Ebira language

Last updated
Ebira
Native to Nigeria
Region Kogi state, Nassarawa state, FCT, Kwara state, Niger State, Benue state, Edo state, Ondo State
Ethnicity Ebira
Native speakers
2.2 million (2020) [1]
Niger–Congo?
Language codes
ISO 639-3 igb
Glottolog ebir1243

Ebira (pronounced as /eh 'bi ra/) is a language spoken by around 2 million people in middle belt Nigeria. It is the most divergent language. [2] with the Central known as Okene [2]

Contents

Geographic distribution

The majority of speakers are in Kogi State in the Central part of that state; constituting the second largest ethnic group according to national population commission census 2006 Nasarawa State in Toto Local Government Area, where the name is usually spelt Egbura; Edo State in the Town of Igarra, where a similar language is known as Etuno; and in the Federal Capital Territory in the Town of Abaji. It is also spoken in Lapai (Niger State), Makurdi (Benue State and Kwara State and some are also found in Ondo State (Akoko).

Dialects

Varieties of Ebira are: [2]

Blench (2019) lists Okene, Etuno (Tụnọ), and Koto. [3]

Phonology

Consonants

Labial Alveolar Palatal Velar Glottal
Plosive/
Affricate
voiceless p t t͡ɕ k
voiced b d d͡ʑ ɡ
Fricative voiceless s ( ʃ ) h
voiced v z ( ʒ )
Nasal m n ɲ ŋ
Tap ɾ
Approximant w ( l ) j

Vowels

Front Central Back
Close i u
Near-close ɪ ʊ
Close-mid e o
Open-mid ɛ ɔ
Open a

References

  1. Ebira at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022) Closed Access logo transparent.svg
  2. 1 2 3 Blench, Roger. 2013. The Nupoid languages of west-central Nigeria: overview and comparative word list .
  3. Blench, Roger (2019). An Atlas of Nigerian Languages (4th ed.). Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.
  4. Adive, John R. (1984). A descriptive study of the verbal piece in Ebira (a language of Kwara State of Nigeria). University of London.