Kalabari is an Ijo language of Nigeria spoken in Rivers State and Bayelsa State by the Awome people.[3] Its three dialects are mutually intelligible.[citation needed] The Kalabari dialect (Kalabari proper) is one of the best-documented varieties of Ijo, and as such is frequently used as the prime example of Ijo in linguistic literature.
| Kalabari | |
|---|---|
| Ibani–Kalabari–Kirike | |
| Native to | Nigeria |
| Region | Rivers State |
| Ethnicity | Kalabari, Ibani |
Native speakers | (570,000 cited 1989–1995)[1] |
| Dialects |
|
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | Variously:ijn – Kalabariiby – Ibaniokr – Kirike |
| Glottolog | kaki1246 |
| ELP | Kalabari |
| Kirike[2] | |
As of 2005, the language, "spoken by 258,000 people, [was] endangered largely because of the massive relocation that has taken place in the area due to the development of Nigeria's oil industry in the Port Harcourt region."[4]
Berbice Creole Dutch, a recently extinct Dutch Creole formerly spoken in Eastern Guyana, was spoken by descendants of Kalabari speakers. The African element in Berbice Dutch is predominantly Kalabari in origin.[5]
Kalabari-language words have been proposed for some modern technical terms.[6]
Dialects
editKalabari is spoken south of Port Harcourt.
Ibani is spoken southeast of Port Harcourt, in the Bonny local government area and in Opobo.
Kirike is spoken in Port Harcourt and the local government areas of Okrika and Ogu–Bolo.
Writing system
edit| a | b | ḅ | d | e | ẹ | f | g | gb | gh | gw | h | i | ị | j | k | kp | kw | l | m | n | nw | ny | o | ọ | p | r | s | t | u | ụ | v | w | y | z |
| a | b | ḅ | ch | d | ḍ | e | ẹ | f | g | gb | gw | h | i | ị | j | k | kp | kw | l | m | n | ñ | nw | ny | o | ọ | p | r | s | t | u | ụ | v | w | y | z |
See also
edit- Defaka word list (Wiktionary)
References
edit- ^ Kalabari at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
Ibani at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
Kirike at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required) - ^ Endangered Languages Project data for Kirike.
- ^ "Kalahari Bibi: Introducing The Kalabari Language". Retrieved 2013-06-15.
- ^ "2006 Funded Projects". Endangered Language Fund. Archived from the original on 2013-08-15. Retrieved 2013-06-15.
- ^ "Ijoid languages". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 2013-06-15.
- ^ Iyalla-Amadi, Priye E. (March 2012). "Lexicological Development of Kalabari Language in the Age of Technology: A Comparative Study of French and Kalabari" (PDF). The Journal of Pan African Studies. 5 (1): 154–163. Retrieved 2013-06-15.
- ^ Ngulube 2011a.
- ^ Ngulube 2011b.
Works cited
edit- Ngulube, Isaac Eyi (2011a). "Ibani orthography". In Ozo-mekuri Ndimele (ed.). Orthographies of Nigerian Languages: Manual IX. Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC). pp. 69–88.
- Ngulube, Isaac Eyi (2011b). "Okrika orthography". In Ozo-mekuri Ndimele (ed.). Orthographies of Nigerian Languages: Manual X. Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC). pp. 98–119.
External links
edit- Kalabari - English Dictionary
- Braide, Pastor Daiwari. Kalabari Children's Dictionary. Retrieved 2013-06-15.
- "Kalahari Bibi: Introducing The Kalabari Language". Retrieved 2013-06-15.
- "Ijaw: Okrika language - Audio Bible stories and lessons". Global Recordings Network. Retrieved 2013-06-15.