Igbo

A language of Nigeria

Ebo, Ibo, Unege

Autonym

Igbo

User Population

30,700,000 in Nigeria (2020). Total users in all countries: 30,775,190.

Location

Widespread, southeast.

Language Maps

2 (Provincial). De facto provincial language in southeastern region. Main LWC of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo states.

Classification

Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Igboid, Igbo

Dialects

Afikpo (Ehugbo), Nsuka (Nsukka), Ohuhu (Umuahia), Bende (Ohafia), Central Igbo (Union Igbo), Anicha, Oka (Awka), Bonny-Opobo, Mbaisne (Mbaise), Ngwa, Oguta, Onicha (Onitsha), Olu (Orlu), Owere (Owerrĩ), Unwana, Enuani. 30 dialects vary in inherent intelligibility. The standard literary form developing based on Owerri and Umuahia dialects, omitting the nasality and aspiration found in those dialects.

Typology

SVO; prepositions; no articles; tense; 37 consonant and 8 vowel phonemes; tonal (3 level phonemic tones); vowel harmony (ATR).

Language Use

Used for government notices. Used as L2 by Ikwere [ikw], Obolo [ann], Ogbah [ogc].

Language Development

Taught as subject in most primary and secondary schools in grades 1–9. Literature. Radio. TV. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible: 1906–2009.

Language Resources

OLAC resources in and about Igbo

Writing

Latin script [Latn], used since 1900.

Other Comments

Christian, traditional religion.