Ekpeye | |
---|---|
Native to | Nigeria |
Region | Rivers State |
Ethnicity | Ekpeye people |
Native speakers | 226,000[ citation needed] [1] |
Niger–Congo?
| |
Language codes | |
ISO 639-3 |
ekp |
Glottolog |
ekpe1253 |
Ekpeye is one of many languages spoken in Rivers State, Nigeria. According to Roger Blench, Ekpeye is classified as an Igboid language. Although an Igboid language, Ekpeye has evolved to a very distinct Igboid language that is phonologically different from other Igboid languages. [2] The Engenni, Ogba and Ikwerre languages are closely related to Ekpeye. Ekpeye has many mutually intelligible dialects.
a | b | bh | ch | d | dh | e | ẹ | g | gb | gw | h | i | ị | j | k | kp | kw |
l | m | n | nw | ny | o | ọ | p | s | sh | t | u | ụ | w | wh | y | z | zh |
Ekpeye has nine vowel phonemes:
Front | Near-front | Near-back | Back | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Close | i | u | ||
Near-close | ɪ | ʊ | ||
Close-mid | e | o | ||
Open-mid | ɛ | ɔ | ||
Open | a |
The language has no long nasal vowels, no contrast between oral and nasal vowels, and no allophonic variants. The vowels carry tones, as Ekpeye is a tonal language. Ekpeye exhibits active synchronic vowel harmony. [3]