₦airaland Forum

Efewestern:
Urhobo is not a dialect of Isoko, refer to the above reply for better understanding.



This issue of locals not speaking the Isoko dialects is not limited to them alone as most minorities are battling with the same problem, but in rural communities they communicate freely with the Isoko language, the Uzere dialect is the standard Isoko language.

fratermathy:
Isoko is not a dialect of Urhobo and vice versa. Isoko is an equal member with Urhobo in the Edoid language family. However, Urhobo, Isoko, Okpe, Erhowa and Uvwie all form a cluster which can be effectively called the Urhobo-Isoko languages cluster or what Ben Elugbe called Southwestern Edoid languages. The oldest language in this cluster, which also happens to be the most threatened language in terms of its number of speakers, is Erhowa. Indeed, many linguists believe that all the languages in the Urhobo-Isoko cluster evolved from Erhowa, which in turn evolved from a proto-Edoid language.

Despite the fact that Isoko and Urhobo are distinct languages in their own rights, they are 80% similar in grammar, vocabulary, and phonology. Differences in both languages become greater the farther you move from the collective center of Iyede-Evwreni-Enwhe. In the towns I just listed, Urhobo and Isoko are almost the same as speakers here can communicate with each other without qualms. However, when you move from this center and go farther towards Ozoro and Oleh, the dialects become deeper and the average Urhobo man may not understand what is said completely. The same scenario plays out when the Isoko man is confronted with Uvwie, Okpe and to some extent, Ughievwen and Udu.


Erhowa is not a dialect of Isoko, just as Okpe and Uvwie are not really dialects of Urhobo. However, those who speak the languages identify as Isoko or Urhobo, as the case may be. This identification has led to the situation where their languages are treated as dialects. It is this identification that also led to the idea that Isoko is a dialect of Urhobo. Realistically, they are all in a language cluster in which common words, grammar, vocabulary and culture are shared. Each of the languages has its own dialects and units too. For the sake of expediency, Okpe and Uvwie are usually treated as variant languages under Urhobo while Erhowa is treated as a variant language under Isoko.


Furthermore, since central Urhobo (Agbarho-Ughelli dialect) is virtually understood by all members of the Urhobo-Isoko cluster, Urhobo has become the overarching language and thus, takes the role as the unifying tongue that connects all. Again, Isoko gained socio-political identity from the Urhobos, with whom they shared common heritage, historical and socio-political identity prior to 1958 when an Isoko division was created by the then Western Regional Government as a punishment to the Urhobos who didn't support Awolowo's party. It was a move that sought to reduce the perceived importance and numerical strength of the Urhobos. Attempts were also made to create Okpe and Uvwie divisions which would have seen Okpe and Uvwie as separate ethnic groups but the Okpe and Uvwie people did not see any sense in it and did not support the move. They had invested too much in the Urhobo identity for them to establish a distinct ethnic identity. Furthermore, the Isoko division was possible because many of the Isoko elite then already held resentments for their perceived marginalisation by Urhobo leaders. They felt that Urhobos were trying to swallow their identity. It was against this backdrop that they left the Eastern Urhobo division. Ironically, the Isoko language is going extinct at a much higher rate than Okpe and Uvwie who remained with Urhobo and whose languages have been preserved in many forms via collective efforts from the Urhobo nation.

Because of the creation of Isoko division, the Isoko Development Union was formed to cater for the Isokos who no longer partook in Urhobo Progress Union. Isokos started to switch from the Ughelli Urhobo dialect which was gaining popularity to the Uzere dialect which is now the central Isoko language. Many other changes occurred that all culminated in the birth of Isoko as an ethnic group. Because of how Isoko evolved from a language into an ethnicity, many people still consider it as a sub-group of Urhobo and therefore, that the language is a dialect of Urhobo. While it is true that the people and their culture are 100% Urhoboid, the language is regarded by scholars as a distinct Edoid language. However, this categorisation is also new and was done by Ben Elugbe, a non-Urhobo-Isoko scholar and so one can argue that it is a personal view. Unfortunately, many other Urhobo and Isoko scholars have authenticated the categorisation in their works.

Efewestern:
You tried, but you should also learn spelling in Isoko as I can see some errors with the spellings, as for your last question, Isoko was formally part of the Urhobo nation until 1961 when Awolowo gave them a separate identity, The language remains a Key branch of Edoid languages and is also classified as an Urhobo language, the language shares close similarities with the Okpe and Uvwie dialect of Urhobo, I myself understands 90% of what you just submitted.

For example,

Ki"die hwiere - What's wrong / What's happening (General Urhobo)
Eme' wo / Eme' Soni - What's Wrong (Uvwie Dialect of urhobo)
Eme' wo - What's wrong (Isoko)

So the language is a combination of sub Urhobo dialects.

Cc: fratermathy, suggestions or contribution

Sinistami:
see...This thread was made for the Epie language, I didn't make it for you people to be dragging igbo this and that here so please stop this nonsense.

MistadeRegal:


What if I tell you I never knew I quoted you?
May I never lose it!!

Please rewrite the comment. I never had any intention of quoting you.

MistadeRegal:
Between you a free man and someone currently in the captor's enclave, who will know better?

TrollKiller:
American Peeps keeps making new innovations everyday

Nigerian peeps keep borrowing and loading Airtime to vote for their favourite BBN housemate.

An american youth will see rain and will go out and plant yams and potatoes.
A Nigerian youth will see rain and you'll see him shouting "Weather for two! Weather for two!!"

Tell me how Nigeria will move forward

Wizklynd23:
215 First Class

Are they just awarding them or what I don't get it

Tolexander:
Let anything Ruga stay in the north!

The same Zamfara State still struggling to have a state university.
Thank God for Goodluck Jonathan, Zamfara won’t be having any university.

So quick to establish Ruga settlements but slow in liberating her people from illiteracy.

Luckyroro:
The Teranga Lions face the Desert Foxes for the final match of AFCON 2019.

EmekusTHEgreat:
Anambra owes the 2nd least at 33b. Considering that the state also has one of the least poverty percentiles in the federation, I think it's satisfactory..

orisa37:
You are Immigrants in Nigeria. You don't have ascentral land. Sambisa belongs the NE Nigerians.