Kalpana Kalpana (Editor)

Igboid languages

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Subdivisions:
  
Igbo Ekpeye

Glottolog:
  
igbo1258

Geographic distribution:
  
South central Nigeria, lower reaches of the Niger River and east, south the Benue

Linguistic classification:
  
Niger–Congo Atlantic–Congo Volta–Niger YEAI Igboid

Igboid languages constitute a branch of the Volta–Niger language family. It includes Ekpeye, Ukwuani, and the Igbo languages:

  • Ekpeye
  • Igbo: Igbo proper, Ikwerre, Ika, Izii–Ikwo–Ezza–Mgbo, and Ogba.

    • Williamson and Blench conclude that the Igbo languages (Igboid apart from Ekpeye) form a "language cluster" and that they are somewhat mutually intelligible. However, mutual intelligibility is only marginal, even among the Izii–Ikwo–Ezaa–Mgbo languages. Most of these Igboid clans, in Rivers state, started to detach themselves as Igbos, immediately after the civil war, except for the Izii—Ikwo—Ezza—Mgbo Clans of Ebonyi state.

    References

    Igboid languages Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA