Igboid languages constitute a branch of the Volta–Niger language family.
| Igboid | |
|---|---|
| Geographic distribution | South central Nigeria, lower reaches of the Niger River and east, south of the Benue |
| Linguistic classification | Niger–Congo? |
| Proto-language | Proto-Igboid |
| Language codes | |
| Glottolog | igbo1258 |
Williamson and Blench conclude that the Igboid languages form a "language cluster" that are mutually intelligible.[1] Igboid languages are being spoken by over 40 million people.[2]
Names and locations
editBelow is a list of language names, populations, and locations from Blench (2019).[3]
| Language | Cluster | Dialects | Alternate spellings | Own name for language | Endonym(s) | Other names (location-based) | Other names for language | Exonym(s) | Speakers | Location(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Igbo | Ibo | |||||||||
| Ịka | Agbor (standard form); southern and eastern varieties are more similar to Igbo | Ìḳá | Agbor | Delta State, Ika and Orhionmwon LGAs | ||||||
| Ikwere | Northern dialects: Elele, Apanị, Ọmerelu, Ubima, Isiokpo, Ọmagwa (Ọmegwa), Ipo, Ọmudioga, Ọmuanwa, Igwuruta, Egbeda, Alụu, Ịbaa; Southern dialects: Akpọ–Mgbu–Tolu, Ọbio, Ọgbakiri, Rụmuji, Ndele, Emọhua | Ikwerre | Ìwhuruò`hnà | 54,600 (1950 F&J);[4] possibly 200,000 (SIL) | Rivers State, Ikwerre, Emohua,Port Harcourt and Obio–Akpor LGAs | |||||
| Izii–Ẹzaa–Ikwo–Mgbo cluster | Izii–Ẹzaa–Ikwo–Mgbo | 593,000 (1973 SIL) | ||||||||
| Izi | Izii–Ẹzaa–Ikwo–Mgbo | Ezzi, Izzi | 84,000 (1950 F&J); 200,000 (1973 SIL) | Ebonyi State, Abakaliki, Izzi, and Ebonyi LGAs; Benue State, Okpokwu LGA | ||||||
| Ẹzaa | Izii–Ẹzaa–Ikwo–Mgbo | Eza | 93,800 (1950 F&J); 180,000 (1973 SIL) | Ebonyi State, Ezza and Ishielu LGAs;
Benue State, Okpokwu LGA | ||||||
| Ikwo | Izii–Ẹzaa–Ikwo–Mgbo | 38,500 (1950 F&J); 150,000 (1973 SIL) | Ebonyi State, Ikwo and Abakaliki LGAs | |||||||
| Mgbo | Izii–Ẹzaa–Ikwo–Mgbo | Ngbo | 19,600 (1950 F&J); 63,000 (1973 SIL) | Ebonyi State, Ishielu and Ohaukwu LGAs | ||||||
| Ogbah | Egnih (East Ogbah), South Ogbah, West Ogbah | Ogba | 22,750 (1950 F&J) | Rivers State, Ahoada LGA | ||||||
| Ẹkpẹyẹ | According to clan names: Ako, Upata, Ubye, Igbuduya | Ekpeye, Ekpabya (by Abua), Ekkpahia, Ekpaffia | 20,000 (1953); 50,000 (1969 Clark)[5] | Rivers State, Ahoada LGA | ||||||
| Ụkwuanị–Aboh–Ndọnị cluster | Ụkwuanị–Aboh–Ndọnị | 150,000 (SIL) | Delta State, Ndokwa LGA; Rivers State, Ahoada LGA | |||||||
| Ụkwuanị | Ụkwuanị–Aboh–Ndọnị | Utaaba, Emu, Abbi, Obiaruku | Ukwani, Ukwali, Kwale | Delta State, Ndokwa LGA | ||||||
| Aboh | Ụkwuanị–Aboh–Ndọnị | Eboh | Delta State, Ndokwa LGA | |||||||
| Ndọnị | Ụkwuanị–Aboh–Ndọnị | Rivers State, Ahoada LGA |
See also
edit- List of Proto-Igboid reconstructions (Wiktionary)
References
edit- ^ Williamson, Kay; Roger M. Blench (2000). African languages: an introduction. Cambridge University Press.
- ^ "ISO 639-3 Registration Authority. Request for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). sil.org. 4 November 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
- ^ Blench, Roger (2019). An Atlas of Nigerian Languages (4th ed.). Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.
- ^ Forde, C.D. and G.I. Jones 1950. The Ibo and Ibibio speaking peoples of Southern Nigeria. Ethnographic Survey of Africa. Western Africa part III. International African Institute, London.
- ^ Clark, David J. 1969. A grammatical study of Ekpeye. University of London doctoral dissertation.
- Blench, Roger. 2016. A reconstruction of the phonology of proto-Igboid.
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