COMPARATIVE IGBOID Kay Williamson (†) Roger Blench Chinyere Ohiri-Aniche Kay Williamson Educational Foundation 8, Guest Road Cambridge CB1 2AL United Kingdom Voice/ Ans (00-44)-(0)7847-495590 Mobile worldwide (00-44)-(0)7967-696804 E-mail [email protected] http://www.rogerblench.info/RBOP.htm Cambridge, Tuesday, 13 August 2013 i TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Introduction.................................................................................................................................................. 1 2 Background to the Igboid languages .......................................................................................................... 1 3 Sources of data on Igboid ............................................................................................................................ 1 4 Phonologies of Igboid lects .......................................................................................................................... 1 5. The structure of roots ................................................................................................................................. 1 5.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 1 5.2 Are Igboid roots monosyllabic or disyllabic? ..................................................................................... 1 5.3 Tonal evidence for original disyllables ................................................................................................ 2 5.4 Evidence for original disyllables .......................................................................................................... 2 5.4.1 Consonants....................................................................................................................................... 2 5.4.1.3 Evidence for -w- as second consonant after labial plosives........................................................................4 5.4.1.4 Evidence for -w- as second consonant after alveolar plosives....................................................................4 5.4.2 Vowels ............................................................................................................................................. 5 5.4.2.1 Evidence for *CVwV and *CVyV .............................................................................................................5 5.4.2.2 Evidence from differing vowel sequences..................................................................................................6 5.5 Conclusion.............................................................................................................................................. 7 6 Consonants.................................................................................................................................................... 7 6.1 The Proto-Igboid consonant system .................................................................................................... 7 6.2 Labial-velar consonants........................................................................................................................ 9 6.2.1 Labial-velar stops............................................................................................................................. 9 6.2.2 Labial-velar nasal........................................................................................................................... 10 6.3 Labial consonants................................................................................................................................ 10 6.3.3 *ɓ.................................................................................................................................................... 14 6.3.4 *m .................................................................................................................................................. 14 6.4 Alveolar consonants ............................................................................................................................ 15 6.4.1 *s.................................................................................................................................................... 15 6.4.2 *t .................................................................................................................................................... 15 6.5 Palatal consonants............................................................................................................................... 16 6.6 Velar consonants ................................................................................................................................. 16 6.7 Labialised velar consonants................................................................................................................ 16 7 Vowels ......................................................................................................................................................... 16 8 Consolidated reconstructions.................................................................................................................... 16 9 Reconstructing the history of the Igboid-speaking peoples.................................................................... 16 Appendix: Sources ........................................................................................................................................ 17 SOURCES...................................................................................................................................................... 18 References ...................................................................................................................................................... 19 i TABLES Table 1 CV verb roots in modern lects ............................................................................................................. 1 Table 2 Three tonal classes of verbs in Ezinihite and Ọgbakịri........................................................................ 2 Table 3 Roots with ByV/BIV sequences........................................................................................................... 3 Table 4 Roots with GʷV sequences................................................................................................................... 4 Table 5 Roots with Ọkọcha kʷ = f contrasting with Ọkọcha kʷ/kf = kʷ ........................................................... 4 Table 6 Evidence for *DwV ............................................................................................................................. 5 Table 7 Evidence for *BIwV from mixed -w- and -y- reflexes ........................................................................ 5 Table 8 Evidence for *BUyV contrasted with *BIyV and *BIwV................................................................... 6 Table 9 Alternation between two vowels of the same height............................................................................ 6 Table 10 Correspondences between Proto-Igboid and modern lects ................................................................ 8 Table 11 Broad phonetic consonants reconstructed for Proto-Igboid...............................................................8 Table 12 Proto-Igboid broad phonetic consonants with distinctive features .................................................... 8 Table 13 Reflexes of *kp, *gb .......................................................................................................................... 9 Table 14 Examples of *ŋm.............................................................................................................................. 10 Table 15 Contrasts between *fIya and *pIya .................................................................................................. 10 Table 16 Evidence for Proto-Igboid *pw: Okc kʷ = f..................................................................................... 11 Table 17 Contrasts between *pw and p before U (clear in the shaded lects).................................................. 11 Table 18 Suggested reconstructions of *fIyI, *fIyA, *fUyV, *fIwI ............................................................... 12 Table 19 Contrasts between *p and *b............................................................................................................ 13 Table 20 Weakening of *p and *b to f and v.................................................................................................. 13 Table 21 Aspiration developing before nasalized vowels............................................................................... 13 Table 22 Reflexes of *ɓ .................................................................................................................................. 14 Table 23 Retention of *m................................................................................................................................ 14 Table 24 Reflexes of Proto-Igboid *s ............................................................................................................. 15 ii Editor’s Preface The present comparative Igbo wordlist was prepared over many years by the late Professor Kay Williamson, UNESCO Professor of Nigerian Heritage at the University of Port Harcourt. Professor Williamson died in early January 2005, with this work still incomplete and unpublished. In order to make the manuscript available, I have