Information from: “Recent Fieldwork in Nigeria: Report on Horom and Tapshin” (10-11) . Roger Blench (1998)
Vulnerable
60 percent certain, based on the evidence available
<4,000
TRANSMISSION
MORE ON VITALITY
"Even young children are learning the language and there is no evidence of a decline in competence. Even more surprisingly, but no doubt related, the language is by no means full of loanwords from Hausa and Ngas, as is sometimes the case."
LANGUAGE CONTEXT COMMENTS
"All adults appear to be fluent in Ngas and Hausa and Tapshin is an enclave within the Ngas, a numerous population speaking a Chadic language, by whom they are culturally dominated."
PLACES
Tapshin village in Plateau State, Nigeria
LOCATION DESCRIPTION
"Tapshin is some 25 km. north of the Pankshin-Amper road and reached by a track leading off the main road some 5 km. east of Pankshin. The road can only be traversed by a four-wheel drive and may well be cut off completely in the rainy season."
Information from: “The Sur (Tapshin) language of central Nigeria and its affinities” . Blench, Roger M. (2006)
Vulnerable
60 percent certain, based on the evidence available
3,000-4,000
"The number of speakers cannot be more than 3-4000, depending on the status of Met. The figure of 18,000 given in CAPRO (1995) would appear to be a serious over-estimate."
DATE OF INFO
1998
TRANSMISSION
MORE ON VITALITY
"On the face of it, Sur should be a prime candidate for language loss. All adults appear to be fluent in Ngas and Hausa and Tapshin is an enclave within the Ngas, by whom they are culturally dominated... However, it was apparent during the interviews that even young children are learning the language and there is no evidence of a decline in competence. Even more surprisingly, but no doubt related, the language is by no means full of Hausa and Ngas loanwords, as is sometimes the case in such situations."
OTHER LANGUAGES USED BY THE COMMUNITY
Ngas
Hausa
PLACES
Nigeria
LOCATION DESCRIPTION
"Spoken in Tapshin village in Bauchi State, Nigeria. Tapshin is some 25 km. north of the Pankshin-Amper road and reached by a track leading off the main road some 5 km. east of Pankshin."