Greetings NL!
I'm trying to learn Ijaw by the end of the summer. I have Ijaw-English dictionaries, but it's still difficult to learn without access to the same resources available when I was learning Igbo. For example, there is only one video online of someone demonstrating how to pronounce the letters in the Izọn alphabet. It's concerning, but we move.

I learn languages fast, because studying the root words makes it so much easier. Just like most Niger-Congo languages, Izọn's root words are focused on universal aspects found in our traditional belief systems and deities (heavy emphasis on things of nature). I've been searching for a root word list for Izọn with associated categories they tend to cover, but have not been successful. Does anyone know where I can find this, or else be willing to write one out for me? Thank you in advance!

Here's an example of how this might look:

A. Root word: Suo/To ( 'dtzo' )
1. Suo/So =Izon sky deity, holds light + water, holds Woyingi up as she sits above Suo in the heavens
2. Word + concept associations: sky, heaven, up, raise, lift, tall, God, clean, holy, natural, fate, destiny, near, follow, entering, good fortune, brightness or clearness, face, eyes. associated with telling time (looking at the sky. etc.), judgement and decision.
3. Examples
i) Sotoru = atmosphere ( sky + eyes);
ii) Sotonte = it has been decided (sky + eyes again).

B. Root word: Gba/Ba/Kpa
1. Bara/Tara = Izon earth deity and hands of Woyingi, helped her create humans out of mud.
Alagba is the god of thunder; associated with Bara and Suo. Lower in the pantheon but also where many roots stem.
2. Word + concept associations: Anying dealing with the hands or arms, anything dealing with "earth", thunder/loud sounds, pottery, etc. Anything dealing with conflict, violence, strength, a "way" of doing things, etc.
3. Examples:
i) Bara = hands (that's what Woyingi used to create humans out of mud. Hands = moulding from earth),
ii) Bara nama = gorilla (bara = strong; nama =animal),
iii) Compound: Barasuo = help; assist (Bara = the way to do something + suo = divine guidance in doing so)