Kalpana Kalpana (Editor)

Defoid languages

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Geographic distribution:
  
Nigeria

Subdivisions:
  
Yoruboid Akoko

Linguistic classification:
  
Niger–Congo Atlantic–Congo Volta–Niger Defoid

Glottolog:
  
defo1239  (partial overlap)

The Defoid languages are a now-abandoned branch of the Benue–Congo language family. The name of the group derives from the fact that nearly all of the ethnic groups who speak member languages refer to the city of Ilé Ifè as their place of origin — Defoid = èdè ('language') + ifè (Ife) + oid. The Defoid language group consists of two branches, Yoruboid and Akoko, which though related, are now recognized as not being closer to each other than they are to Igboid and Edoid; the acronym YEAI is used provisionally for all four families. (See Volta–Niger languages.)

References

Defoid languages Wikipedia