Zeem language

Zeem, or Chaari, is an endangered Chadic dialect cluster of Nigeria, whose speakers are shifting to Hausa.^[2] Dyarim is closely related.

Zeem
Region	Bauchi State
Native speakers	400 (2003)[1]
Language family	Afro-Asiatic Chadic West Barawa (B.3) Zaar Zeem
Dialects	Zeem (†) Caari Danshe (†) Lushi (?) Dyarim Tule (†)
Language codes
ISO 639-3	Variously: zem – Zeem cxh – Chaʼari dsk – Dokshi dyr – Dyarim tvi – Tulai
Glottolog	zeem1242  Zeem dyar1234  Dyarim dans1239  Chaari lush1256  Dokshi nucl1693  Tulai
ELP	Zeem

The Zeem language is spoken in Toro LGA, Bauchi State. The Tulai and Danshe dialects are no longer spoken.^[1] It is also called Chaari, Dokshi, Dyarum, Kaiwari, Kaiyorawa, Lukshi, and Lushi.^[3]

Dyarim had been influenced by Beromic languages during a time when Beromic was more widespread.^[4]

Varieties

Zeem-Caari-Danshe-Dyarim cluster varieties listed by Blench (2019):^[5]

• Zeem (extinct)
• Tule (or Tulai, extinct)
• Danshe
• Chaari
• Dyarim
• Dokshi (Lukshi, Lushi)
• Jimi

Blench reports in 2019 that only 3 very elderly speakers of the Dokshi (or Lukshi^[6]) language remain in the village of Lukshi, Bauchi State.