Izi
Izii
Niger-Congo
Izii (also Izzi or Izi) is an Igboid Niger-Congo language of southeastern Nigeria, classified as a separate language from Igbo (ig) by Ethnologue and Glottolog despite their close genetic relationship within the Igboid subgroup. The Izii people are concentrated in Ebonyi State around Abakaliki, the state capital. Linguistically, Izii shares core Igboid features (noun-class system, downstep tone, SVO constituent order) with Igbo and Ekpeye (ekp), but with distinctive phonological and lexical features. Izii literacy programs since the 1990s have produced standardized educational materials including the Izii New Testament.
Where it is spoken
31 core words in Izii
Water
mini
/mini/
Fire
oku
/oku/
Sun
anwu
/aŋwu/
Moon
onwa
/oŋwa/
Star
kpakpando
/kpakpando/
Mother
nne
/nːe/
Father
nna
/nːa/
I
mụ
/mʊ/
You
gị
/ɡɪ/
Name
aha
/aha/
Eye
anya
/aɲa/
Hand
aka
/aka/
Heart
obi
/obi/
Love
ihunanya
/ihunaɲa/
Tree
osisi
/osisi/
House
ulo
/ulo/
Dog
nkita
/ŋkita/
Cat
nwamba
/ŋwamba/
Eat
ri
/ɾi/
Drink
nu
/nu/
One
otu
/otu/
Two
abụọ
/abʊɔ/
Hello
ndo
/ndo/
Thank you
ima ego
/ima eɡo/
Good
oma
/oma/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Niger-Congo languages
| Meaning | Izii | Ekpeye | Igbo | Maasai | Luba-Kasai | Nzima | Kikongo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | mini /mini/ | mini /mini/ | mmiri /mːiɾi/ | ɛŋare /ɛŋare/ | mâyi /maːji/ | nzule /nzule/ | maza /maza/ |
| Fire | oku /oku/ | oku /oku/ | ọkụ /ɔkʊ/ | ɛnkima /ɛŋkima/ | kapia /kapia/ | sinya /sinja/ | tiya /tija/ |
| Sun | anwu /aŋwu/ | anwu /aŋwu/ | anyanwụ /aɲaŋwʊ/ | enkolong /eŋkoloŋ/ | dîba /diːba/ | ewia /ewia/ | ntangu /ntaŋɡu/ |
| Moon | onwa /oŋwa/ | onwa /oŋwa/ | ọnwa /ɔŋwa/ | olapa /olapa/ | ngondo /ŋɡondo/ | siane /sjane/ | ngonda /ŋɡonda/ |
| Star | kpakpando /kpakpando/ | opipinyenye /ɔpipiˈɲeɲe/ | kpakpando /kpakpando/ | olakira /olakira/ | mutoto /mutoto/ | nzonlenle /nzɔnlɛnlɛ/ | mbwetete /mbwetete/ |
| Mother | nne /nːe/ | nne /nːe/ | nne /nːe/ | yieyio /jiejio/ | mâmu /maːmu/ | enwo /enwo/ | mama /mama/ |
| Father | nna /nːa/ | nna /nːa/ | nna /nːa/ | papa /papa/ | tâtu /taːtu/ | papa /papa/ | tata /tata/ |
| I | mụ /mʊ/ | ma /ma/ | mụ /mʊ/ | nanʉ /nanʊ/ | meme /meme/ | me /mè/ | mono /mono/ |
| You | gị /ɡɪ/ | yo /jo/ | gị /ɡɪ/ | iyie /ijie/ | wewe /wewe/ | wɔ /wɔ/ | ngeye /ŋɡeje/ |
| Name | aha /aha/ | ewa /ɛˈwa/ | aha /aha/ | enkarna /eŋkarna/ | dîna /diːna/ | duma /duma/ | nkumbu /nkumbu/ |
| Eye | anya /aɲa/ | anya /aɲa/ | anya /aɲa/ | ɛŋɔŋu /ɛŋɔŋu/ | dîsu /diːsu/ | anye /anje/ | disu /disu/ |
| Hand | aka /aka/ | aka /aka/ | aka /aka/ | ɛŋaina /ɛŋaina/ | tshianza /tʃianza/ | ɛsa /ɛsa/ | koko /koko/ |
| Heart | obi /obi/ | obi /obi/ | obi /obi/ | oltau /oltau/ | mucima /mutʃima/ | ahonle /ahonle/ | ntima /ntima/ |
| Love | ihunanya /ihunaɲa/ | ihunanya /ihunaɲa/ | ịhụnanya /ɪhʊnaɲa/ | eitalu /eitalu/ | dinanga /dinaŋɡa/ | ɛlɔlɛ /ɛlɔlɛ/ | zola /zola/ |
| Tree | osisi /osisi/ | osisi /osisi/ | osisi /osisi/ | olchani /oltʃani/ | mutshi /mutʃi/ | baka /baka/ | nti /nti/ |
| House | ulo /ulo/ | ulo /ulo/ | ụlọ /ʊlɔ/ | eng'aji /ɛŋadʒi/ | nzubu /nzubu/ | suakɛ /suakɛ/ | nzo /nzo/ |
| Dog | nkita /ŋkita/ | nkita /ŋkita/ | nkịta /ŋkɪta/ | oldia /oldia/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | kraman /kraman/ | mbwa /mbwa/ |
| Cat | nwamba /ŋwamba/ | nwamba /ŋwamba/ | nwamba /ŋwamba/ | paka /paka/ | nyao /ɲao/ | agyinamoa /adʑinamoa/ | nyau /ɲau/ |
| Eat | ri /ɾi/ | ri /ɾi/ | iri /iɾi/ | anya /aɲa/ | kudia /kudia/ | di /di/ | ku dia /ku dja/ |
| Drink | nu /nu/ | ñu /ɲu/ | ịṅụ /ɪŋʊ/ | oŋg /oŋɡ/ | kunua /kunua/ | nu /nu/ | ku nua /ku nwa/ |
| One | otu /otu/ | otu /otu/ | otu /otu/ | obo /obo/ | umue /umue/ | kʊ /kʊ/ | mosi /mosi/ |
| Two | abụọ /abʊɔ/ | gbibo /ɡbibo/ | abụọ /abʊɔ/ | aare /aːre/ | bibidi /bibidi/ | nwiɔ /nwiɔ/ | zole /zole/ |
| Hello | ndo /ndo/ | nno /nːo/ | nnọọ /nːɔː/ | sopa /sopa/ | moyo /mojo/ | akwaaba /akʷaːba/ | mboté /mbote/ |
| Thank you | ima ego /ima eɡo/ | imela /imela/ | daalụ /daːlʊ/ | ashe /aʃe/ | tuasakidila /tuasakidila/ | medaase /medaase/ | matondo /matondo/ |
| Good | oma /oma/ | oma /oma/ | ọma /ɔma/ | sidai /sidai/ | bimpe /bimpe/ | kpa /kpa/ | mbote /mbote/ |
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