Abidji (also known as Abiji and Ambidji) is a language of uncertain classification within the Kwa branch of the Niger–Congo family. It is spoken in the Ivory Coast.

Abidji
Abiji
Native toIvory Coast
RegionLagunes District
EthnicityAbidji
Native speakers
85,000 (2017)[1]
Dialects
  • Enyembe
  • Ogbru
Latin
Language codes
ISO 639-3abi
Glottologabid1235

It has two dialects: "enyembe" and "ogbru". These dialects' names are used by the members of these Abidji-speaking ethnic groups to refer to themselves. The name Ambidji was given to the language by these groups' neighbors.[2]

Villages edit

Abidji is spoken in these villages:[3]

Village Name Native Name (IPA)
Soukoukro sukwebi
Badasso gbadatɛ
Elibou elibu
Sahuyé sayjɛ
gomon goma
Yaobou jawebi; joabu ;djabõ ; nadja côtôcô ; Amougbroussandou
Sikensi sikãsi
Bécédi besedi
Brafoueby brafwebi
Bakanou A, B gbakamɔ̃
Katadji kalaɟi
Abiéhou abjeu
Akakro akabi
Ahimangbo emãgbo
Akoungou akpũmbu

Writing System edit

Abidji is written with a Latin alphabet, using the graphemes of the practical writing for the languages of the Ivory Coast. The letter upsilon ‹ Ʊ, ʊ › is often replaced with the V with hook ‹ Ʋ, ʋ ›.

Abidji alphabet
Capital letters
A B C D E Ɛ F G Gb J I Ɩ K Kp L M N Ny O Ɔ P R S T U Ʊ / Ʋ W Y ʔ
Lowercase letters
a b c d e ɛ f g gb j i ɩ k kp l m n ny o ɔ p r s t u ʊ / ʋ w y ʔ
Phonetics
/a/ /b/ /tc/ /d/ /e/ /ɛ/ /f/ /ɡ/ /ɡ͡b/ /dɟ/ /i/ /ɪ/ /k/ /k͡p/ /l/ /m/ /n/ /ɲ/ /o/ /ɔ/ /p/ /r/ /s/ /t/ /u/ /ʊ/ /w/ /j/ /ʔ/

The nasal vowels are written with ‹ n › (‹ m › before ‹ p › and ‹ b ›) : ‹ an, en, ɛn, in, on, ɔn, un, ʊn ou ʋn, ɩn ›.

Phonology edit

Consonants edit

Abidji consonants[4]
Labial Alveolar Palatal Velar Labial–velar Glottal
Plosive p b t d ɟʝ k ɡ k͡p ɡ͡b ʔ
Nasal m n ɲ
Fricative f s h
Approximant l j w
Trill r

Vowels edit

All vowels except /e/ have contrastive nasal forms.[4]

Abidji vowels[4]
Front Central Back
Close i ɪ u ʊ
Mid e o ɔ
Open a

Tones edit

Abidji has phonemic tones, described as high /˦/ and low /˨/.[4]

References edit

  1. ^ Abidji at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)  
  2. ^ Renée Vick, Le système aspecto-modal de l’abidji, Abidjan, Institut de linguistique appliquée, 1990
  3. ^ Dumestre, Gérard. 1971. Atlas linguistique de Côte-d'Ivoire : les langues de la région lagunaire. Abidjan : Institut de Linguistique Appliquée (ILA). 323 p.
  4. ^ a b c d "Inventory Abidji (GM 1526)". PHOIBLE 2.0. Retrieved 29 May 2022.

External links edit