Cross River languages


The Cross River or Delta–Cross languages are a branch of the Benue–Congo language family spoken in south-easternmost Nigeria, with some speakers in south-westernmost Cameroon. The branch was first formulated by Joseph Greenberg; it is one of the few of his branches of Niger–Congo that has withstood the test of time.
Greenberg's Cross River family originally included the Bendi languages. The Bendi languages were soon seen to be very different and thus were made a separate branch of Cross River, while the other languages were united under the branch Delta–Cross. However, the inclusion of Bendi in Cross River at all is doubtful, and it has been tentatively reassigned to the Southern Bantoid family, making the terms Cross River and Delta–Cross now synonymous.

Languages

There are four primary branches of Cross River:
Below is a list of major Cross River branches and their primary locations in southeast Nigeria based on Blench.
BranchPrimary locations
Upper Cross RiverObubra and Akamkpa LGAs, Rivers State
Lower Cross RiverAkwa Ibom State
OgoniGokana, Tai, and Eleme LGAs, Rivers State
Central DeltaAhoada LGA, Rivers State and Brass LGA, Bayelsa State

Internal classification

classifies the Cross River languages as follows.
;Cross River
Although Blench tentatively included the Bendi languages as possibly being a Cross River outlier branch, the Bendi languages are generally classified as Southern Bantoid.

Numerals

Comparison of numerals in individual languages:
ClassificationLanguage12345678910
Upper Cross, Kiong-Koropbú-níbúwánbú-nàːnbù-nàybúnɛ̀ŋkàsákàsábúnáy ná búnâːn cáŋá cáŋá náy búnɛ̀ŋ nà bùnày dyô / díò
Upper Cross, Central, East-West, Lokowànáyàpòóyàtéléyànàáyàtə́ə́nyàtə́ə́n-wàná yàtə́ə́n-yàpòó yàtə́ə́n-yàtélé yàtə́ə́n-yànàá jòó
Upper Cross, Central, East-West, Mbembe-Legbo, Mbembewɔ̀niàfɔŋàtt̩anànnaŋàzenàzen à wɔ̀ni àze à fɔ̀ŋ àze à ttan àze à nnaŋ d͡zɔ
Upper Cross, Central, East-West, Mbembe-Legbo, Mbembewànɔ́m̩̀fàǹt̩áːnǹnà / ǹnébùŋǹt͡ʃénǹt͡ʃádànɛ̀ ót͡ʃénɔ́m̩fà ót͡ʃénɔ́ntáːn ósówánɛ̀ ìd͡ʒòβ̚
Upper Cross, Central, North-South, Koring-Kukele, Koring ɡʷãífãítʃãínákuɡbɔbránàínámetéínámínáɔsɛlɛdʒɔp
Upper Cross, Central, North-South, Koring-Kukele, Koring ɡúŋéɸāèkíàènákòbúòbúránēbùréɸā bùàsàrèɸèdʒízɔbɔ
Upper Cross, Central, North-South, Koring-Kukele, Koringɡʷãífãítʃãínákuɡbɔbránàínámetéínámínáɔsɛlɛdʒɔp
Upper Cross, Central, North-South, Koring-Kukele, Kukelevɔnifaikʲaatinakubʷɔɔkbʷɔlaaniŋinamikʲaat inamina ɔsɛlɛ zɔɔp zɔɔp
Upper Cross, Central, North-South, Ubaghara-Kohumono, Kohumonodʒɛ́ŋ̀ífâítàtínâʊ̀βɔ̀kʊ̀βàɣáɡɔ́ŋ̀ ʊ̀βàɣífâa ʊ̀βàɣítàt ʊ̀βìɣédʒɔ̀m dʒɔ̀p
Lower Cross, Oboloɡêíbàítáínîɡòɡʷèrèɡʷènd͡ʒààbà ?d͡ʒèètá ?ónáánɡê ?àkɔ̀p̚
Lower Cross, Obolo, Ebughusɪ̀ŋìbàìtɛ́ìnìàŋìtîŋìtíŋízìŋìtíŋábà ìdɪ́ńátɛ́ ìtíŋáníàŋ lùɡò
Lower Cross, Obolo, Efaisɪ̀ŋìbàìtɛ́ìnìàŋìtîŋìtíɡɛ̀sìŋ ìtáŋìbà ìtɔ́ŋ ìtɛ́ ùsúksìŋ dùɡù
Lower Cross, Obolo, Enwang-Udasìnìbàìtɛ́ìnìàŋìtîŋìtíŋésìn ìtáŋ ábà ìtáŋáǃtɛ́ ùsúksìn lùɡù
Lower Cross, Obolo, Orokiíbàítéínîaŋítiŋitiŋoŋki itiŋaba itiŋate itiŋaniaŋ luɡhu or luhu
Lower Cross, Obolo, Usaghadetʃɛ̀nm̀bàǹtáǹnìɔ̀ŋǹtʃônǹtʃéékɛ̀n ǹtʃám̀bà ǹtʃáńǃtá ǹtʃáǹnìàŋ nùòp
Lower Cross, Obolo, Efikkeèdìbàìtáìnàaŋìtiènìtiêkeèd ìtiâbà ìtíâita ánànkeèd / ùsʉ́k-kèeddùòb
Lower Cross, Obolo, Efikkíétíbáítáínáŋítíónítíókíét < ítíón yé kíét ítíábá < ítíón yé íbá ítíáitá < ítíón yé ítá úsúk-kíét dúóp
Lower Cross, Obolo, Efikkèèdìbàìtáìnàŋìtíònìtíòkèèd ìtíàbà ìtià-ìtá ùsúkèèd ?dùòp
Lower Cross, Obolo, Efikkìɛ̀tìbàìtáìnàŋìtʃìnìtíékìɛ̀t ìtíábà ìtíá íǃtá ùsók kìɛ̀t dùòp
Ogoniɛ̃̀nɛ̃bààtaaténì / tã́nĩ̀vòòɔ̀ɔ̀lɛ̀àlàbà / àràbàaatáá /aàtaasíìna òb òb
Ogonizĩ̀ĩ̀bàɛ̀tàānìàòʔòòìnìʔĩ̀ɛ̀rɛ̀-bà ɛ̀rɛ̀-tàā ɛ̀rɛ̀-nìà lòb
Ogoni, Westǹnɛɔ̀bɛrɛɔ̀taaɛ̀táaleèwòɛ̀ʔɔ̀rɔ̀àʔàràbààʔaataaèsiraʔò àʔò
Central Deltaoninɛwalɛsariɲəɔwʊodinoɗuənɛɲa / ɛβɪβɪɛɲaɛsuwoiɗioβ
Central Deltaòníníɪ̀jàːlʊ̀nɪ̀ːràɪ̀ːɲɔ̀ɲòːwònòdìnùɗjòùnɔ́ɓɛ́nânèsùòkúɗjòù
Central Delta, Abua-Odualòníìnɪ̀yàlɪ̀ráarɪ̀ɲàòoɣòdiiɲòɗùalòβàaɲâésúɣáɗɪ̀oβ
Central Delta, Abua-Odualoɲiínɪ́záalɪ́ráarɪ́ɲə́əə́ə́əɣódííǹóɗúə́əlaβɪɲáésúɣóɗɪ́ə́əβ