Edoid languages

Last updated
Edoid
Geographic
distribution
South-central Nigeria, west of the Niger River, south of the confluence of the Benue
Linguistic classification Niger–Congo?
Proto-language Proto-Edoid
Subdivisions
  • Delta
  • North-Central
  • Northwestern
  • Southwestern
Language codes
Glottolog edoi1239

The Edoid languages are a few dozen languages spoken in Southern Nigeria, predominantly in the former Bendel State. [1] The name Edoid derives from its most widely spoken member, Edo, the language of Benin City, which has 30 million native and secondary speakers.

Contents

Classification

Elugbe (1989)

The following classification is based on that of Elugbe (1989). [2]

Ihievbe and Aduge are unclassified within their branches.

Lewis (2013)

An alternative classification of the Edoid languages by Lewis (2013:160): [3]

Lewis's [4]  study is an improvement on Elugbe's classification, as more languages were identified and classified. However, omitted the Uvbie of the South-Western Edoid branch (cf. Emoefe et al. (2017). [5] )

Names and locations

Below is a list of language names, populations, and locations from Blench (2019). [6]

LanguageBranchClusterDialectsAlternate spellingsOwn name for language Endonym(s)Other names (location-based)Other names for language Exonym(s)SpeakersLocation(s)
Degema DeltaAtala, spoken in Degema town, and Usokun spoken in Usokun–DegemaDẹgẹmaAtala, Usokun(Udekama not recommended)10,000 (SIL) Rivers State, Degema LGA
Engenni DeltaEdiro, Inedua, and Ogua; Zarama in Yenagoa LGANgene, ẸgẹnẹẸgẹnẹ10,000 (1963); 20,000 (1980 UBS) Rivers State, Yenagoa and Ahoada LGAs
Epie DeltaTwo clans, Epie and Atiṣa in at least three towns: Agudiama, Akẹnfai, YẹneguẹEpie–Atissa, Epie–Atiṣa12,000 (SIL) Rivers State, Yenagoa LGA
Emai–Iuleha–Ora clusterNorth-CentralEmai–Iuleha–OraIvhimion. Spurious languages Ihievbe and Uokha are listed in Ethnologue (2009)KunibumIvbiosakonestimated 100,000 plus (1987 Schaefer) [7] Edo State, Owan, LGA
Emai North-CentralEmai–Iuleha–Oraestimated 20–25,000 (1987 Schaefer)
Iuleha North-CentralEmai–Iuleha–OraAomaestimated 50,000 (1987 Schaefer)
Ora North-CentralEmai–Iuleha–Oraestimated 30,000 (1987 Schaefer)
Esan North-CentralMany dialectsIshanAwain183,000 (1952); 500,000 estimated in 1963: Okojie & Ejele (1987) [8] Bendel State (now Edo State and Delta State), Agbazilo, Okpebho, Owan and Etsako LGAs
Ikpeshi North-Central1,826 (Bradbury 1957) [9] Edo State, Etsako LGA
Etsako North-CentralAuchi, Uzairue, South Ivbie, Uwepa–Uwano, (Weppa–Wano), Avbianwu (Fugar), Avbiele, IvbiadaobiYẹkhee: not all speakers of the language recognise this as the name of the language.EtsakọIyẹkhee, Afenmai, Kukuruku (not recommended)73,500 (1952), 150,000 (UBS 1987) Edo State, Etsako, Agbako and Okpebho LGAs
Ghotuọ North-CentralOtwa, Otuọ9,000 (1952) Edo State, Owan and Akoko–Edo LGAs
Ivbie North–Okpela–Arhẹ clusterNorth-CentralIvbie North–Okpela–Arhẹ14,500 (1952); possibly 20,000 (1973 SIL) Edo State, Etsako and Akoko–Ẹdo LGAs
Ivbie North North-CentralIvbie North–Okpela–Arhẹ
Okpela North-CentralIvbie North–Okpela–ArhẹOkpella, Ukpilla
Arhẹ North-CentralIvbie North–Okpela–ArhẹAtẹ, Ate, Atte
Yẹkhee North-CentralAuchi, Uzairue, South Ivbie, Uwepa–Uwano, (Weppa–Wano), Avbianwu (Fugar), Avbiele, IvbiadaobiYẹkhee: not all speakers of the language recognise this as the name of the language.Etsakọ: the language is not the only language listed as being spoken in Etsako LGA.Iyẹkhee, Afenmai, Kukuruku (not recommended)73,500 (1952), 150,000 (UBS 1987) Edo State, Etsako, Agbako and Okpebho LGAs
Ẹdo North-CentralOviedo, OviobaBeninẸdo (Binĩ)203,000 (1952), 1,000,000 (1987 UBS) Edo State, Ovia, Oredo and Orhionmwon LGAs
Ọsọsọ North-Central6,532 (1957 Bradbury) Edo State, Akoko–Edo LGA
Sasaru–Enwan–Igwẹ North-CentralEnwan, Igwẹ, Sasaru3,775 (1952) Edo State, Akoko–Edo LGA
Unẹmẹ North-CentralUleme, Ileme, Ineme6,000 (1952). Edo State, Etsako, Agbazilo and Akoko–Edo LGAs. The Uneme are a blacksmith group and live scattered among other language groups.
Uhami North-WesternIsua5,498 (1963) Ondo State, Akoko–South and Owo LGAs
Ukue North-WesternUkpe, Ẹkpenmi5,702 (1963) Ondo State, Akoko South LGA
Ehuẹun North-WesternẸkpenmi, Ekpimi, Epimi5,766 (1963) Ondo State, Akoko South LGA
Iyayu North-WesternIdoani9,979 (1963) Ondo State, one quarter of Idoani town
Ẹmhalhẹ North-WesternSomorika (Semolika)249 in Semolina town (Temple 1922) [10] Edo State, Akoko–Edo LGA
Ọkpamheri North-WesternỌkpamheri means ‘we are one’: Okulosho (Okurosho), Western Okpamheri, Emhalhe (Emarle, Somorika, Semolika). Various.OpameriAduge (appears to be a town name)18,136 (1957 Bradbury); 30,000 (1973 SIL) Edo State, Akoko–Edo LGA, Kwara State, Oyi LGA
Ọkpẹ–Idesa–Akuku North-WesternỌkpẹ, Idesa, Akuku Edo State, Akoko–Edo LGA
Ọlọma North-Western353 (1957 Bradbury) Edo State, Akoko–Edo LGA
Ẹrụwa South-WesternErohwa, Erakwa, Arokwa Delta State, Isoko LGA
Isoko South-WesternvariousIgabo, Sobo (see also under Urhobo)Biotu (not recommended)At least 74,000 (1952 REB); 300,000 (1980 UBS) Delta State, Isoko and Ndokwa LGAs
Okpẹ South-WesternUkpɛ8,722 (1957 Bradbury) Delta State, Okpe LGA
Urhobo South-WesternSeveral dialects, Agbarho accepted as standard. Okpe and Uvbiẹ, often regarded as dialects of Urhobo, are treated as distinct languages (q.v.) on purely linguistic groundsSobo (not recommended) (See also Isoko)Biotu (See also Isoko)at least 173,000 (1952 REB); 340,000 (1973 SIL) Delta State, Ethiope and Ughelli LGAs
Uvbiẹ South-WesternUvwie, Evrie, Uvhria, Effurum, Effurun, Evhro (not recommended)6,000 (1952) Delta State, Ethiope LGA

Comparative vocabulary

Sample basic vocabulary for some northern Edoid languages from Lewis (2013):

Languageeyeearnosetoothtonguemouthbloodbonetreewatereatname
Ghotuo ɛ́óíhɔ̀wèízúéɛ̄kɔ̄nímɛ̀lèúnùādɛ̄ūgūāɔ̀kpótāāmɛ̄ījéévà
Sasaru rɛ̄rōwózɔ́ízúélɛ̂ːkɔ̄úrɛ̀rɛ̄únúɔ̀ràúgúáótáāmɛ̄réʒíōvā
Ikhin ɛ́ɣóɛ̀ɣɔ̀èwèákáúwɛ̀rɛ́ùnùɔ́ráìgùàòrhàámɛ́èmāèēèèvà
Arokho ɛ̄xōéxɔ̄íwèākɔ̄óxɛ̀rɛ̄únùɔjaúgùàúràìāmɛ̄émàēévà
Uroe ɛ̄xōèkɛ̃̀ ̀íwèàkù̃ɔ́rɛ̄mìúnùɛ̀rèák͡pókàórà̃āmɛ̄émírémìêːɲì
Igwe (Sale)ɛ̄xōóxɔ̀ísúèākɔ̄íɲɛ̀rɛ̀ùnùɔ̀ràígúáítá ̀àmɛ̀īdɛ̄réúrâːmī
Igwe (Oke)ɛ̀rōwórɔ̀ísúèɛ̄kōínɛ̀nɛ̀únùɔ̄ráɔ̄tɛ̄kūúkánɔ́sínóríbèāmɛ̄ìléléóvà
Ake ōk͡pɛ́xòexɔíwèàk͡pàkòúrɛ̀mìúnùɔ́ràìráìúnààmɛ̀ùgbàiéìɲì
Okpuje ɛ̄xōêːxɔ̀érùèákɔ̄̃óxɛ̀mìúnùɛ̄rēák͡púkàórààmɛ̀ébàèēhī
Sobongida ɛ̄xōe̋ːxɔ̀éwèākū̃óxɛ̀mìúnùɛ̄rēāk͡pôːkàórààmèébàēéhì

Phonology

Proto-Edoid is reconstructed as having a contrast between oral and nasal consonants and oral and nasal vowels typical for the region. However, in some Edoid languages nasal vowels have been reanalyzed as allophones of oral vowels after nasal consonants, and in others nasal consonants have been reanalyzed as allophones of oral consonants before nasal vowels, reducing the number of phonemically nasal consonants. Urhobo retains three nasals, /m,n,ɲ/, and has five oral consonants with nasal allophones, /ɺ,l,ʋ,j,w/; in Edo this is reduced to one phonemic nasal, /m/, but eight additional consonants with nasal allophones, /p,b,t,d,k,ɡ,kp,ɡb/; and in Ukue there are no indisputably phonemic nasals and only two consonants with nasal allophones, /l,β/.

See also

Notes

    Related Research Articles

    In phonetics, a nasal, also called a nasal occlusive or nasal stop in contrast with an oral stop or nasalized consonant, is an occlusive consonant produced with a lowered velum, allowing air to escape freely through the nose. The vast majority of consonants are oral consonants. Examples of nasals in English are, and, in words such as nose, bring and mouth. Nasal occlusives are nearly universal in human languages. There are also other kinds of nasal consonants in some languages.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Fon language</span> Gbe language

    Fon also known as Dahomean is the language of the Fon people. It belongs to the Gbe group within the larger Atlantic–Congo family. It is primarily spoken in Benin, as well as in Nigeria and Togo by approximately 2.28 million speakers. Like the other Gbe languages, Fon is an isolating language with a SVO basic word order.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Edo language</span> Edoid language spoken in Nigeria

    Edo, colloquially and often referred to as Bini, is the language spoken by the Edo ethnic group in Edo State, Nigeria. Benin is not a language but, rather, the name of the capital city, and the name of the Kingdom. Edo language is the native tongue of the Edo people and was the primary language of the Benin Empire and its predecessor, Igodomigodo for thousands of years. Edo language is the majority language spoken in Edo State, particularly in Benin City, and the surrounding local governments and senatorial districts in the Southern parts of the State. While everyone from the state are referred to as Edolites, but the Edo speaking people are known as the Edos.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Yoruboid languages</span> Branch of the YEAI Languages

    Yoruboid is a language family composed of the Igala group of dialects spoken in south central Nigeria, and the Edekiri group spoken in a band across Togo, Ghana, Benin and southern Nigeria, including the Itsekiri of Warri Kingdom.

    Guéré (Gere), also called (Wee), is a Kru language spoken by over 300,000 people in the Dix-Huit Montagnes and Moyen-Cavally regions of Ivory Coast.

    Ikwerre (Iwhuruohna), is an Iwhuruohna dialect spoken primarily by the Ikwerre people, who inhabit certain areas of Rivers State, Nigeria.

    Urhobo is a South-Western Edoid language spoken by the Urhobo people of southern Nigeria. It is from the Delta and Bayelsa States.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Volta–Niger languages</span> Hypothetical major branch of the Volta-Congo languages

    The Volta–Niger family of languages, also known as West Benue–Congo or East Kwa, is one of the branches of the Niger–Congo language family, with perhaps 70 million speakers. Among these are the most important languages of southern Nigeria, Benin, Togo, and southeast Ghana: Yoruba, Igbo, Bini, and Gbe.

    Dẹgẹma is an Edoid language spoken in two separate communities on Degema Island in the Niger Delta, Nigeria, by about 120,000 people, according to 1991 census figures. The two communities are Usokun-Degema and Degema Town in the Degema Local Government Area in Rivers State. Each community speaks a mutually intelligible variety of Dẹgẹma, known by the names of the communities speaking them: the Usokun variety and the Degema Town variety. Both varieties are similar in their phonological, morphological, syntactic and semantic properties.

    The Engenni people live in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. They are among the many sub Ijaw groups but they speak a language which linguistic scholars have described to be Edoid. They live in close proximity with other Ijaw people. They primarily live in Ahoada west local government area of Rivers state, Nigeria. Although they consider themselves to be Engenni, the Engenni speak an Edoid language. Alagoa (2003) said: “---The penetration of the Niger-Delta by Edoid groups extends to the Epie-Atissa and Engenni of the central and Eastern Niger-Delta----The Epie, along with the Ogbia and other groups of the central and eastern Niger-Delta, are historically united with the Ijaw.” The other groups of the central and eastern Niger-Delta which Professor Ebiegberi Alagoa said that were historically united with the Ijaw, include the Engenni, as shown from his narrative above. The Engenni have close relations with neighbouring Ijaw tribes such as the Zarama and Epie-Atissa.

    Akpes (Àbèsàbèsì) is an endangered language of Nigeria. It is spoken by approximately 7,000 speakers in the North of Ondo State. The language is surrounded by several other languages of the Akoko area, where Yoruba is the lingua franca. Yoruba replaces Akpes in more and more informal domains and thus forwards a gradual shift from Akpes towards Yoruba. Akpes is generally attributed to the Volta-Congo Branch of the Niger-Congo phylum.

    Epie is an Ijaw language spoken in Nigeria by the Epie–Atissa people.

    Afenmai (Afemai), Yekhee, or Iyekhe, is an Edoid language spoken in Edo State, Nigeria by Afenmai people. Not all speakers recognize the name Yekhee; some use the district name Etsako.

    Ivbiosakon, or Aoma, is an Edoid language of Edo State, Nigeria. The dialect names Ora and Emai are also used for the language.

    Kuteb also known as Ati, Kutev, Mbarike is a Nigerian ethnic language. The Kuteb people mostly live in the southern part of Taraba state in Nigeria, with a thousand-or-so speakers across the border in Cameroon. In Nigeria, it is spoken mostly in Takum and Ussa LGAs, and Yangtu SDA Taraba State.

    Okpe is an Edoid language of Nigeria spoken by the Urhobo people.

    Uvwiẹ or Ẹphrọn (Effurun) is a Niger Delta language spoken by the Uvwie people of southern Nigeria. It is classified alongside Urhobo, Okpe, Isoko and Eruwa as co-ordinate members of South-western Edoid branch of Proto Edoid language spoken by the Uvwie people of southern Nigeria.

    Engenni (Ẹgẹnẹ) is an Edoid language of Nigeria.

    Ukue (Epinmi) is an Edoid language of Ondo State, Nigeria. It is sometimes considered the same language as Ehuẹun.

    According to the language family tree classification by Ethnologue, Okpe, Urhobo and Uvwie, alongside Eruwa and Isoko, make up the five Southwestern Edoid languages of the Benue-Congo group. Quoting Johnstone (1993), Ethnologue puts the population of Urhobo people at 546,000, Okpe 25,400 (2000) and Uvwie 19,800 (2000). These three languages have geographically neighbouring languages: Izon and Itsekiri to the west and south, Ukwuani and Isoko to the east and Edo to the north. Thus, Isoko and Urhobo are similar languages that belong to the same linguistic family.

    References

    1. "Edo | people | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2023-01-29.
    2. Elugbe, Ben Ohiọmamhẹ. 1989. Comparative Edoid: Phonology and Lexicon. (Delta Series, 6.) Port-Harcourt: University of Port Harcourt Press.
    3. Lewis, Ademola Anthony. 2013. North Edoid relations and roots. Doctoral dissertation, University of Ibadan.
    4. Lewis, Ademola Anthony. 2013. North Edoid relations and roots. Doctoral dissertation, University of Ibadan.
    5. Emonefe, A. O., C. U. C. Ugorji and P. O. Ekiugbo. (2017). Is Uvwie a Dialect of Urhobo? University of Benin Journal of Humanities 5(1): 27-52.
    6. Blench, Roger (2019). An Atlas of Nigerian Languages (4th ed.). Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.
    7. Schaefer, R.P. 1987. An initial orthography and lexicon for Emai: an Edoid language of Nigeria. Indiana University Linguistics Club, Studies in African Grammatical Systems, 5, Bloomington.
    8. Okojie, C. and P.E. Ejele 1987. Esan orthography. In: Orthography Manual V. ed. R.N. Agheyisi. National Language Centre, Federal Ministry of Education, Lagos.
    9. Bradbury, R.E. 1957. The Benin kingdom and the Edo-speaking peoples of south-south Nigeria (Ethnographic survey of Africa, Western Africa 13). London: Oxford Univ. Press; International African Inst. (IAI).
    10. Temple, Olive 1922. Notes on the Tribes, Provinces, Emirates and States of the Northern Provinces of Nigeria. Argus Printing and Publishing Co. Cape Town.

    Bibliography

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