Edo language

Edo ( ; ,Laurie Bauer, 2007, The Linguistics Student's Handbook, Edinburgh ), also known as Bini, is the language spoken by the Edo people in Edo State, Nigeria. It was the primary language of the Benin Empire and its predecessor, Igodomigodo. It is the majority language spoken in the state, particularly in Benin City, and the surrounding local governments and senatorial districts in the southern parts of the state.

Distribution Most Edo speakers live in the southern parts of Edo State in Nigeria; the state was named for the Edo speakers. A smaller number of Edo speakers are also found in Delta State and Ondo State and in other parts of Nigeria.

Edo is an Edoid language. These languages are also spoken in Rivers State and Bayelsa State, Nigeria.

Phonology

Vowels There are seven vowels, , all of which but can also occur nasalised. Additionally, all vowels are phonetically nasalised in the immediate vicinity of a nasal consonant or vowel. Front Central Back Close Close-mid Open-mid Open

Consonants Edo has a rather average consonant inventory for an Edoid language. It maintains only a single phonemic nasal, , but has 13 oral consonants, and the 8 stops, which have nasal allophones such as , and nasalized allophones before nasal vowels.

LabialLabiodentalAlveolarPalatalVelarLabio-velarGlottalNasal Plosive Fricative Trill Close approximant Open approximant

The three rhotics have been described as voiced and voiceless trills as well as a lax English-type approximant. However, found all three to be approximants – with the voiced–voiceless pair being raised (albeit with very little frication) and perhaps at a slightly different place of articulation compared to the third – and none as trills.

Tone There are three tones.

Phonotactics Syllable structure is simple, being maximally CVV, where VV is either a long vowel or plus a different oral or nasal vowel.

Orthography The Edo alphabet has separate letters for the nasalised allophones of and , mw and n:

ABDEẸFGGbGhHIKKhKpLMMwNOỌPRRhRrSTUVVbWYZ Long vowels are written by doubling the letter. Nasal vowels may be written with a final -n or with an initial nasal consonant. Tone may be written with acute accent, grave accent, and unmarked, or with a final -h (-nh with a nasal vowel).

See also Edo people Edo literature Benin Empire

References

Sources

Edo language

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