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

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

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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