Editing Niellim language (section)

{{Short description|Bua language spoken in Chad}}
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{{Infobox language
|name=Niellim
|nativename={{lang|nie|lwaà}}
|states=southwestern [[Chad]]
|speakers={{sigfig|5160|2}}
|date=1993 census
|ref=e18
|familycolor=Niger-Congo
|fam2=[[Atlantic–Congo languages|Atlantic–Congo]]
|fam3=[[Mbum–Day languages|Mbum–Day]]
|fam4=[[Bua languages|Bua]]
|iso3=nie
|glotto=niel1243
|glottorefname=Niellim
|map=Niellim-closeup.png
|mapcaption=Closeup of the area where Niellim is spoken.
|notice=IPA
}}

The '''Niellim language''' (autonym {{lang|nie|lwaà}}) is a [[Bua languages|Bua language]] spoken by some 5,000 people (as of 1993) along the [[Chari River]] in southern [[Chad]].  It is mainly spoken in two areas: one around the city of [[Sarh]] (to which many - perhaps most - speakers have migrated) and one, its traditional home, further north, between about 9°30′ and 9°50′ N, corresponding to the former chiefdoms of Pra and [[Niou]], as well as the Niellim Sultanate.

Niellim borders on several languages of diverse families – in particular [[Sara languages|Sara]], [[Ndam language|Ndam]], and [[Laal language|Laal]] – and is influenced by the local ''[[lingua franca]]'', [[Baguirmi language|Baguirmi]]; it has itself strongly influenced [[Laal language|Laal]], but also apparently has been influenced by Laal, or a relative of Laal, since much of the common Laal–Niellim vocabulary is not Bua.  It is notably homogeneous.  As a small minority in Chad, its speakers usually have to learn other languages, mostly (as of 1974) [[Baguirmi language|Baguirmi]], [[Sara languages|Sara]], [[Arabic language|Arabic]], and [[Bua language|Bua]].