Ijoid languages


Ijoid is a proposed but undemonstrated group of languages linking the Ijaw languages with the endangered Defaka language. The similarities, however, may be due to Ijaw influence on Defaka.
The Ijoid, or perhaps just Ijaw, languages form a divergent branch of the Niger–Congo family and are noted for their subject–object–verb basic word order, which is otherwise an unusual feature in Niger–Congo, shared only by such distant branches as Mande and Dogon. Like Mande and Dogon, Ijoid lacks even traces of the noun class system considered characteristic of Niger–Congo, and so might have split early from that family. Linguist Gerrit Dimmendaal doubts its inclusion in Niger–Congo altogether and considers the Ijaw/Ijoid languages to be an independent family.

Comparative vocabulary

Sample basic vocabulary for Proto-Ijaw, Kalabari, and Defaka:
Languageeyeearnosetoothtonguemouthbloodbonetreewatereatname
Proto-Ijaw*tɔrɪ³*ɓeri¹*nḭnḭ³*aka²*ɪ̰ɓɛ̰lɛʊ²*ɓɪpɪ²*asɪ̰ɪ̰¹*ṵgbəu²*tɛ̰ɪ̰²*ɓed̰i¹*fɪɪ²*ɪrɛ²
Kalabaritɔ́rʊ̄ɓerinínīákáɓɛ́lɛ́ɓɪ́ɓɪ́ímgbeɔmbɪ-yé, pulosɪ́nminjifɪ́ɛ́rɛ́
Defakaɔ́yɔɓasiníninɪanmɛndʊɔɓɪ́ɪ́ḿbuaasiibo tiinmbɪ́áééɪ́tá

Numerals

Comparison of numerals in individual languages:
ClassificationLanguage12345678910
Defakaɡbérímààmàtáátónɛ́ìtúúnɔ̀màànɡòtúààmà ?túàtùà ?túùnèì ?wóì
Ijo, East, Northeasternɡbɔ́rímàmìtárúnɛ̃́ĩ́sɔ́nɔ́sóníásɔ́nɔ́mànínìísíéníójí
Ijo, East, Northeastern, Easternŋ̀ɡɪ̀ɛ́m̀mɛ̀ɛ́tɛ́rɛ́ínísɔ́nɔ́sóníɛ́sɔ́nɔ́màínínèéséníéàtìé / ójí
Ijo, East, Northeastern, Easternŋ̀ɡèimàɪ̃tɛrɛineĩsɔnɔsoniosɔnɔmɛ̀ninèesenieoji, àtèi
Ijo, West Ijo kẹnị́mamụ́tǎrụnóínsọ́nrọ́n =sɔ̃́rɔ̃́ ?sǒndiesọ́nọ́manínɡíniiséóí
Ijo, West Ijo kẹnị́mamụ́tǎrụnóínsọ́nrọ́n =sɔ̃́rɔ̃́ ?sǒndiesọ́nọ́manínɡíniiséóí
Ijo, West Ijo kẹnị́maamụ́tǎarụnóínsọ́nrọ́n =sɔ̃́rɔ̃́ ?sǒndiesọ́nọ́maníníni or nínɡíniiséoyi/ óí
Ijo, West, Inland Ijokɛ̀nɪmaamʊtaarʊniisɔ̃ɔ̃rɔ̃sɔ̃zie / sɔ̃zɪsɔnɔmàmàà fùisioni, eji karama eji