Volta–Niger languages

West Benue - Congo (also known as Volta - Niger ) is a genetic subunit of the Benue - Congo languages ​​, form a branch of the Niger - Congo. The approximately 70 West Benue -Congo languages ​​are spoken by about 50 million speakers in Togo, Benin and Nigeria. They were originally developed by Joseph Greenberg (1963 ) classified as eastern Kwa languages ​​, but are now generally expected to Benue - Congo.

To develop the name see the article Benue - Congo languages ​​.

Major languages ​​and subgroups

The most important languages ​​of the West Benue - Congo Yoruba ( 20-22 million speakers, lingua franca in southwest Nigeria), Igbo ( Ibo ) ( 18 million), Edo ( Bini ) ( 1 million), Nupe (1 million. ) and Idoma (600 thousand), all of which are spoken in Southern Nigeria. The five languages ​​mentioned together with smaller, closely related neighboring languages ​​, the subsets of the yoruboiden, igboiden, edoiden, nupoiden, idomoiden languages ​​as well as some smaller groups of West Benue - Congo.

Subgroups of the West Benue - Congo: Number of languages ​​and speakers; geographical distribution

The designation X- oid denotes a main language X with its closely related sister languages, eg is Igboid the group of directly related with the Igbo languages. In general, it is Dialektkontinua. Some researchers evaluate such groups as a single language.

Classification

This results in the following internal classification, in which also the more important languages ​​of the individual subgroups are listed (after Williamson Blench 2000 and the web link given below ).

  • West Benue - Congo Yoruboid Yoruba: Yoruba (20-22 million), Isekiri (500 thousand), Ife (150 thousand), Nago (180 thousand); Lucumi ( ritual language in Cuba )
  • Igala: Igala ( 1 million)
  • Delta: Epie, Engenni, Degema (each 10-20 thousand)
  • Southwest: Urhobo (550 thousand), Isoko (320 thousand)
  • North Central: Edo ( Bini ) ( 1 million), Esan (200 thousand), Emai - Iuleha - Ora (100 thousand); Yekhee (275 thousand)
  • Northwest: Iyayu, Uhami, Ukue, Ehueun (5-10 thousand); Okpamheri (30 thousand); Aduge
  • Igbo: Igbo ( Ibo ) ( 18 million), Ogbah (170 thousand), Ikwere (200 thousand), Izi - Ezaa - Ikwo - Mgbo (600 thousand), Ukwuani - Aboh - Ndoni (150 thousand)
  • Ekpeye: Ekpeye (30 thousand)
  • Nupe Gbayi: Nupe ( 1 million): Gbagyi (700 thousand), Gbari (300 thousand); Dibo ( Shitako ) ( 100k )
  • EBiRa Gade: Igbira ( EBiRa ) ( 1 million), Gade (60 thousand)
  • Akweya: Idoma (600 thousand), Igede (250 thousand); Agatu, Yala; Etulo; Eloyi
  • Yatye - Akpa: Akpa, Ekpari (5-10 thousand)

Yoruboid, Akoko and Ayere -Ahan were previously combined into a genetic unit of Defoiden languages ​​(eg, Bendor - Samuel Capo in 1989). The newer classifications do not expect that here is a closer relationship exists, so three separate sub-groups are formed here. Some researchers hold Ukaan and Akpes for closely related and go from one unit Ukaan - Akpes from.

Linguistic characteristics

The noun class system of the West Benue - Congo languages ​​has different versions: a full system, for example in Gade, reduced in Edoid, a rudimentary in Yoruba; for marking prefixes are used. The verbal extensions are usually innovations ( growths that do not originate from the Proto - Niger - Congo ). There are independent and dependent personal pronouns subject, object and possessive pronouns. Dis word order is SVO, there are prepositions, not postpositions used. The noun phrases are built uniformly, the specific noun (N) stands up front, so there are the constructions N genitive, possessive, N , N adjective adjective genitive N, N and N demonstrative numerals.

Here is an example from the Yoruba:

  • Apa Oke Africa " the mountainous ( OKE ) part ( apa ) of Africa"

Almost all western Benue - Congo languages ​​are tonal languages ​​with two to four pitches and Glides ( sliding transitions ) between high and low frequency. The sounds are phonemic (ie, they mark differences in meaning ), as the following examples from the Yoruba ( three pitches: é tweeter, midrange e, è bass ) show:

  • " arrive " dé de ' ' expect '
  • Ro " think " ro " to order the field "

Adjectives can be formed of state verbs by a reduplication of the first syllable ( in a high tone). Examples from the Yoruba:

  • > Kéré " be small " kékeré "small"
  • Dara " be good " > Didara "good"
Yoruba language Edo language Idoma people Itsekiri language Ifè language Lucumi language Igala language Akoko language Ayere–Ahan languages Ayere language Ahan language Epie language Degema language Urhobo language Isoko language Esan language Aduge language Ogba language Ikwerre language Ekpeye language Nupe language Ebira language Idoma language Igede language Agatu language Etulo language Yace language Oko language Ukaan language Akpes language
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