Zari

A language of Nigeria

ISO 639: zaz
Alternate Names: Zariwa
Population: No known L1 speakers, but emerging L2 speakers. The last speaker died by the year 2000 (Campbell and Belew 2018). Ethnic population: 20,700 (2000 CAPRO). 20,000 Zakshi (1995 CAPRO), 1,000 Boto (Gunn 1953).
Location:: Bauchi state: Dass, Tafawa Balewa, and Toro LGAs.
Language Status: 9 (Reawakening).
Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Chadic, West, B, B.3, Zaar Proper
Dialects: Zakshi (Zaksa), Boto (Bibot, Boot), Zari (Kopti, Kwapm). Dialect cluster within Barawa cluster (Crozier and Blench 1992).
Language Use: Shifted to Hausa [hau].
Language Development: The Oral Bible Storying (OBS) project has been key to revitalization efforts in the Zakshi dialect (2021 L. Rose).
Other Comments: Muslim.

Location: Bauchi state: Dass, Tafawa Balewa, and Toro LGAs.