Welcome, Guest: Register On Nairaland / LOGIN! / Trending / Recent / NewStats: 3,195,277 members, 7,957,704 topics. Date: Tuesday, 24 September 2024 at 05:53 PM |
Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Culture / The Truth About The Number Of Nigerian Languages (16516 Views)
Which Nigerian Languages can You Speak? / Top 10 Most Spoken Nigerian Languages / How To Say "I Love You" In The Various Nigerian Languages (2) (3) (4)
(1) (2) (3) (4) (Reply) (Go Down)
The Truth About The Number Of Nigerian Languages by ezeagu(m): 11:22pm On Sep 11, 2010 |
There are less than 70 languages in Nigeria. The languages that are spoken by more than 1 million people are around 19. The problem with many of the so called 300+ languages of Nigeria is that many of them are either dialects, are spoken by 1 village or are extinct or even all of the options. Most are dialects under one language family like Isoko and Urhobo. For example Anaang, Ibibio and Efik are dialects of one language. Ambo is a language in Taraba state spoken by 1 village, yes 1 village and it is a dialect of Tiv. Bassa-Kontagora is a dialect of Basa spoken in Niger state by 10 people. This is the list of distinct languages in Nigeria that are spoken by more than 50,000 people. The languages in bold are spoken by 1 million and more and the underlined more than 10 million. 1 Bade 2 Bariba 3 Basa 4 Bata 5 Berom 6 Bendi 7 Biu-Mandara 8 Bole 9 Bura-Pabir 10 Busa 11 Che 12 Cibak 13 Daka 14 Duka 15 Ebira 16 Edo 17 Efik 18 Eggon 19 Ekoi 20 Fulani 21 Gbagyi 22 Gun 23 Hausa 24 Huba 25 Hyam 26 Idoma 27 Igala 28 Igbo 29 Ijo 30 Itsekiri 31 Jarawa 32 Jju 33 Kambrai 34 Kamwe 35 Kanuri 36 Kororofa 37 Kukele 38 Lokaa 39 Mada 40 Mambila 41 Mumuye 42 Ngas 43 Nupe 44 Obolo 45 Ogbia 46 Ogoni 47 Oring 48 Pidgin 49 Ron 50 Shuwa Arabic 51 Tangale 52 Tarok 53 Tiv 54 Tyap 55 Urhobo 56 Vere 57 Warji 58 Yekhee 59 Yoruba 60 Zarma http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=ng |
Re: The Truth About The Number Of Nigerian Languages by AndreUweh(m): 12:19am On Sep 12, 2010 |
@Ezeagu: This is the best classification I have seen so far. Awolowo counted up to 51 languages of Nigeria. @No. 18, do you mean Egun language spoken in Lagos state and a tiny part of Ogun state?. |
Re: The Truth About The Number Of Nigerian Languages by ezeagu(m): 12:25am On Sep 12, 2010 |
Andre Uweh: There's an 'Eggon' in Nassarawa: http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=ego I was thinking of grouping Isekiri with Yoruba, if not for ethnic politics. |
Re: The Truth About The Number Of Nigerian Languages by asha80(m): 12:30am On Sep 12, 2010 |
i heard that people from ibadan do not understand ekiti?no wcan they all be classified as one language |
Re: The Truth About The Number Of Nigerian Languages by ezeagu(m): 12:32am On Sep 12, 2010 |
asha 80: They can still be classified as one language. It's also useful to note that some languages are being replaced by languages that have a high amount of people who prefer it like Hausa and Kanuri. |
Re: The Truth About The Number Of Nigerian Languages by AndreUweh(m): 12:35am On Sep 12, 2010 |
asha 80:They do understand about 45%. |
Re: The Truth About The Number Of Nigerian Languages by AndreUweh(m): 12:38am On Sep 12, 2010 |
Despite great dialectrical variations in Yorubaland, all the dialects are grouped as Yoruba. But enemy of Ndigbo are very quick to classify some Igbo dialects as separate languages e.g Ika, Ekpeye etc. |
Re: The Truth About The Number Of Nigerian Languages by ezeagu(m): 12:45am On Sep 12, 2010 |
Andre Uweh: It's true, although I see it as a lack of interest in what the editors saw as a secondary group probably (hence the 18 million estimation, only if the Igbo had empires ). To be fair Ekpeye and Ika, Ikwerre etc are grouped under 'Igboid'. A 'language' I found interesting is Legbo spoken in Afikpo, and has an alternate name of 'Igbo', yet it's classified as a distinct language and Isekiri is 'Yoruboid'. There are probably so many other 'languages' like this, especially the ones classified as 'Cross River' langauges. |
Re: The Truth About The Number Of Nigerian Languages by asha80(m): 12:47am On Sep 12, 2010 |
ezeagu: It is inevitable that those languages will be swallowed.most of them now only speak hausa and do not understand and have any idea how to speak their language. |
Re: The Truth About The Number Of Nigerian Languages by ezeagu(m): 12:54am On Sep 12, 2010 |
Yoruba has a dialect called Igbonna, this has to be a joke, or ancient link. . . |
Re: The Truth About The Number Of Nigerian Languages by AndreUweh(m): 1:07am On Sep 12, 2010 |
ezeagu:I know of Igbomina. |
Re: The Truth About The Number Of Nigerian Languages by ChinenyeN(m): 1:11am On Sep 12, 2010 |
Ethno-linguistic groups is a better expression for that list, in my opinion. |
Re: The Truth About The Number Of Nigerian Languages by AndreUweh(m): 1:16am On Sep 12, 2010 |
Legbo is a language of spoken in Cross River state not Afikpo. The Legbo people bear Igbo names that are common in Afikpo eg Kanu Agabi. This former minister is Legbo and not Igbo. My coursemate during my undergraduate days shared a common surname (Agbi) with a lecturer from Cross River state. Yet one is Igbo and the other is not. |
Re: The Truth About The Number Of Nigerian Languages by Nobody: 1:19am On Sep 12, 2010 |
asha 80:I think Ekiti should just be classified as its own language. The dialect differs a lot from Yoruba. It's like speaking french to a Spanish person. Andre Uweh:Fixed |
Re: The Truth About The Number Of Nigerian Languages by AndreUweh(m): 1:24am On Sep 12, 2010 |
Ileke-IdI:If it were in Igboland, it would have been classified as its own language. This is what you find out in Ika, Ekpeye and so on. Ekiti people should be lucky they do not have identity crises. |
Re: The Truth About The Number Of Nigerian Languages by Nobody: 1:29am On Sep 12, 2010 |
Andre Uweh:This might sound ignorant, but you said something about the enemies of Igboland trying to classify Igbo dialects as separate languages, in order to . . . .? And who classified these languages? Nigerians themselves or their colonist? Yea, Ekiti is "one person". Same language, culture, food, tradition etc throughout the state. |
Re: The Truth About The Number Of Nigerian Languages by AndreUweh(m): 1:38am On Sep 12, 2010 |
Ileke-IdI:Sometime after the Nigerian crises, The Nigerian govt hired a Linguist to classify Nigerian languages. I can't remember that lady's name now. This lady was the one who came up Ekpeye, Ika, Ikwerre and so on as separate languages from Igbo. Yet that linguist did not classify Owoh, Ekiti, Ijebu as separate languages from Yoruba. Since then, some of this Igbo groups has been having identity crises. That woman is an enemy of Ndigbo. |
Re: The Truth About The Number Of Nigerian Languages by Nobody: 1:45am On Sep 12, 2010 |
Andre Uweh:oh ok. |
Re: The Truth About The Number Of Nigerian Languages by chyz(m): 3:52am On Sep 12, 2010 |
Ileke-IdI: Lets say that somebody from ibadan translated in writing a story written in english into his dialect and someone from ekiti did the same,wouldnt they both be able to understand what the other person wrote? |
Re: The Truth About The Number Of Nigerian Languages by Nobody: 3:58am On Sep 12, 2010 |
chyz:Not really. But I do know that some Yorubas [CAN speak Yoruba] that have never had any encounter with Ekiti dialect, cannot decipher Ekiti when it's being spoken on this forum. It's different from General Yoruba, some words are similar tho. |
Re: The Truth About The Number Of Nigerian Languages by chyz(m): 5:23am On Sep 12, 2010 |
Ileke-IdI: Wow interesting! I thought the only difference were in the tones,never knew that there were words that were completely different . this is Itsekiri, can u understand this? although i hear ijebus are the ones that hear it best: [flash=300,300] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7Sc9rf4rzo[/flash] |
Re: The Truth About The Number Of Nigerian Languages by Obiagu1(m): 5:24am On Sep 12, 2010 |
Actually it's less than that. Kukele for instance is Igboid. @ Andre, Legbo is also spoken in Ebonyi State, other are Afikpo, Mgbo, Izzi, Ezaa, Ikwo, Kukele, Mbembe, and Oring and are all classified as Igbo. |
Re: The Truth About The Number Of Nigerian Languages by Nobody: 5:31am On Sep 12, 2010 |
chyz:Isnt itsekiri part of Igboland? What do I know sef lol I couldnt understand the words in the video. |
Re: The Truth About The Number Of Nigerian Languages by PhysicsQED(m): 5:34am On Sep 12, 2010 |
Andre Uweh: lol, can you provide proof of this? As far as I can tell, Ikas identity crisis stems from the Edo influence on their language and the attempts by some to claim, legitimately or illegitimately, Benin descent. Ekpeyes do identify with Igbos from what I've been able to read so far. Ikwerre's identity crisis stems from being at odds with the non-native Igbos who immigrated to their area of Nigeria from the "core" Igboland areas, as far as I can tell. Some consider themselves a different group because of competing interests with "core" Igbos, not because of some linguists' claims. "Ogbakor Ikwerre" was founded in 1963. Read Elechi Amadi's Sunset in Biafra to see whether they considered themselves different from "real" Igbos because of some linguist, or because of a different outlook and situation from "core" Igbos. |
Re: The Truth About The Number Of Nigerian Languages by chyz(m): 5:34am On Sep 12, 2010 |
Ileke-IdI: Naw itsekiri are Yorubas but for politics they are "itsekiri".lol. They are even in Afenifere. The ijebus say they speak the original ijebu. |
Re: The Truth About The Number Of Nigerian Languages by chyz(m): 5:39am On Sep 12, 2010 |
PhysicsQED: I know what he's talking about. there was a white lady the did the classification.i will try and provide the information. But you are right about the ikwerre complaint about "core igbo" competion; however, at that time,before the war they did consider themselves Igbo |
Re: The Truth About The Number Of Nigerian Languages by chyz(m): 5:40am On Sep 12, 2010 |
Obiagu1: where is kukele spoken? |
Re: The Truth About The Number Of Nigerian Languages by Obiagu1(m): 5:42am On Sep 12, 2010 |
chyz: In Ebonyi, Cross River and Benue States. |
Re: The Truth About The Number Of Nigerian Languages by chyz(m): 5:44am On Sep 12, 2010 |
Obiagu1: are there any info on Igbos from benue or organization because they are the only ones i cant find info on? |
Re: The Truth About The Number Of Nigerian Languages by Nobody: 5:46am On Sep 12, 2010 |
chyz:Interesting, never knew. Ijebu dialect, I dont think I'd understand it if I heard it. |
Re: The Truth About The Number Of Nigerian Languages by Obiagu1(m): 5:59am On Sep 12, 2010 |
chyz: I don't know about Igbo organisations in Benue. I've not researched about them, however, the Igbo groups in Benue are known as Igbos by the Benue State government because I've read some ongoing conflicts between various ethinic groups in Benue and Igbo group was mentioned. However, I don't know whether the Kukele(Bakele) are known as Igbos in Benue but in Ebonyi, the are, probably the Ezzi people could understand them well. I've listened to their audio recording and it's hard to understand like Ezzi but listening deeply, I could understand just some of what they were saying. Kukele (Bakele) are found in Ogoja LGA, Cross River; Abakaliki LGA, Ebonyi state; and Okpokwu and Oju LGAs, Benue state. |
Re: The Truth About The Number Of Nigerian Languages by tpiah: 6:36am On Sep 12, 2010 |
@ chyz Naw itsekiri are Yorubas but for politics they are "itsekiri".lol. They are even in Afenifere. The ijebus say they speak the original ijebu. itsekiri are not yoruba. Stop spreading misinformation. The other day you also said akoko edo is yoruba. They're not. |
What Aspects Of Our Nigerian Culture Should Be Abolished? / Eze Ndi Igbo Nairaland Cultural Office / Ooni Ogunwusi Celebrates Christmas For 1000 Less Privileged Children In Lagos
(Go Up)
Sections: politics (1) business autos (1) jobs (1) career education (1) romance computers phones travel sports fashion health religion celebs tv-movies music-radio literature webmasters programming techmarket Links: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) Nairaland - Copyright © 2005 - 2024 Oluwaseun Osewa. All rights reserved. See How To Advertise. 59 |