Igboid languages

Branch of the YEAI Languages

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

• Ekpeye
• Nuclear Igboid: Igbo, Ikwerre, Ika, Izii–Ikwo–Ezza–Mgbo, Ogba, Ishiagu and Ukwuani-Aboh-Ndoni

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]

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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