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Ijaw languages

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Ijaw
Izon
Geographic
distribution		Southern Nigeria,
Niger Delta
EthnicityIjaw people
Linguistic classificationNiger–Congo?
Subdivisions
  • East
  • Central
  • West
Language codes
ISO 639-2 / 5ijo
Glottologijoo1239

The Ijaw languages (/ˈiːdʒɔː/),[1] also spelled Ịjọ,[2] are the languages spoken by over 14 million Ijaw people in Nigeria.[3]

Classification

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The Ijo languages were traditionally considered a distinct branch of the Niger–Congo family (perhaps along with Defaka in a group called Ijoid).[4] They are notable for their subject–object–verb basic word order, which is otherwise an unusual feature in Niger–Congo, shared only by such distant potential branches as Mande and Dogon. Like Mande and Dogon, Ijoid lacks even traces of the noun class system considered characteristic of Niger–Congo. This motivated Joseph Greenberg, in his initial classification of Niger–Congo, to describe them as having split early from that family. However, owing to the lack of these features, linguist Gerrit Dimmendaal doubts their inclusion in Niger–Congo altogether and considers the Ijoid languages to be an independent family.[5][6]

The ijoid languages can be classified into three main linguistic groups, Eastern Ijo, Western Ijo and Central Ijo, with the Central Izon (Ijaw) language being the most common.[7][8]

  • Ijoid
    • Eastern Ijo
    • Central Ijo/Inland Ijo
    • Western Ijo
      • Furupagha, Apoi, Olodiama, Arogbo etc

Names and locations

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Below is a list of some Ijaw language names, groups, and locations.[8][9]

Language Group Alternate Names Speakers Location
Oruma Central Ijo Kąąma, Tugbaru Bayelsa State
Nembe Central Ijo Nimbi, Akaha Brass, Akassa, Nembe Bayelsa State
Kalabari Eastern Ijo Degema, Abonema, Kula, Ke, Asari-Toru, Akuku-Toru, Bille, Krakrama etc Rivers State
Ogbia Central Ijo Kolo, Anyama, Immiringi, Emakalakala/Amakalakala, Ogbia, Ewoma, etc Bayelsa State
Bille Eastern Ijo Degema, Bille Rivers State
Wakiriki Eastern Ijo Kirike Okirika, Ogu-Bolo Rivers State
Okodia Central Ijo, Western Ijo Akita Buseni, Yenagoa, Operemo, Opukuma etc Bayelsa State, Edo State
Epie/Atissa Central Ijo Yenagoa, Ekpetiama, Akenfa, Gbaran, Agudama, Epie, Atissa etc Bayelsa State
Biseni Central Ijo Buseni Biseni, Mbiama, Akinima, Engeni, Egbema etc Bayelsa State, Rivers State
Central Izon (Ijaw) Central Ijo, Western Ijo Ijaw, Izon, Ijo Burutu, Sagbama, Bomadi, Warri, Oporoza, Tuomo, Kolokuma, Patani, Southern Ijaw, Ekeremor, Focardos, Ndoro, Opokuma, Egbema, Zide, Kabo, Age, Toru-Orua, Ogobiri, Amassoma, Aleibiri, Torugbene, Angiama, Ayamasa, Igbematoru, Azuzuama, Anyama Ijaw, Okumo/Ukomo, Tarakiri, Furupagha, Boma (Bumo), Oporoma, Olodiama, Pakiama, Oboro, Isama, Akugbene, Okologba etc Bayelsa State, Delta State
Apoi Central Ijo, Western Ijo Oboro, Oju-ala, Apoi, Adolesemo, Ese-Odo, Inikorogha, Taribo etc Bayelsa State, Ondo State, Delta State
Abua/Odual Central Ijo Abua, Odual Rivers State
Arogbo Central Ijo, Western Ijo Finiama, Akpata, Opuba, Ukpe, Ajapa, Arogbo etc Bayelsa State, Ondo State
Abureni Central Ijo Abureni, Ogbia Bayelsa State
Ibani Eastern Ijo Opobo, Bonny, Finima, Nkoro, Borokiri, Oloma, Abalama, Peretside etc Rivers State
Obolo Eastern Ijo Andoni Akaradi, Andoni, Anyama-aganna, Ibeno, Eastern Obolo, Anyamabeko etc Rivers State, AkwaIbom State

In the diaspora

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Berbice Creole Dutch, an extinct creole spoken in Guyana, had a lexicon based partly on an Ịjọ language, perhaps the ancestor of Kalabari.[10]

Education and media

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In June 2013, the Izon Fie instructional book and audio CDs were launched at a ceremony attended by officials of the government of Bayelsa State. The Niger Delta University is working to expand the range of books available in the Ijo language. Translations of poetry and the Call of the River Nun by Gabriel Okara are underway.[11]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Laurie Bauer, 2007, The Linguistics Student's Handbook, Edinburgh
  2. ^ generally pronounced /ˈiːdʒoʊ/ in English
  3. ^ "MINA Ijaw Population Report 2024 Estimate | PDF | Nigeria". Scribd. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
  4. ^ Williamson, Kay (2011-08-11). A Grammar of the Kolokuma Dialect of Ịjọ. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521175265.
  5. ^ Dimmendaal, Gerrit Jan (2011-01-01). Historical Linguistics and the Comparative Study of African Languages. John Benjamins Publishing. ISBN 978-9027211781.
  6. ^ "Ijoid languages | Ijoid Languages, Niger-Congo, West Africa | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  7. ^ "MINA Ijaw Population Report 2024 Estimate | PDF | Nigeria". Scribd. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
  8. ^ a b Blench, Roger (2019). An Atlas of Nigerian Languages (4th ed.). Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.
  9. ^ "MINA Ijaw Population Report 2024 Estimate | PDF | Nigeria". Scribd. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
  10. ^ Kouwenberg 1994
  11. ^ Garba, Kabir Alabi (2013-06-08). "Izon Fie… Popularising An Indigenous Tongue". The Guardian Nigeria. Retrieved 2013-06-15.

Bibliography

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  • Freemann, R. A., and Kay Williamson. 1967. Ịjọ proverbs. Research Notes (Ibadan) 1:1-11.
  • Kouwenberg, Silvia 1994. A grammar of Berbice Dutch Creole. (Mouton Grammar Library 12). Berlin/New York: Mouton de Gruyter.
  • Lee, J. D., and Kay Williamson. 1990. A lexicostatistic classification of Ịjọ dialects. Research in African Languages and Linguistics 1:1.1-10.
  • Williamson, Kay. 1963. The syntax of verbs of motion in Ịjọ. J. African Languages 2.150-154.
  • Williamson, Kay. 1966. Ịjọ dialects in the Polyglotta Africana. Sierra Leone Language Review 5. 122-133.
  • Williamson, Kay. 1969. 'Igbo' and 'Ịjọ', chapters 7 and 8 in: Twelve Nigerian Languages, ed. by E. Dunstan. Longmans.
  • Williamson, Kay. 1971. Animal names in Ịjọ. Afr. Notes 6, no. 2, 53-61.
  • Williamson, Kay. 1973. Some reduced vowel harmony systems. Research Notes 6:1-3. 145-169.
  • Williamson, Kay. 1977. Multivalued features for consonants. Language 53.843-871.
  • Williamson, Kay. 1978. From tone to pitch-accent: the case of Ịjọ. Kiabàrà 1:2.116-125.
  • Williamson, Kay. 1979. Consonant distribution in Ịjọ. In: Linguistic and literary studies presented to Archibald Hill, ed. E.C. Polome and W. Winter, 3.341-353. Lisse, Netherlands: Peter de Ridder Press.
  • Williamson, Kay. 1979. Medial consonants in Proto-Ịjọ. Journal of African Languages and Linguistics 1.73-94.
  • Williamson, Kay. 1987. Nasality in Ịjọ. In: Current trends in African linguistics, 4, ed. by David Odden, 397-415.
  • Williamson, Kay. 1989. Tone and accent in Ịjọ. In Pitch accent systems, ed. by Harry v.d. Hulst and Norval Smith, 253-278. Foris Publications.
  • Williamson, Kay. 2004. The language situation in the Niger Delta. Chapter 2 in: The development of Ịzọn language, edited by Martha L. Akpana, 9-13.
  • Williamson, Kay, and A. O. Timitimi. 1970. A note on number symbolism in Ịjọ. African Notes (Ibadan) 5:3. 9-16.
  • Williamson, Kay & Timitime, A.O. (197?) 'A note on Ijo number symbolism', African Notes, 5, 3, 9-16.
  • Filatei, Akpodigha. 2006. The Ijaw Language Project. (Editor of www.ijawdictionary.com). www.ijawdictionary.com
On specific languages
  • Williamson, Kay. 1962. (Republished by Bobbs-Merrill Reprints 1971.). Changes in the marriage system of the Okrika Ịjọ. Africa 32.53-60.
  • Orupabo, G. J., and Kay Williamson. 1980. Okrika. In West African language data sheets, Volume II, edited by M.E. Kropp Dakubu. Leiden: West African Linguistic Society and African Studies Centre.
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