🇳🇬 Language

Berom

Evidence: Well documented

Berom is a language spoken in Barkin Ladi LGA of Plateau State, according to Roger Blench's Atlas of Nigerian Languages (2020), which classifies it as Plateau (Beromic).

Key facts
Type
Language
Belongs to
Plateau
Glottocode
bero1242
Overview

Berom is a language spoken in Barkin Ladi LGA of Plateau State, according to Roger Blench's Atlas of Nigerian Languages (2020), which classifies it as Plateau (Beromic). Other names include Birom, Berum, Cèn Bèrom, Afango, Akuut, Baho. The Atlas also names Jos LGA, which has since been divided into Jos North, Jos South and Jos East. It is also spoken in Jema'a LGA of Kaduna State. The Atlas cites speaker figures of 54,500 (HDG); 200,000 (SIL 1985). Its dialect groups are Gyel–Kuru–Vwang, Fan–Foron–Heikpang, Bachit–Gashish, Du–Ropp–Rim–Riyom and perhaps Hoss; Nincut is treated as a separate language. An official orthography was published in 1985; Scripture portions appeared from 1916, the New Testament in 1984 and the complete Bible in 2009.

Connections
Other names
  • Afango · alternative
    Blench's Atlas (2020), field 2.B: other name for the language.
  • Akuut · alternative
    Blench's Atlas (2020), field 2.B: other name for the language.
  • Baho · alternative
    Blench's Atlas (2020), field 2.B: other name for the language.
  • Berum · spelling variant
    Blench's Atlas (2020), field 1.A: alternate spelling of the name.
  • Birom · spelling variant
    Blench's Atlas (2020), field 1.A: alternate spelling of the name.
  • Cèn Bèrom · endonym
    Blench's Atlas (2020), field 1.B: the speakers' own name for the language.
  • Gbang · alternative
    Blench's Atlas (2020), field 2.B: other name for the language.
  • Kibbo · alternative
    Blench's Atlas (2020), field 2.B: other name for the language.
  • Kibbun · alternative
    Blench's Atlas (2020), field 2.B: other name for the language.
  • Kibo · alternative
    Blench's Atlas (2020), field 2.B: other name for the language.
  • Kibyen · alternative
    Blench's Atlas (2020), field 2.B: other name for the language.
  • Sine · alternative
    Blench's Atlas (2020), field 2.B: other name for the language.
Sources
  1. An Atlas of Nigerian Languages (2020 edition) — Roger Blench, Kay Williamson Educational Foundation / McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, University of Cambridge, 2020 · Academic source · link (accessed 24 Sep 2026)
    Supports: Berom: location, classification, other names, speakers
  2. Glottolog language index (resourcemap) — Glottolog · Academic source · link (accessed 26 Sep 2026)
    Supports: Glottocode bero1242
How evidence is graded
  • Verified: Supported by an official source, or by two or more independent sources that agree.
  • Well documented: Supported by credible sources, but not yet independently confirmed.
  • Reported: Found in a credible source; further corroboration is welcome.
  • Needs corroboration: The evidence is thin or incomplete; more sources are being sought.
  • Disputed: Credible sources or community accounts disagree; the differing accounts are noted.
  • Uncertain: There is not yet enough information to classify this responsibly.

Sources are marked official, academic, reference, community or general web. Sources that copy each other count as one. Oral traditions are recorded as traditions, not as proven fact.

Archive ID: LANG-BEROM · Last updated 30 September 2026. Spotted an error or have a source to add? Tell us.

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