Igboid languages

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? Atlantic–Congo Volta-Congo Volta-Niger Igboid
Proto-language	Proto-Igboid
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

Below 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

• List of Proto-Igboid reconstructions (Wiktionary)

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.

• Blench, Roger. 2016. A reconstruction of the phonology of proto-Igboid.

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