Igbo language
Igbo (English: /ˈiːboʊ/ EE-boh, US also /ˈɪɡboʊ/ IG-boh; Standard Igbo: Ásụ̀sụ́ Ìgbò [ásʊ̀sʊ̀ ìɡ͡bò] ⓘ) is the principal native language cluster of the Igbo people, an ancient ethnicity in the Southeastern part of Nigeria.
| Igbo | |
|---|---|
| Ásụ̀sụ́ Ìgbò | |
| Pronunciation | [ìɡ͡bò] |
| Native to | Nigeria |
| Region | Igboland: Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Delta, Rivers |
| Ethnicity | Igbo |
Native speakers | L1: 37 million (2024) L2: 7 million (2024) Total sp: 44 million |
Niger–Congo?
| |
Standard forms |
|
| Dialects | Isu, Aguata, Aguleri, Arochukwu, Awka, Anioma, Bende, Edda, Egbema, Ekpeye, Enuani, Etche, Ezza, Idemili, Igbanke, Ika, Ikwerre, Isobo, Ikwo, Izzi, Mbaise, Mgbo, Ndoki, Ngwa, Nkanu, Nnewi, Nsukka, Onitsha, Ogbaru, Ogba, Ohafia, Ohuhu, Okigwe, Owerri, Ukwuani, Waawa |
| Latin (Önwu alphabet) Nwagu Aneke script Neo-Nsibidi Ndebe script Igbo Braille | |
| Official status | |
Official language in | |
Recognised minority language in | |
| Regulated by | Society for Promoting Igbo Language and Culture (SPILC) |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-1 | ig |
| ISO 639-2 | ibo |
| ISO 639-3 | ibo |
| Glottolog | nucl1417 |
| Linguasphere | 98-GAA-a |
Linguistic map of Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea. Igbo is spoken in southern Nigeria, Cameroon, and Equatorial Guinea. | |
| People | Ṇ́dị́ Ìgbò |
|---|---|
| Language | Ásụ̀sụ́ Ìgbò |
| Country | Àlà Ị̀gbò |
Igbo Languages are spoken by 44 million people in 2024. The number of Igboid languages depends on how one classifies a language versus a dialect, so there could be around 35 different Igboid languages. The core Igbo cluster or Igbo proper is generally thought to be one language but there is limited mutual intelligibility between the different groupings (north, west, south and east). A standard literary language termed 'Igbo izugbe' (meaning "general igbo") was generically developed and later adopted around 1972, with its core foundation based on the Orlu (Isu dialects), Anambra (Awka dialects) and Umuahia (Ohuhu dialects), omitting the nasalization and aspiration of those varieties.