Ijoid languages


Ijoid is a proposed but undemonstrated group of languages linking the Ijaw languages with the endangered Defaka language. The similarities, however, may be due to Ijaw influence on Defaka.
The Ijoid languages, or perhaps just Ijaw, are proposed to form a divergent branch of the hypothetical 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. Linguists Gerrit Dimmendaal and Tom Güldemann doubt its inclusion in Niger–Congo altogether and consider the Ijaw/Ijoid languages to be an independent family.

Comparative vocabulary

Sample basic vocabulary for Proto-Ijaw, Kalabari, and Defaka:
Languageeyeearnosetoothtonguemouthbloodbonetreewatereatname
Proto-Ijaw*tɔrɪ³*ɓeri¹*nḭnḭ³*aka²*ɪ̰ɓɛ̰lɛʊ²*ɓɪpɪ²*asɪ̰ɪ̰¹*ṵgbəu²*tɛ̰ɪ̰²*ɓed̰i¹*fɪɪ²*ɪrɛ²
KalabaritÉ”ÌrÊŠÌ„É“erinínīákáɓɛÌlÉ›ÌɓɪÌɓɪÌímgbeÉ”mbɪ-yé, pulosɪÌnminjifɪÌÉ›ÌrÉ›Ì
DefakaÉ”ÌyɔɓasiníninɪanmÉ›ndʊɔɓɪÌɪÌḿbuaasiibo tiinmbɪÌáééɪÌtá

Numerals

Comparison of numerals in individual languages:
ClassificationLanguage12345678910
DefakaDefakaÉ¡bérímààmàtáátónÉ›Ììtúúnɔ̀màànɡòtúààmà túàtùà túùnèì wóì
Ijo, East, NortheasternNkorooÉ¡bÉ”Ìrímàmìtárúnɛ̃ÌÄ©ÌsÉ”ÌnÉ”ÌsóníásÉ”ÌnÉ”Ìmànínì ísíéníójí
Ijo, East, Northeastern, EasternIbaniŋ̀ɡɪ̀ɛÌmÌ€mɛ̀ɛÌtÉ›ÌrÉ›ÌínísÉ”ÌnÉ”ÌsóníɛÌsÉ”ÌnÉ”Ìmàínínèéséníéàtìé / ójí
Ijo, East, Northeastern, EasternOkrika ŋ̀ɡèimàɪ̃tɛrɛineĩsɔnɔsoniosɔnɔmɛ̀ninèesenieoji, àtèi
Ijo, West IjoIzon kẹnịÌmamụÌtÇŽrụnóínsá»Ìnrá»Ìn =sɔ̃ÌrÉ”ÌƒÌ ?sÇ’ndiesá»Ìná»Ìmanínɡíniiséóí
Ijo, West IjoIzon kẹnịÌmamụÌtÇŽrụnóínsá»Ìnrá»Ìn =sɔ̃ÌrÉ”ÌƒÌ ?sÇ’ndiesá»Ìná»Ìmanínɡíniiséóí
Ijo, West IjoIzon kẹnịÌmaamụÌtÇŽarụnóínsá»Ìnrá»Ìn =sɔ̃ÌrÉ”ÌƒÌ ?sÇ’ndiesá»Ìná»Ìmaníníni or nínɡíniiséoyi/ óí
Ijo, West, Inland IjoOkordiakɛ̀nɪmaamʊtaarʊniisɔ̃ɔ̃rɔ̃sɔ̃zie / sɔ̃zɪsɔnɔmàmàà fùisioni, eji karama eji