Ijoid languages

Ijoid is a proposed but undemonstrated group of languages linking the Ijaw languages (Ịjọ) with the endangered Defaka language. The similarities, however, may be due to Ijaw influence on Defaka.[1]

Ijoid
Geographic
distribution		Southern Nigeria
Linguistic classificationNiger–Congo?
Subdivisions
Glottologijoi1239

The Ijoid, or perhaps just Ijaw, languages form a divergent branch of the Niger–Congo family and are noted for their subject–object–verb basic word order, which is otherwise an unusual feature in Niger–Congo, shared only by such distant branches as Mande and Dogon. Like Mande and Dogon, Ijoid lacks even traces of the noun class system considered characteristic of Niger–Congo, and so might have split early from that family. Linguist Gerrit Dimmendaal doubts its inclusion in Niger–Congo altogether and considers the Ijaw/Ijoid languages to be an independent family.[2] [3]

Comparative vocabulary

Sample basic vocabulary for Proto-Ijaw, Kalabari, and Defaka:

Languageeyeearnosetoothtonguemouthbloodbonetreewatereatname
Proto-Ijaw[4]*tɔrɪ³*ɓeri¹*nḭnḭ³*aka²*ɪ̰ɓɛ̰lɛʊ²*ɓɪpɪ²*asɪ̰ɪ̰¹*ṵgbəu²*tɛ̰ɪ̰²*ɓed̰i¹*fɪɪ²*ɪrɛ²
Kalabari[5]tɔ́rʊ̄ɓerinínīákáɓɛ́lɛ́ɓɪ́ɓɪ́ímgbeɔmbɪ-yé, pulosɪ́nminjifɪ́ɛ́rɛ́
Defaka[5]ɔ́yɔɓasiníninɪanmɛndʊɔɓɪ́ɪ́ḿbuaasiibo tiinmbɪ́áééɪ́tá

Numerals

Comparison of numerals in individual languages:[6]

ClassificationLanguage12345678910
DefakaDefakaɡbérímààmàtáátónɛ́ìtúúnɔ̀màànɡòtúààmà (5 + 2) ?túàtùà (5 + 3) ?túùnèì (5 + 4) ?wóì
Ijo, East, NortheasternNkorooɡbɔ́rímàmìtárúnɛ̃́ĩ́sɔ́nɔ́sóníásɔ́nɔ́mànínìísíéníójí
Ijo, East, Northeastern, EasternIbaniŋ̀ɡɪ̀ɛ́m̀mɛ̀ɛ́tɛ́rɛ́ínísɔ́nɔ́sóníɛ́sɔ́nɔ́màínínèéséníéàtìé / ójí
Ijo, East, Northeastern, EasternOkrika (Kalabari)ŋ̀ɡèimàɪ̃tɛrɛineĩsɔnɔsoniosɔnɔmɛ̀ninèesenieoji, àtèi
Ijo, West IjoIzon (Ijaw/Ijo) (1)kẹnị́mamụ́tǎrụnóínsọ́nrọ́n =sɔ̃́rɔ̃́ ?sǒndiesọ́nọ́manínɡíniiséóí
Ijo, West IjoIzon (Ijaw/Ijo) (2)kẹnị́mamụ́tǎrụnóínsọ́nrọ́n =sɔ̃́rɔ̃́ ?sǒndiesọ́nọ́manínɡíniiséóí
Ijo, West IjoIzon (Ijaw/Ijo) (3)kẹnị́maamụ́tǎarụnóínsọ́nrọ́n =sɔ̃́rɔ̃́ ?sǒndiesọ́nọ́maníníni or nínɡíniiséoyi/ óí
Ijo, West, Inland IjoOkordiakɛ̀nɪmaamʊtaarʊniisɔ̃ɔ̃rɔ̃sɔ̃zie / sɔ̃zɪsɔnɔmàmàà fùisioni, eji karama (10 - 1)eji

Bibliography
  • Jenewari, Charles E. W. (1989) 'Ijoid'. In Bendor-Samuel, John and Hartell, Rhonda L. (eds.), The Niger–Congo languages: A classification and description of Africa's largest language family, 105-118. Lanham, MD: University Press of America.
  • Williamson, Kay. 1969. 'Igbo' and 'Ịjọ', chapters 7 and 8 in: Twelve Nigerian Languages, ed. by E. Dunstan. Longmans.
  • Williamson, Kay. 1971. The Benue–Congo languages and Ịjọ. In: Current Trends in Linguistics, Vol. 7, series ed. by T. A. Sebeok, 245-306.
  • Williamson, Kay. 1988. Linguistic evidence for the prehistory of the Niger Delta. In: The Prehistory of the Niger Delta, ed. by E.J. Alagoa and others. Hamburg: Helmut Buske Verlag.
  • Williamson, Kay. 1998. Defaka revisited. The multi-disciplinary approach to African history, edited by Nkparom C. Ejituwu, Chapter 9, 151-183. Port Harcourt: University of Port Harcourt Press.
  • 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 & Blench, Roger (2000) 'Niger–Congo', in Heine, Bernd and Nurse, Derek (eds) African Languages: An Introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge University press, pp. 11–42.

References
  1. Roger Blench, Niger-Congo: an alternative view
  2. Dimmendaal, Gerrit Jan (2011-01-01). Historical Linguistics and the Comparative Study of African Languages. John Benjamins Publishing. ISBN 978-9027211781.
  3. Babaev, Kirill. "Joseph Greenberg and the Current State of Niger-Congo".
  4. Blench, Roger M. and Kay Williamson. 2007. Comparative Ijoid Word List. Unpublished Manuscript.
  5. Jenewari, Charles E. W. 1983. Defaka: Ijo's closest relative. (Delta Series, 2.) University of Port Harcourt Press. ISBN 978-2321-39-7
  6. Chan, Eugene (2019). "The Niger-Congo Language Phylum". Numeral Systems of the World's Languages.
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