Engenni language

Engenni (Ẹgẹnẹ) is an Edoid language of Nigeria.

Engenni
Ẹgẹnẹ
Native to	Nigeria
Region	Bayelsa State, Rivers State
Ethnicity	Engenni people
Native speakers	(20,000 cited 1980)[1]
Language family	Niger–Congo? Atlantic–Congo Volta–Niger yeai Edoid Delta Engenni
Language codes
ISO 639-3	enn
Glottolog	enge1239

Grammar

Engenni is a fairly isolating language, having little affixation.^[2] There is no plural form for words. It has definite articles, but no indefinite articles. There is a two-contrast with regards to demonstratives, while pronominal and adnominal demonstratives are identical (as in English). Verbs are marked for perfective/imperfective aspect, but there is no past tense.^[3]

Engenni is an SVO language that uses prepositions. Adjectives, demonstratives, and numerals follow the noun they describe. Yes–no questions are marked with a special particle, which goes at the end of the question. Negation is indicated by a change in tone.

Writing System

Engenni has been written since the 1930s, initially in leaflets, posters and religious hymns, or a translation of the Bible. It took several decades before non-religious literary works were published in English. In the 1970s, several literacy works were published by Joycelyn Clevenger or Mosaic Urugba with the Rivers Readers Project. A translation of the New Testament, Baibulu Eba Fai was published in 1977 by World Home Bible League. An alphabet with 9 vowels and 25 consonants is used in epoch.

In 2011, a new alphabet with 10 vowels and 30 consonants was adopted and published.

Engenni alphabet (2011)^[4]

a

ạ

b

ḅ

ch

d

ḍ

e

ẹ

f

g

gb

gw

i

ị

j

k

kp

kw

l

m

n

ny

nw

o

ọ

p

r

s

sh

sw

t

u

ụ

v

w

y

z

ẓ