Ochi Agha said:

Actually these languages as well other Nigerian languages do have a common ancestor except for the Hausa and the Fulani language. Their language tree is very different. This is nothing new. Our languages owes it is roots to the Proto-Kwa people.

You'd be shocked at the number of word cognates between Hausa and Igbo/Yoruba.

Yoruba, Igbo, Gwari, Edo and Nupe are all related languages under the West-Benue Congo language family. This is an established fact. People can deny it all they want, but our peoples have a common origin.

Ok this section got quiet all of a sudden. yawn

Ochi_Agha:

Yoruba, Igbo, Gwari, Edo and Nupe are all related languages under the West-Benue Congo language family. This is an established fact. People can deny it all they want, but our peoples have a common origin.

Fact! Dont mind them all o.

Ochi Agha said:

Yoruba, Igbo, Gwari, Edo and Nupe are all related languages under the West-Benue Congo language family. This is an established fact.

Agreed. Indeed, JUST as we have thousands of word cognates within this language family, so also do we find them when comparing the major language families of Africa one with the other.

ROSSIKE:

Ochi Agha said:

Agreed. But JUST as we have word cognates within this language family, so also do we have them when comparing the major language families of Africa one with the other.

True, if you include all the South-Volta Congo languages which include as follows: Bantu, East-Benue Congo, West-Benue Congo, and Kwa.

Can you all stop this shyyt
It is annoying

Dede1:



P al, I still navigate to this forum. It has been rumored that US Immigration services had few words with you.    

Papa grammar  

Seems u have toned down. I was expecting a lot of verbiage

SEFAGO:

Papa grammar  

Seems u have toned down. I was expecting a lot of verbiage

hmmmm, very funny

Anyhow, can you post your Mensa certificate for us to see?

not even worth it

The language linkage may be true, but that doesn't mean much because other differences exist as well. Afterall Jews and Arabs are also related in language.
Now, try yoking them together and see what you get!

One of them will kill you for trying it. 

This topic again?

Honestly, it's an interesting read. This similarities might has resulted from the interactions that the 2 groups likely had in the past like the Moremi account.

However, the attempt to say that the 2 languages were one at one point cannot be substantiated by archeological evidence, and using linguistic cognates alone is a weak argument.

That said, our different approach to life also points out that we are not from the same source.

Personally, I wouldn't like to be linked to the Yoruba because I dont find their casual attitude to life cool.(just my personal opinion though)

From my earlier posts on culture section I had from personal experiences observed that Igbo,Benin and Yoruba probably spoke a single language.

excanny said:

Honestly, it's an interesting read. This similarities might has resulted from the interactions that the 2 groups likely had in the past like the Moremi account.

What ''interactions'' are you referring to? Do you realise just how deep, intimate, and prolonged 'interactions' between two groups must be in order for them to share hundreds of identical words and phrases?

Such level of ''interaction'' is nothing more than the fact that they (and other similar groups) were initially ONE PEOPLE, who later split in migration.

Today, if two factions of an Igbo family decide to part ways, each forming their own clan, and migrated away from the region, only for their descendants to meet those of the other family say 1,000 years later in a new location/settlement, you do realize they would be speaking different languages, but with just the sort of word cognates we find between Igbo and Yoruba today?

However, the attempt to say that the 2 languages were one at one point cannot be substantiated by archeological evidence

How exactly is ''archaeological evidence'' expected to ''substantiate'' any of this? What archaeological evidence have you studied in relation to these two groups?

and using linguistic cognates alone is a weak argument.

How so? It's not a coincidence the two groups have the same words for virtually everything. Any linguist will tell you that that is prima facie evidence of a shared common language prior to separation.

That said, our different approach to life also points out that we are not from the same source.

Your ''approach to life'' is determined by your environment and has nothing to do with some sort of intrinsic difference. Yorubas and Igbos share far more in common culturally than they differ.

Personally, I wouldn't like to be linked to the Yoruba because I dont find their casual attitude to life cool.(just my personal opinion though)

I think you're an ethnic bigot.

I've been aware of this for some time. While interesting, it doesn't change the realities on the ground in Nigeria.

Bolaji Aremo may be on to something here, in Ibo language, Ewu means goat, a befeating term for quite a few people here, while in Yoruba, [b]Ewu[/b]re means goat. The common denominator here is Ewu.   


Merry Xmas and Happy New Year to all.

It's amazing how people can speak virtually the same language and yet think they're 'fundamentally different'

Hmm, I do understand there is so much bitterness that many would wish this isn't true, but we just can't wish away the multitude of evidences. In addition to the examples stated b4, i'd also come up with these common words:

goat: Ewu(igb), Ewure(yor)
cat: nwologbo(igb), Ologbo(yor)
rock: Okwute(igb), Okwuta(yor)
pouch\bag: Apka(igb), Akpo(yor)
Box: Apkati(igb), Apkoti(yor)
Medicine: Ogwu(igb), Ogun(yor)
fever: iba(igb), iba(yor)
Acrobatics: Nkpokiti(igb: i remember nkpokiti dancers), Gbokiti(yor)
Dog Bark: gbor(igb), gbo(yor)
Akara  : akara(igb), akara(yor). I think this is modern word, can't say it's igbo or yoruba
moi moi  : mai mai(igb), moi moi(yor). Also a modern word.

surely, both languages must have common history.

There may be similiarities in language, but are people really trying to ignore the fact that for MOST words in both Yoruba and Igbo there is NO similiarity at all?

Its the same argument people use to say there is Igbo linkage to Jews, there is also similiarity in words and custom/tradition. Yet people here swear blind it is a falsehood.

I dont believe we have a common ancestor or ever had a common language, because we would all know about it. There are Yorubas in Benin, Togo and linkages in Ghana, if these places which are further away can have a WELL DOCUMENTED tie , would it not be the same with the Igbo if that were the reality?


There has been influence, ofcourse we live in the same space/country and have done for centuries, it doesn't mean because of those few similiarites in language we must have been one people. In the English language there are influences from other countries such as France, does it mean they came from the same ancestor and once all spoke one language?

londoner:

There may be similiarities in language, but are people really trying to ignore the fact that for MOST words in both Yoruba and Igbo there is NO similiarity at all?

Its the same argument people use to say there is Igbo linkage to Jews, there is also similiarity in words and custom/tradition. Yet people here swear blind it is a falsehood.

I dont believe we have a common ancestor or ever had a common language, because we would all know about it. There are Yorubas in Benin, Togo and linkages in Ghana, if these places which are further away can have a WELL DOCUMENTED tie , would it not be the same with the Igbo if that were the reality?


There has been influence, ofcourse we live in the same space/country and have done for centuries, it doesn't mean because of those few similiarites in language we must have been one people. In the English language there are influences from other countries such as France, does it mean they came from the same ancestor and once all spoke one language?

good points. common history dosen't have to be common ancestry, it could mean common influences.

Just my contribution, The word "Slave" in Yoruba is Eru and in IBO it is Oru , I guess there is some similarity there, point is we are all one and the same,

Onlytruth:

The language linkage may be true, but that doesn't mean much because other differences exist as well. Afterall Jews and Arabs are also related in language.
Now, try yoking them together and see what you get!

One of them will kill you for trying it. 

Arrogance speaking.

No one here said it's worth much. abeg. . . .unflattering ego. 

Hmmm.......wonder what happened to this thread.

excanny: This topic again?

Honestly, it's an interesting read. This similarities might has resulted from the interactions that the 2 groups likely had in the past like the Moremi account.

Mere 'interactions' between different groups cannot on their own account for so many fundamental cognates. And your very suggestion of ''interactions in the past'' imply an ancient homogeneity/unity of the now separated peoples - supporting the writer's hypothesis.

However, the attempt to say that the 2 languages were one at one point cannot be substantiated by archeological evidence, and using linguistic cognates alone is a weak argument.

How on earth do you expect archaeological evidence to figure in this?

tarano:
Just my contribution, The word "Slave" in Yoruba is Eru and in IBO it is Oru , I guess there is some similarity there, point is we are all one and the same,

Absolutely. But will our dunderhead ethnic haters on all sides of the aisle ever realise this common sense fact?

Yoruba and igbo were never the same language wtf is this?

Changed my mind after years of research, yoruba and Igbo are actually very closely related as close as say German to Scandinavian languages.