Hasha (Hàshà)

Hasha is a member of the Alumic group of Plateau languages, a branch of the Benue-Congo language family. It is spoken by about 3,000 people mainly in Wamba Local Government Area in the northeast of Nasarawa State in the North Central region of Nigeria. In particular, it is spoken in the villages of Kwaan (Kwààn), Hashasu (Hàshàsu) and Husu (Hùsù). There are also Hasha speakers in other parts of Nigeria such as Abuja, Lafia, Wamba, Akwanga, Zaria and Port Harcourt.

Hasha is used informally in families and communities among people of all ages. Many Hasha speakers also speak Hausa and/or English, and all three languages are used in some schools to varying degrees.

Hasha was formally known as Yashi, which comes from the Hausa names for the villages where it is spoken: Yashi Sarki (Kwaan), Yashi Madaki (Husu) and Yashi Pa'a (Hashasu). It is written with the Latin alphabet, however few Hasha speakers are literate in their language and are more likely to write in Hausa or English.

Hasha alphabet

Download an alphabet chart for Hasha (Excel)
Details of the Hasha alphabet provide by Wolfram Siegel (PDF)

Sample text

Ka ha mur yii mangik, wunnang nyenen: 'Da nar ka wa twang, wu sumuk tiyak nis.
Gum nis bii. Hwen ka nu mur tey-yong chang phar twang.
Na ba ring beer, ma numu.
Nyish phi-phinik narngan, ka wu nyish bang tika ka-kasak ba ring kang.
Sa ba wur cween jwa ge, war wur wok ma kajiri.'

Source: https://doc-files.bibleineverylanguage.org/ybj-reg-mat_lbo_1c_c_chapter_clf.pdf

Translation

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
The Lord's Prayer - Matthew 6: 9-13

Source: https://www.bible.com/bible/1/MAT.6.KJV

Sample video in Hasha

Links

Information about Hasha
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasha_language
https://www.sil.org/resources/search/language/ybj
https://glottolog.org/resource/languoid/id/hash1238

Benue-Congo languages

Ahwai, Akum, Alumu, Anaang, Berom, Cara, Eleme, Eloyi, Firan, Gokana, Hasha, Jju

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page created: 18.09.26. Last modified: 18.09.26

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