Tiv-Utanga-Becheve: the similar difference

Tiv-Utanga-Becheve: the similar difference
KiNG JAMES YiYE | @KingYiye


My 'journalistic instinct' has taken me to the Becheve, they live on theObudu Mountain Resort nearly 6,000 feet from the ground.
Their brother, the Utanga are down the mountain, another brother the Tiv are where you all are...
I'm here to confirm ‎what I've heard about the similar differences in these sons of one father.
Benjamin Chiase Disa an Utanga man in his 30's works as a Security Guard at the Obudu Mountain Resort. He says his first name Chiase means a 'shy person', while his surname Disa means a wise and strong man.
He says Utanga, Becheve, Iyôn and Tiv are sons of Ikyôr, that they were all from the same mother.
Every young man here seems to know their roots ‎much more than the Tiv people I have interacted with.

Another Security Guard Sunday Ingyô who himself is Iyôn a zembe says his father settled here since 1932. He says Tiv lost most of the Ikyôr language to the Hausa when he moved away from Swem. "When the Tiv say things like kasua, zaki, chinkafa, kujira, you know that it Hausa language".

I seem to believe these brothers' account especially with the similar differences I'm learning.

Take a look;

‎1. Do you hear what I said?

Becheve: U ungwa u ‎mana kaa me kaa ngnee?
Utanga: U ngba kwagh me ôrun muu?‎
Tiv: U ungwa kwagh u m ôr u nee?


2. I'll go to the market to buy meat


Becheve: me za isheer me za kunda inyam
Utanga: me za yam nyam ke kasua
Tiv: me za kasua me za yam inyam

3. I want to go and bathe my child

Becheve: Me za woo wan wam iyol
Utanga: Me za kile wan wam iyol‎
Tiv: Me za ôr/kile wan wam iyol‎

4. I'm going to the farm

Becheve: Me yar ke owemi
Utanga: Me yar ‎ke ikyôr‎
Tiv: Me yar ke ityev

5. Let's share something

Becheve: Se kee ‎
Utanga: Se burun kwaa
Tiv: Se kar‎ kwar

6. Stop/leave that

Becheve: de u‎ man uwoo
Utanga:‎ De kwagh mon
Tiv:‎ De kwagh la

7. Do you hear?

Becheve: U ungwa a?
Utanga: U ngba a?
Tiv: U ungwa a?‎

Becheve:
A gba (it has fallen)
A yila me ke tyumbe (he called me from the house)
A yila me ke swam‎ (he called me from the village)
Wan a Tor (Prince/Princess)
‎Me de (I will leave)
Me va (I will come)
U yôr‎ (thank you, well cooked etc)
Wan (child)

More to come in my subsequent writing on the 'brothers' living apart but kept closer with similar differences in their language.

KiNG JAMES YiYE is a Radio & ‎Online Journalist with ‎
Radio Netherlands Worldwide and the Executive Director ASKiNG Media Limited

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