Urhobo language explained

Urhobo is a South-Western Edoid language^[1] spoken by the Urhobo people of southern Nigeria.^[2] It is from the Delta and Bayelsa States.^[3]

Phonology

Urhobo has a rather reduced system of sound inventory compared to proto-Edoid. The inventory of Urhobo consists of seven vowels; which form two harmonic sets, pronounced as //i e ɛ a o ɔ u// and pronounced as //ĩ ẽ ɛ̃ ã ɔ̃ õ ũ//.^[4]

It has a conservative consonant inventory for an Edoid language. It maintains three nasals, and only five oral consonants, pronounced as //ɾ, l, β̞, j, w//, have nasal allophones before nasal vowels.^[5]

• pronounced as //l// is interchangeable with pronounced as /[n]/ only before nasal vowels.
• pronounced as //d͡ʒ// can be heard as pronounced as /[ɟ͡ʝ ~ ʝ]/ before non-front vowels.
• Nasal consonants pronounced as //m, [n], ɲ, ŋ͡m// can have allophones of nasalized approximants as pronounced as /[β̞̃]/, pronounced as /[ɹ̃ ~ ɾ̃]/, pronounced as /[j̃]/, pronounced as /[w̃]/.
• Approximants pronounced as //β̞, j, w// are heard as nasalized approximants pronounced as /[β̞̃, j̃, w̃]/ before and after nasal vowels.
• Velar fricatives pronounced as //x, ɣ// can vary from being heard as pronounced as /[x, ɣ]/ to lowered fricatives pronounced as /[x̞, ɣ̞]/ and approximants pronounced as /[ɰ̥, ɰ]/. pronounced as //x// can also be heard as a palatal fricative pronounced as /[ç]/ before pronounced as //i//.
• Rhotics pronounced as //r̥, r// may have different realizations as alveolar or retroflex, and can be articulated as approximants pronounced as /[ɹ̥, ɹ, ɻ̊, ɻ]/, or taps pronounced as /[ɾ̥, ɾ, ɽ̊, ɽ]/. A retroflex lateral flap pronounced as /[ɭ̆]/ can also be heard in syllable-final position.

According to Anthony Ukere, Urhobo has two tones, a high tone and a low tone. These can also combine to form rising and falling tones.^[6]

Syntax

Urhobo has the subject–verb–object word order (SVO) constituent order type as illustrated with the example below:

References

General references

• Frank Kügler, Caroline Féry, Ruben Van De Vijver (2009) Variation and Gradience in Phonetics and Phonology
• Okrokoto Ebireri. Ukoko re Ephere R'Urhobo

Notes and References

1. Elugbe, B. O. 1989. Edoid: Phonology and Lexicon. Port Harcourt: University of Port Harcourt Press.
2. Web site: Nigeria History, Population, Flag, Map, Languages, Capital, & Facts Britannica . 2022-03-09 . www.britannica.com . en.
3. Web site: Bayelsa State Government – The Glory of all Lands . 2022-03-10 . en-US.
4. Archangeli & Pulleyblank, 1994. Grounded phonology, p 181ff
5. Rolle. N.. 2013. Phonetics and phonology of Urhobo.. UC Berkeley Phonology Lab Annual Report. 9 . 10.5070/P72q6685k5. 281–326.
6. Ukere, Anthony Obakpọnọvwẹ. 1986. Urhobo-English dictionary. Benin City: Ilupeju Press.