🇳🇬 Language

Izere

Evidence: Well documented

Izere is a language spoken in Jos South and Barkin Ladi LGAs of Plateau State, according to Roger Blench's Atlas of Nigerian Languages (2020), which classifies it as Plateau (Central).

Key facts
Type
Language
Belongs to
Plateau
Glottocode
izer1241
Overview

Izere is a language spoken in Jos South and Barkin Ladi LGAs of Plateau State, according to Roger Blench's Atlas of Nigerian Languages (2020), which classifies it as Plateau (Central). Other names include Izarek, Zarek, Jarawa. It is also spoken in Toro LGA of Bauchi State, and by migrants in Jema'a LGA of Kaduna State. The Atlas places the Fobur and Northeastern dialects in 'Jos LGA', since divided. The Atlas cites speaker figures of 22,000 (1971); 30,000 (1977). It is a cluster whose members include Fobur (with Shere and Jos Zarazon), Northeastern (Federe, Zendi, Fursum, Jarawan Kogi), Southern (at Forom and Gashish in Barkin Ladi LGA), Ichèn, Faishang and Ganang. Mark appeared in 1940, and a New Testament translation is under way.

Connections
Other names
  • Izarek · spelling variant
    Blench's Atlas (2020), field 1.A: alternate spelling of the name.
  • Jarawa · alternative
    Blench's Atlas (2020), field 2.B: other name for the language.
  • Zarek · spelling variant
    Blench's Atlas (2020), field 1.A: alternate spelling of the name.
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: Izere: location, classification, other names, speakers
  2. Glottolog language index (resourcemap) — Glottolog · Academic source · link (accessed 26 Sep 2026)
    Supports: Glottocode izer1241
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-IZERE · Last updated 30 September 2026. Spotted an error or have a source to add? Tell us.

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