Uvbie language
Niger–Congo language of Nigeria
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Uvwiẹ or Ẹphrọn (Effurun) is a Niger Delta language spoken by the Uvwie people of southern Nigeria. It is classified alongside Urhobo, Okpe, Isoko and Eruwa as co-ordinate members of South-western Edoid branch of Proto Edoid language[2] spoken by the Uvwie people of southern Nigeria.
| Uvwie | |
|---|---|
| Uvwie | |
| Native to | Nigeria |
| Region | Delta State |
| Ethnicity | Urhobo |
Native speakers | (20,000 cited 2000)[1] |
Niger–Congo?
| |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | evh |
| Glottolog | uvbi1238 |
Phonology
The phonemic inventory of Uvwie, amongst other things, consists of seven vowels.[3] Although earlier studies identified nine vowels in two harmonic sets, /i e a o u/ and /ɪ ɛ a ɔ ʊ/.[4][5]
The consonant system is somewhat conservative, and nearly the same as that of Urhobo. The only significant differences are the loss of ɸ, ɣ, and of the distinction between l and n: these alternate, depending on whether the following vowel is oral or nasal. /ɾ, ʋ, j, w/ also have nasal allophones before nasal vowels.
