Atala-mọ
Degema
Niger-Congo
Degema (autonymously Atala-mọ, "Degema speech") is an Edoid Niger-Congo language of the Delta-Edoid sub-branch, spoken in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria. Linguistically isolated from the better-known Edoid languages (Edo bin, Urhobo urh, Isoko isn) by the Niger Delta riverine geography, Degema is closer to Engenni and Epie within the Delta-Edoid taxonomic node. The Degema people are river-dwelling fisher-traders with strong cultural ties to the historic Bonny Kingdom of the 17th-19th century Atlantic slave trade era. Degema has classical Edoid features: lexical tonal system, noun-class agreement, and an elaborate verb-final clause type. Kari's 2004 reference grammar is the major modern documentation.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Degema
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Niger-Congo
| Meaning | Degema | Isoko | Urhobo | Yekhee | Edo | Ubykh | Neko |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | amin /amin/ | ame /ame/ | ame /ame/ | amɛ /amɛ/ | amẹ /amɛ̃/ | bzə /bzə/ | wai /wai/ |
| Fire | itany /itaɲ/ | erae /eɾae/ | erhanre /eɾanɾe/ | eria /eɾia/ | erhẹn /eɾɛ̃/ | mzʼə /mzʼə/ | titɛ /titɛ/ |
| Sun | uvuwo /uvuwo/ | ọvẹ /ɔvɛ/ | uvo /uvo/ | ovan /ovan/ | ovẹn /oʋɛ̃/ | dəɣʷa /dəɣʷa/ | aatʌ /aːtʌ/ |
| Moon | obaam /obəəm/ | ọwa /ɔwa/ | emeranvwe /emeɾanβwe/ | ukpoki /ukpoki/ | uki /uki/ | mazə /mazə/ | — /—/ |
| Star | ụsemese /ʊsɛmɛsɛ/ | esi /esi/ | isio /isio/ | isi /isi/ | orhọnmwẹ /oɾɔ̃mwɛ̃/ | tʃʷʼakʲ /tʃʷʼakʲʼ/ | kumba /kumba/ |
| Night | ạsu /asʊ/ | aso /aso/ | aso /aso/ | eridai /eridai/ | asọn /asɔ̃/ | śwa /ɕʷa/ | — /—/ |
| Rain | ọkpar /ɔkpaɾ/ | oso /oso/ | osio /osio/ | — | — | — | wai /wai/ |
| Stone | ohinw /ohiŋʷ/ | — | oraga /oɾaɡa/ | udo /udo/ | okuta /okuta/ | laqa /laqa/ | — |
| Mountain | igu /iɡu/ | ugbehru /uɡbehɾu/ | ugbenu /uɡbenu/ | — | oke /oke/ | — | — |
| Mother | onomo /onomo/ | oni /oni/ | oni /oni/ | iye /ije/ | iye /ije/ | nan /nan/ | — /—/ |
| Father | ọsunomo /ɔsʊnɔmɔ/ | ọsẹ /ɔsɛ/ | ọsẹ /ɔsɛ/ | eθa /eθa/ | érhá /eɾa/ | tʷə /tʷə/ | — /—/ |
| Daughter | ọkpatam /ɔkpatam/ | ọmọtẹ /ɔmɔtɛ/ | ọmọtẹ /ɔmɔtɛ/ | — | ọmọ okhuo /ɔmɔ oxuo/ | pχʲa /pʰχʲa/ | — |
| I | mẹẹ /mɛɛ/ | mẹ /mɛ/ | mẹ /mɛ/ | mẹ /mɛ/ | mẹ /mɛ̃/ | sʁʷa /sʁʷa/ | na /na/ |
| You | wọọ /wɔɔ/ | whẹ /ʍɛ/ | wẹ /wɛ/ | wẹ /wɛ/ | wẹ /wɛ/ | wʁʷa /wʁʷa/ | ga /ɡa/ |
| We | eni /eni/ | ma /ma/ | avwanre /aβwanɾe/ | mae /mae/ | ma /ma/ | ʃʁʷała /ʃʁʷaɬa/ | — /—/ |
| Name | ini /ini/ | odẹ /odɛ/ | odẹ /odɛ/ | ena /ena/ | eni /ẽ̀nĩ̀/ | pʼtsʼa /pʼtsʼa/ | iwi /iwi/ |
| Person | oweey /oweej/ | ohwo /ohwo/ | ohwo /ohwo/ | — | ọmwa /ɔmwã/ | — | — |
| Head | utom /utom/ | uzou /uzou/ | uyovwi /ujoβwi/ | usumi /usumi/ | uhunmwu /uhũmwũ/ | — | pit /pit/ |
| Eye | ụnwo ạḍu /ʊŋʷɔ aɗʊ/ | ẹro /ɛɾo/ | ẹro /ɛɾo/ | evua /evua/ | aro /aro/ | bla /bla/ | ta /ta/ |
| Ear | ụsow /ʊsɔw/ | ozọ /ozɔ/ | erhọn /eɾɔ̃/ | eo /eo/ | ehọ /ehɔ/ | laqʼʷəma /laqʼʷəma/ | asipi /asipi/ |
| Nose | isuveny /isuveɲ/ | unwe /unwe/ | uwen /uwẽ/ | isue /isue/ | ihue /ihue/ | fatɕʼa /fatɕʼa/ | ura /ura/ |
| Mouth | enu /enu/ | unu /unu/ | unu /unu/ | uno /uno/ | unu /unu/ | tʃʼa /tʃʼa/ | mak /mak/ |
| Tooth | ụku /ʊkʊ/ | akọ /akɔ/ | ako /ako/ | ako /ako/ | akọn /akɔ̃/ | cakʼə /tsakʼʲə/ | maati /maːti/ |
| Tongue | ụḍem /ʊɗɛm/ | erou /eɾou/ | erebe /erebe/ | olemi /olemi/ | aranmwẹ /aranmwɛ̃/ | bza /bʒa/ | melepi /mɛlepi/ |
| Hand | ụḅo /ʊɓɔ/ | obọ /obɔ/ | obọ /obɔ/ | oba /oba/ | obọ /obɔ/ | ɂa /ʔa/ | — /—/ |
| Foot | avi /avi/ | owọ /owɔ/ | owọ /owɔ/ | — | owẹ /owɛ/ | ła:pʼa /ɬaːpʼa/ | tar /tar/ |
| Heart | ụnwo ivom /ʊŋʷɔ ivom/ | udu /udu/ | udu /udu/ | itsu /itsu/ | ekhọe /exɔe/ | gʷə /ɡʷə/ | — /—/ |
| Bone | uḅuwo /uɓuwo/ | ubeku /ubeku/ | ubeku /ubeku/ | ugoa /uɡoa/ | ùgbòlòkò /ùɡbòlòkò/ | pqë /pqə/ | — /—/ |
| Blood | ịjzalam /ɪzalam/ | azẹ /azɛ/ | ọbara /ɔbaɾa/ | atale /atale/ | esagiẹn /esaɡiɛ̃/ | ła /ɬa/ | — /—/ |
| Love | — /—/ | ọsuọ /ɔswɔ/ | ẹguọnọ /ɛɡwɔnɔ/ | gbele /ɡbele/ | arhuẹmwonmwan /aɾuɛ̃mwɛ̃/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Tree | ụtany /ʊtaɲ/ | orhan /oɾan/ | urhe /uɾe/ | orhan /oɾhan/ | erhan /eɾã/ | ɣʷənə /ɣʷənə/ | tei /tei/ |
| Dog | ạḅuwa /aɓʊwa/ | ebọ /ebɔ/ | eranko /eɾanko/ | agbon /aɡbon/ | awa /awa/ | la /la/ | gonʌ /ɡonʌ/ |
| Cat | pọsi /pɔsɪ/ | ọtọmha /ɔtɔmha/ | ọtọma /ɔtɔma/ | otsuvua /otsuvua/ | apusi /apusi/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Fish | esen /esen/ | yei /jei/ | eri /eɾi/ | eseri /eseri/ | ehẹn /ehɛ̃/ | psa /psa/ | nom /nom/ |
| Bird | ẹfen /ɛfɛn/ | evra /evɾa/ | ọphran /ɔɸɾan/ | apfiami /apfiami/ | ahianmwẹ /ahjãmwɛ̃/ | ʁʷəndʷə /ʁʷəndʷə/ | nuŋ /nuŋ/ |
| House | ụvay /ʊvaj/ | uwowhe /uwowhe/ | uwevwi /uweβwi/ | ukekpe /ukekpe/ | owa /owa/ | tʷəna /tʷəna/ | — /—/ |
| Salt | uḅuwan /uɓuwən/ | uwhei /uʍei/ | ughweraka /uɣʷeɾaka/ | umeri /umeri/ | umwẹ /umwɛ̃/ | ǯʲə /dʒʲə/ | — |
| Iron | ikulele /ikulele/ | ayọno /ajɔno/ | utehru /utehɾu/ | akure /akuɾe/ | ematọn /ematɔ̃/ | wəcʼwa /wətsʼʷa/ | — |
| Eat | ḍi /ɗi/ | re /ɾe/ | re /ɾe/ | remi /ɾemi/ | re /re/ | f /f/ | nei /nei/ |
| Drink | nyọnw /ɲɔŋʷ/ | da /da/ | da /da/ | yamẹ /jamɛ/ | da /da/ | dzʷa /dzʷa/ | — /—/ |
| Sleep | mẹse /mɛsɛ/ | wezẹ /wɛzɛ/ | vwerhẹ /βweɾɛ/ | — | vbiẹ /ʋiɛ/ | tɕʰʷa /tɕʰʷa/ | — |
| One | ọvu /ɔvʊ/ | ọvo /ɔvo/ | ọvo /ɔvo/ | ɔkpa /ɔkpa/ | ọkpa /ɔkpa/ | za /za/ | — /—/ |
| Two | iva /ivə/ | ivẹ /ivɛ/ | ivẹ /ivɛ/ | eva /eva/ | eva /èʋà/ | tqʷʼa /tqʷʼa/ | iri /iri/ |
| Three | ịsay /ɪsaj/ | isa /isa/ | erha /eɾa/ | ela /ela/ | eha /eha/ | śa /ɕa/ | tabe /tabe/ |
| Five | isuwon /isuwon/ | isoi /isɔi/ | iyori /ijoɾi/ | ise /ise/ | isẹn /isɛ̃/ | šxə /ʃχə/ | — |
| Hundred | itany isuwon /itaɲ isuwon/ | ẹgba /ɛɡba/ | ujori /udʒoɾi/ | — | iyisẹn /ijisɛ̃/ | — | — |
| Hello | — /—/ | mavọ /mavɔ/ | migwo /miɡwo/ | udze /udze/ | kóyo /kojo/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Thank you | — /—/ | migwo /miɡwo/ | miguo /miɡuo/ | oyabuwere /ojabuweɾe/ | ù rú èsé /ù rú èsé/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Good | ovi /ovi/ | ọwhọ /ɔwhɔ/ | emamọ /emamɔ/ | edue /edue/ | ma /ma/ | ʈʂʼa /ʈʂʼa/ | — /—/ |
| New | ọfany /ɔfaɲ/ | ọkpokpọ /ɔkpokpɔ/ | ọkpokpọ /ɔkpokpɔ/ | — | ọgbọn /ɔɡbɔ̃/ | — | — |
| Red | ạtuatu /atʊatʊ/ | wowe /wowe/ | wowe /wowe/ | bara /bara/ | baa /baː/ | pɬaʒʲa /pɬaʒʲa/ | kanb /kanb/ |
| White | ọfufu /ɔfʊfʊ/ | ọfuafụ /ɔfuafʊ/ | fafa /fafa/ | pfa /pfa/ | fua /fua/ | — | — |
| Black | obibi /obibi/ | obiebi /obiebi/ | biebi /biebi/ | wisi /wisi/ | nekhui /nexui/ | dʒa /dʒa/ | — |
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