feminine)
i̱	/ɨ/	ci̱p	twisting
j	/d͡ʒ/	jem ( zem in Sholyio, Tyeca̱rak)	hippopotamus
jhy	/ʒʲ/	jhyi ( jyi in Fantswam, Jju)	to repair
k	/k/	kan	medicine
kh	/x/	khap	cultivating
kp	/k͡p/	kpa ( kpe in Sholyio; kpi in Takad, Tyuku)	to pound, pestle
l	/l/	li ( ryi in Jju)	to see
m	/m/	mup	to grab
n	/n/	nam ( dinam Jju)	meat, flesh, muscle
ng	/ŋ/	ngaan	to be last
ny	/ɲ/	nyam	animal
o	/ɔ/; /o/	long ( rong in Jju)	fire
p	/p/	piit	nothing, to lose, to score nought
r	/r/	ra̱ra̱k	to enter with ease
s	/s/	san	to receive, to save
sh	/ʃ/	shan	stick, staff
shy	/ʃʲ/	shyi	to swear
t	/t/	ta	to throw
ts	/t͡s/	tsang	crocodile
u	/u/	lyuut ( lyuruk in Fantswam, Gworok; jem in Jju)	to write
v	/v/	vam ( lvam in Fantswam; lwam in Gworok; rwam in Jju)	body
w	/w/	wan	to cook
y	/j/	ya ( [g]ye in Sholyio, Tyeca̱rak; [g]yi in Takad, Tyuku)	to eat
z	/d͡z/	za ( ze in Sholyio, Tyeca̱rak; zi in Takad, Tyuku)	rain
::

Common phrases and sentences

::data[format=table]

Tyap	English (Shong)
A nyia̱ ni?	How are you?
N shyia̱ ka̱nɡka̱ra̱ng, n gwai.	I am fine, thank you.
A neet a̱ji ni/wa?	Where are you from?
N neet a̱mali kya.	I am from home.
Á̱ ngyei ang a̱nyan a?	Who are you called? (What is your name?)
Á̱ ngyei nung Kambai A̱ka̱u.	I am called Kambai A̱ka̱u. (My name is Kambai A̱ka̱u.)
Bai a ya kyayak.	Come and eat.
N cat a̱lyem nung ka.	I love my language.
Á̱nienzi̱t ba neet di̱ fam Kwara-Apa hwa.	The Nenzit people are from Kwararafa.
A̱gwaza gu nang ang/nyin nda. OR, A̱gwaza gu nang nda ang/nyin.	God bless you (sing.)/(plur.).
::

Comparison of dialects

Comparing the cognate percentages between Kaje (Jju), Katab ("Mabatado" Tyap) and Kagoro (Gworok) on the Swadesh wordlist consisting of 118 items of core basic vocabulary, Wurm (1971), in his remark stated that, the cognate percentages indicate that the three ethnic groups speak dialects of the same language. ::data[format=table]

84%	83%	91%
Katab
Kagoro
::

With a further comparison of their kinship terminologies, McKinney (1983:291), after comparing 174 entries between the above three found only eight to be non-cognate. ::data[format=table]

83%	83%	90%
Katab
Kagoro
::

Below are comparisons made by Akau (2020) between the seven Tyap core dialects and Jju. ::data[format=table]

English (Shong)	"Maba̱ta̱do" (Tyap 'proper')	Jju	Gworok (Gworog)	Sholyio (Sholyia̱, Sholio)	Tyeca̱rak	Fantswam	Takad (Takat)	Tyuku
1	Come and eat.	Bai a ya kyayak.	Ba a ya kyangya.	Bai u ya kyayak.	Bai a gye kyayak	Bai a gye kyayak.	Bai a ya kyangya.	Bai u gyi kyangyi.
2	Let us rise with strength.	Yok zi̱ doot yong ma̱ng cet.	Ryok zi drok ryong bu cet.	Yok zi̱t durok yong bi̱ cet.	Yok zi̱ durok yong ma̱ng tset.	Yok zi̱ durok yong ma̱ng cet.	Yok zi̱ durok yong bi̱ cet.	Yok zi̱ durok yong bi̱ tset.
3	I am not going to the wedding.	N na nat la̱p nyeang (nyi̱yang) hu bah.	N ni nat rop nyreng a ba.	N na nat la̱p nyi̱rang ku dak.	N na nat la̱p nyi̱rang hu bah.	N na nat la̱p nyi̱rang hu bah.	N na nat la̱p nyi̱rang ku dak.	N li nat la̱p nyi̱rang hu dak.
4	The people are hungry.	Á̱niet ba fwuong zong.	Ba̱nyet ba pfong zong.	Á̱niet ba tswuong jong.	Á̱niet be fwuong jong.	Á̱niet be fwuong zong.	Á̱nyet ba tfwuong zong.	Á̱niet bi fwuong zong.
5	The child was walking, and fell down.	Nggwon ka ncong, ka̱ si̱ kwa a̱byin.	Ka̱won ka ncong, ka̱ yin kpa ka̱byen.	Nggwon ka ncong, ka̱ si̱ kwa a̱byin.	Nggwon ke ncong, ka̱ si̱ kwa a̱byin.	Nggwon ke ncong, ka̱ si̱ kwa a̱byin.	Nggwon ka ncong, ka̱ si̱ kwa a̱byin.	Nggwon ki ncong, ka̱ si̱ kwa a̱byin.
6	The pot is here.	A̱la̱n ka shyia̱ a̱ji.	Ka̱ra̱n ti shyi aki.	Ula̱n ka shyio a̱ji.	A̱la̱n ke shyia̱ a̱zi.	A̱la̱n ke shyia̱ a̱ji.	Ka̱la̱n ti shyia a̱ji.	Ula̱n ki syia̱ a̱zi.
7	They are too mouthy. God will help them.	Ba̱ la̱u byia̱ a̱nu. A̱gwaza/A̱za na beang mba.	Ba̱ ra̱u byi ka̱nu. Ka̱za ni mba brang.	Ba̱ la̱u byia̱ a̱nu. A̱gwaza/Uza na beang mba.	Ba̱ la̱u byia̱ a̱nu. A̱gwaze/A̱ze na beang mbe.	Ba̱ la̱u byia̱ a̱nu. A̱gwaze/A̱ze na beang mbe.	Ba̱ la̱u byia ka̱nu. Gwaza/Ka̱za na beang mba.	Ba̱ la̱u byia̱ a̱nu. A̱gwazi/Uzi li beang mbi.
8	Kuyet went to the forest with me to get water.	Kuyet nwuo a̱yit ka ma̱ng a̱nung a̱ bwuo a̱sa̱khwot.	Kuyet nwa ka̱yit ka ba̱ nzuk a̱ bvwa ba̱shekwot.	Kuyet nwuo uyit ka bi̱ nung a̱ bvwuo a̱sa̱khwot.	Kuyet nwuo ka̱yit ke ma̱ng a̱nung a̱ bwuo a̱sa̱khwot.	Kuyet nwuo a̱yit ke ma̱ng a̱nung a̱ bwuo a̱sa̱khwot.	Kuyet nwua ka̱yit ka bi̱ nung a̱ bwua a̱sa̱khwot.	Kuyet nwuo uyit ki ba̱ a̱nung a̱ bvwuo a̱sa̱khwot.
9	Who is home?	A̱nyan wa a̱ nshyia̱ a̱mali ka?	A̱nyan a̱mi a̱ nshyi ka̱ryi ka?	A̱nyan a̱ a̱ nshyia̱ buli ka?	A̱nyan a a̱ nshyia̱ a̱mali ke?	A̱nyan a a̱ nshyia̱ a̱mali ke?	A̱nyan a a̱ nshyia ka̱li ka?	A̱nyan a a̱ nsyia̱ buli ki?
10	It is above.	A̱ shyia̱ tazwa ka.	A̱ shyi tazwa ka.	A̱ shyio tuza ka.	A̱ shyia̱ tanzwe ke.	A̱ shyia̱ tanzwe ke.	A̱ shyia tazwa ka.	A̱ syia̱ tuzi ki.
11	Will you drink?	A na swuo a?	A ni fwa a?	A na swuo a?	A na swuo a?	A na swuo a?	A na fwua a?	U li swuo a?
12	They said some children came here today.	Ba̱ nyia̱ mman á̱ghyang bai a̱ji a̱fwun ka.	Ba̱ yya na̱won ka̱yaan ba aki ka̱pfwun ka.	Ba̱ nyio nuwan á̱ghyang bai a̱ji utswun ka.	Ba̱ nyia̱ mman á̱ghyang bai a̱zi a̱fwun ke.	Ba̱ nyia̱ mman á̱ghyang bai a̱ji a̱fwun ke.	Ba̱ nyia mnuwan á̱yaan bai a̱ji ka̱tfwun ka.	Ba̱ hyia̱ mman á̱ghyang bai a̱zi ufwun ki.
13	Eight of us.	Nzi̱t a̱ni̱nai.	Njit a̱ninai.	Nzi̱t unaimbwag.	Nzi̱t a̱ri̱nai.	Nzi̱t a̱ri̱nai.	Njit a̱naimbwak.	Nzi̱t unaimbwak.
14	Let us unite.	Zi̱ tung ndung.	Zi tung ndung.	Zi̱t tung ndung.	Zi̱ tung ndung.	Zi̱ tung ndung.	Zi̱ tung ndung.	Zi̱ tung ndung.
::

Numbers

0: gum/piit/sa̱khat
1: a̱nyiung (also nyiung, jhyiung)
2: a̱feang (also feang, sweang)
3: a̱tat (also tat, tsat)
4: a̱naai (also naai, nyaai)
5: a̱fwuon (also fwuon, tswuon)
6: a̱taa
7: a̱natat
8: a̱ni̱nai (or a̱ri̱nai)
9: a̱kubunyiung

10 to 100

The numbers 11 to 19 are created by adding 1–9 to 10 with the middle ma̱ng (often shortened in pronunciation to ma̱ and the next a̱, e.g. in a̱fwuon, being silent) to the adjoining number, but usually each word is written in full: e.g. swak ma̱ng a̱fwuon (15).

10: Swak
11: Swak ma̱ng a̱nyiung
12: Swak ma̱ng a̱feang
13: Swak ma̱ng a̱tat
14: Swak ma̱ng a̱naai
15: Swak ma̱ng a̱fwuon
16: Swak ma̱ng a̱taa
17: Swak ma̱ng a̱natat
18: Swak ma̱ng a̱ni̱nai
19: Swak ma̱ng a̱kubunyiung

The numbers 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90 are formed by replacing the prefix 2 to 5, affixed to the "swak" (ten) with n-, with the swak itself taking the prefix n- throughout:

20: Nswak nfeang
30: Nswak ntat
40: Nswak nnaai
50: Nswak nfwuon
60: Nswak a̱taa
70: Nswak a̱natat
80: Nswak a̱ni̱nai (or nswak a̱ri̱nai)
90: Nswak a̱kubunyiung

Other numbers are formed by adding 1–9, similar to the teens:

91: Nswak a̱kubunyiung ma̱ng a̱nyiung
92: Nswak a̱kubunyiung ma̱ng a̱feang
93: Nswak a̱kubunyiung ma̱ng a̱tat
94: Nswak a̱kubunyiung ma̱ng a̱naai
95: Nswak a̱kubunyiung ma̱ng a̱fwuon
96: Nswak a̱kubunyiung ma̱ng a̱taa
97: Nswak a̱kubunyiung ma̱ng a̱natat
98: Nswak a̱kubunyiung ma̱ng a̱ni̱nai
99: Nswak a̱kubunyiung ma̱ng a̱kubunyiung

Hundreds

Note that what could be termed as the "ancient" counting system used for 1-5 is usually used from 100 until infinity. 1 becomes jhyiung, and no more a̱nyiung. Same thing the 2,3,4 and 5 placed immediately after cyi, the word for hundred.

100: Cyi jhyiung
200: Cyi sweang
300: Cyi tsat
400: Cyi nyaai
500: Cyi tswuon
600: Cyi a̱taa
700: Cyi a̱natat
800: Cyi a̱ni̱nai (or a̱ri̱nai)
900: Cyi a̱kubunyiung
479: Cyi nyaai ma̱ng nswak a̱natat ma̱ng a̱kubunyiung

Thousands

Hayab (2016:66-67) in his research on Hyam, a related language to Tyap found out that the original word for number 10 is "kop"/kwop, and that the present word used for ten was the de facto word used for twelve or a dozen is "shwak" (in Hyam) or swak (in Tyap). Due to the growing Hausa/English influence, undoubtedly before 1920 (because Thomas (1920:59) cited an example with Kagoro (Gworok) which, unlike its neighbours the Nungu, Ninzam, S. Mada and Mama, was not using as of then, the duodecimal system), the counting system has taken the shape of the Hausa/English decimal style and the word "kop/kwop" became almost extinct, while the "swak" took its place and misplaced its original meaning, which is twelve, to now mean ten. With this in mind, when one considers the number "1,000" or cyi kwop jhyiung ("cyi kwop" is spelled one word), one can say that it literally means "hundred ten one" or "100 X 10 X 1".

Below are the modern Tyap Counting style in thousands:

1,000: Cyikwop jhyiung
2,000: Cyikwop sweang
3,000: Cyikwop tsat
4,000: Cyikwop nyaai
5,000: Cyikwop tswuon
6,000: Cyikwop a̱taa
7,000: Cyikwop a̱natat
8,000: Cyikwop a̱ni̱nai
9,000: Cyikwop a̱kubunyiung
2,018: Cyikwop sweang ma̱ng nswak ma̱ng a̱ni̱nai
10,000: Cyikwop swak
100,000: Cyikwop cyi jhyiung

Larger numbers

1,000,000: Milyon or cyikwop cyikwop jhyiung or simply Cyikwop a̱ka̱feang jhyiung
1,000,000,000: Bilyon or Cyikwop cyikwop cyikwop or simply Cyikwop a̱ka̱tat jhyiung
1,000,000,000,000: Trilyon or cyikwop cyikwop cyikwop cyikwop or simply Cyikwop a̱ka̱naai jhyiung.

Concord

Tyap has three ways of writing units 1-5. This is because concord in Tyap is brought down to only lower numerals and a few adjectives. The 'direct-copy' or 'echo' type of agreement in which the numeral has the same prefix as the noun it is in agreement with, is being followed here. For example, a̱ka̱sa (houses)—a̱ka̱sa na (the houses)—a̱ka̱sa a̱feang (two houses)—a̱ka̱sa a̱feang na (the two houses), nkyang (things)—nkyang na (the things)—nkyang nfeang (two things)—nkyang nfeang na (the two things), and nywán (fowls)—nywán ji (the fowls)—nywán sweang (two fowls)—nywán sweang ji (the two fowls). For the second example, an "n-" prefix is added to the lower unit when used with a plural noun carrying the "hu" singular like kyang (thing).

Names for other languages

Some Tyap names for neighbouring and other languaɡes are as follows:

::data[format=table]

Language	Classification	Tyap name
Adara	Northern Plateau, Benue-Conɡo, Atlantic-Congo	Á̱niet Tswaywan
Atsam	Piti-Atsam, Eastern Kainji, Benue-Conɡo, Atlantic-Congo	Tsamyio
Berom	Beromic, Plateau, Benue-Conɡo, Atlantic-Congo	Kuut, Kuruk
English	West, Germanic, Indo-European	Shong; Nggi̱li̱t
Fulfulde, Fula	Central, Eastern Fula, Fulani-Wolof, Sene-Gambian, Northern, West Atlantic, Atlantic-Congo	Fa̱taa
Hausa	A.1, A, West Chadic, Afro-Asiatic	Kpat
Hyam	Hyamic, Northwestern, Western Plateau, Benue-Conɡo, Atlantic-Congo	Daa
Igala	Yoruboid, YEAI, Volta-Conɡo, Atlantic-Congo	Ga̱ra
Igbo	Igbo, Igboid, YEAI, Volta-Conɡo, Atlantic-Congo	A̱kum-a̱cyi; Igbo
Iten	Beromic, Plateau, Benue-Conɡo, Atlantic-Congo	Tyen
Kanuri	Western, Nilo-Saharan	Á̱niet A̱tyin, Ka̱nuri, Ba̱reba̱re
Kulu	Northern Plateau, Benue-Conɡo, Atlantic-Congo	Sunkurum
Nigerian Pidgin	Krio, Atlantic, English Creole	Shong Kaswuo
Nɡhan	Ninzic, Plateau, Benue-Conɡo, Atlantic-Congo	Byoot, Byorok
Nikyob	A, Southwestern, Western Plateau, Benue-Conɡo, Atlantic-Congo	Kuu
Rigwe	Southcentral, Central Plateau, Benue-Conɡo, Atlantic-Congo	Á̱nietza̱fan
Tiv	Tivoid, Southern Bantoid, Benue-Conɡo, Atlantic-Congo	Zi̱ya, Zi̱tya; Tivi
T'kurmi	Kauru, Northern Jos, Eastern Kainji, Benue-Conɡo, Atlantic-Congo	Wai
Yoruba	Edekiri, Yoruboid, YEAI, Volta-Conɡo, Atlantic-Congo
::

Related languages

A research list called the "Swadesh 100-word List" presented by Shimizu (1975:414) shows that Tyap (Katab) shares the following cognate percentages with fellow Plateau languages and Jukun beginning from the highest to the lowest: 72% with Izere (Izarek), 66% with Rigwe, 50% with Chara, 49% with Berom, 42% with Tarok, 41% with Pyem, 41% with Ninzam, 39% with Kuche, 39% with Eggon, 38% with Ibunu, 37% with Rindre and 34% with Jukun.

Endangered status

Research has shown that the Tyap language is classified as one of the endangered languages vulnerable towards extinction.

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A study by Ayuba (2014) showed that Tyap is endangered and that the Hausa language and the non-transmission of Tyap by the older generation of Atyap to the younger generation largely accounted for the endangerment of Tyap.

The study recommended, among other measures, that the Atyap Community Development Association (ACDA) should set up a committee to create awareness on the need for Atyap to rise up and save their language and another to work towards establishing vacation schools where older adults would provide pre-school child care where Tyap children could be immersed in the language.

References

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{{Glottolog. tyap1238. Tyap
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McKinney, N. P. (April 1990), p. 255.
Skoggard, I. A.. (2014). "Culture Summary: Katab". New Haven: Human Relations Area Files.
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McKinney, C. (1983), p. 290
Smith, M. G.. (1982). "Cosmology, Practice, and Social Organization among the Kadara and Kagoro". Ethnology.
Murdock, G. P.. (1959). "Africa: Its Peoples and Their Culture History". McGraw-Hill.
Smith, M. G. (1960), p. 138.
Gerhardt, L.. (1974). "Beitrage zur Kenntnis der Sprachen des nigerianischen Plateaus". J.J. Augustin.
Gerhardt, L.. (1989). "Kainji and Platoid. In The Niger-Congo languages". University Press of America.
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A̱lyiat A̱gwaza na di̱n Tyap: A̱li̱ka̱uli A̱fai (2015), p. vii.
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Haruna, D.; Follingstad, C. & J. (n.d.), pp. 72-73
A̱lyiat A̱gwaza na di̱n Tyap: A̱li̱ka̱uli A̱fai (2015), p. viii-ix.
McKinney, N. P. (April 1990), p. 257
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Blench, Roger M.. (2018). "East Benue-Congo: Nouns, pronouns, and verbs (Niger-Congo Comparative Studies 1)". Language Science Press.
Wurm, S.A.. (1971). "Papuan Linguistic Situation". Linguistics.
McKinney, C.. (1983). "A Linguistic Shift in Kaje, Kagoro, and Katab Kinship Terminology". Ethnology.
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Follingstad, Alison J.. (1991). "Aspects of Tyap Syntax". University of Texas MA thesis.
Akau, K. (2020). [Untitled work]. ''Unpublished raw data''.
Shimizu, Kiyoshi. (1975). "A Lexicostatistical Study of Plateau Languages and Jukun.". Anthropological Linguistics.
(2015). "Language Endangerment: Globalisation & the fate of minority languages in Nigeria". The Nigerian Linguists Festschrift Series.
Ayuba, Y.. (2014). "Language Endangerment and the Survival of Tyap: Implications for Transitional Bilingual Education (MA Thesis)". Unpublished.

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