Igboid languages

Igboid languages constitute a branch of the Volta–Niger language family. The subgroups are:

Igboid
Geographic
distribution		South central Nigeria, lower reaches of the Niger River and east, south the Benue
Linguistic classificationNiger–Congo?
Proto-languageProto-Igboid
Glottologigbo1258

Williamson and Blench conclude that the Nuclear Igboid languages (Igboid apart from Ekpeye) form a "language cluster" and that they are somewhat mutually intelligible.[1] However, mutual intelligibility is only marginal, even among the Izii–Ikwo–Ezaa–Mgbo languages. Igboid languages are being spoken by nearly 40 million people.[2]

Names and locations

Below is a list of language names, populations, and locations from Blench (2019).[3]

LanguageClusterDialectsAlternate spellingsOwn name for languageEndonym(s)Other names (location-based)Other names for languageExonym(s)SpeakersLocation(s)
Igbo
ỊkaAgbor (standard form); southern and eastern varieties are more similar to IgboÌḳáAgborDelta State, Ika and Orhionmwon LGAs
IkwereNorthern dialects: Elele, Apanị, Ọmerelu, Ubima, Isiokpo, Ọmagwna (Ọmuegwna), Ipo, Ọmudioga, Ọmuanwa, Igwuruta, Egbedna, Alụu, Ịbaa; Southern dialects: Akpọ–Mgbu–Tolu, Ọbio, Ọgbakiri, Rụmuji, Ndele, EmọhuaIkwerreÌwhnuruò`hnà54,600 (1950 F&J);[4] possibly 200,000 (SIL)Rivers State, Ikwerre, Port Harcourt and Obio–Akpor LGAs
Izii–Ẹzaa–Ikwo–Mgbo clusterIzii–Ẹzaa–Ikwo–Mgbo593,000 (1973 SIL)
IziIzii–Ẹzaa–Ikwo–MgboEzzi, Izzi84,000 (1950 F&J); 200,000 (1973 SIL)Ebonyi State, Abakaliki, Izzi, and Ebonyi LGAs; Benue State, Okpokwu LGA
ẸzaaIzii–Ẹzaa–Ikwo–MgboEza93,800 (1950 F&J); 180,000 (1973 SIL)Ebonyi State, Ezza and Ishielu LGAs;

Benue State, Okpokwu LGA

IkwoIzii–Ẹzaa–Ikwo–Mgbo38,500 (1950 F&J); 150,000 (1973 SIL)Ebonyi State, Ikwo and Abakaliki LGAs
MgboIzii–Ẹzaa–Ikwo–MgboNgbo19,600 (1950 F&J); 63,000 (1973 SIL)Ebonyi State, Ishielu and Ohaukwu LGAs
OgbahEgnih (East Ogbah), South Ogbah, West OgbahOgba22,750 (1950 F&J)Rivers State, Ahoada LGA
ẸkpẹyẹAccording to clan names: Ako, Upata, Ubye, IgbuduyaEkpeye, Ekpabya (by Abua), Ekkpahia, Ekpaffia20,000 (1953); 50,000 (1969 Clark)[5]Rivers State, Ahoada LGA
Ụkwuanị–Aboh–Ndọnị clusterỤkwuanị–Aboh–Ndọnị150,000 (SIL)Delta State, Ndokwa LGA; Rivers State, Ahoada LGA
ỤkwuanịỤkwuanị–Aboh–NdọnịUtaaba, Emu, Abbi, ObiarukuUkwani, Ukwali, KwaleDelta State, Ndokwa LGA
AbohỤkwuanị–Aboh–NdọnịEbohDelta State, Ndokwa LGA
NdọnịỤkwuanị–Aboh–NdọnịRivers State, Ahoada LGA

See also

References
  1. Williamson, Kay; Roger M. Blench (2000). African languages: an introduction. Cambridge University Press.
  2. "ISO 639-3 Registration Authority. Request for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). sil.org. 4 November 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  3. Blench, Roger (2019). An Atlas of Nigerian Languages (4th ed.). Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.
  4. 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.
  5. Clark, David J. 1969. A grammatical study of Ekpeye. University of London doctoral dissertation.

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