Izi
Izii
Niger-Congo
Izii (also Izzi or Izi) is an Igboid Niger-Congo language of southeastern Nigeria, classified as a separate language from Igbo (ig) by Ethnologue and Glottolog despite their close genetic relationship within the Igboid subgroup. The Izii people are concentrated in Ebonyi State around Abakaliki, the state capital. Linguistically, Izii shares core Igboid features (noun-class system, downstep tone, SVO constituent order) with Igbo and Ekpeye (ekp), but with distinctive phonological and lexical features. Izii literacy programs since the 1990s have produced standardized educational materials including the Izii New Testament.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Izii
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Niger-Congo
| Meaning | Izii | Ekpeye | Igbo | Yekhee | Degema | Zande | Isoko |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | mini /mini/ | mini /mini/ | mmiri /mːiɾi/ | amɛ /amɛ/ | amin /amin/ | ime /ime/ | ame /ame/ |
| Fire | oku /oku/ | ẹcị /ɛtʃɪ/ | ọkụ /ɔkʊ/ | eria /eɾia/ | itany /itaɲ/ | we /we/ | erae /eɾae/ |
| Sun | anwu /aŋwu/ | ẹlaŋụ /ɛlaŋʊ/ | anyanwụ /aɲaŋʷʊ/ | ovan /ovan/ | uvuwo /uvuwo/ | uru /uɾu/ | ọvẹ /ɔvɛ/ |
| Moon | onwa /oŋwa/ | adịgwẹ /adɪɡwɛ/ | ọnwa /ɔŋʷa/ | ukpoki /ukpoki/ | obaam /obəəm/ | diwi /diwi/ | ọwa /ɔwa/ |
| Star | kpokpode /kpokpode/ | opipinyenye /ɔpipiˈɲeɲe/ | kpakpando /kpakpando/ | isi /isi/ | ụsemese /ʊsɛmɛsɛ/ | kerekuru /kɛɾɛkuɾu/ | esi /esi/ |
| Night | enyashi /eɲaʃi/ | abala /abala/ | abalị /abalɪ/ | eridai /eridai/ | ạsu /asʊ/ | yuru /juru/ | aso /aso/ |
| Snow | aka-mini-sunoo /aka mini sunoː/ | — | snoo /sinoː/ | — | — | — | ekpalekpa-ame /ekpalekpaame/ |
| Wind | phẹrephere /ɸɛɾeɸeɾe/ | uweele /uweele/ | ifufe /ifufe/ | — | — | yuge /juɡe/ | ofou /ofou/ |
| Earth | alị /alɪ/ | ele /ɛlɛ/ | ala /àlà/ | — | — | sende /sɛndɛ/ | otọ /ɔtɔ/ |
| Stone | mkpuma /mkpuma/ | igwu /iɡwu/ | nkume /ŋˈkume/ | udo /udo/ | ohinw /ohiŋʷ/ | mbia /mbia/ | — |
| Mountain | ubvu /ubvu/ | ebu /eɓu/ | ugwu /úɡʷú/ | — | igu /iɡu/ | gangara /ɡaŋɡara/ | ugbehru /uɡbehɾu/ |
| Sea | eze-ẹnyimu /eze ɛɲimu/ | olimini /olimini/ | oke osimiri /oke osimiɾi/ | — | — | baime /baime/ | abade /abade/ |
| Mother | ne /ne/ | ịna /ɪna/ | nne /nːe/ | iye /ije/ | onomo /onomo/ | na /na/ | oni /oni/ |
| Father | nna /nːa/ | ịda /ɪda/ | nna /nːa/ | eθa /eθa/ | ọsunomo /ɔsʊnɔmɔ/ | ba /ba/ | ọsẹ /ɔsɛ/ |
| Daughter | nwada /ŋwada/ | — | nwa nwaanyị /ŋʷa ŋʷaːɲɪ/ | — | ọkpatam /ɔkpatam/ | — | ọmọtẹ /ɔmɔtɛ/ |
| I | mu /mu/ | ma /ma/ | mụ /mʊ/ | mẹ /mɛ/ | mẹẹ /mɛɛ/ | mi /mi/ | mẹ /mɛ/ |
| You | ngu /ŋɡu/ | yo /jo/ | gị /ɡɪ/ | wẹ /wɛ/ | wọọ /wɔɔ/ | mo /mo/ | whẹ /ʍɛ/ |
| We | anyi /aɲi/ | ye /je/ | anyị /aɲɪ/ | mae /mae/ | eni /eni/ | ani /ani/ | ma /ma/ |
| Name | ẹpha /ɛɸa/ | ewa /ɛˈwa/ | aha /aha/ | ena /ena/ | ini /ini/ | rimo /ɾimo/ | odẹ /odɛ/ |
| Person | amadụ /amadʊ/ | madu /madu/ | mmadụ /mmadʊ/ | — | oweey /oweej/ | boro /boro/ | ohwo /ohwo/ |
| Head | ishi /iʃi/ | ishi /iʃi/ | isi /isi/ | usumi /usumi/ | utom /utom/ | — | uzou /uzou/ |
| Eye | ẹnya /ɛɲa/ | anya /aɲa/ | anya /aɲa/ | evua /evua/ | ụnwo ạḍu /ʊŋʷɔ aɗʊ/ | bangiri /baŋɡiɾi/ | ẹro /ɛɾo/ |
| Ear | nchị /ntʃɪ/ | ẹtẹ /ɛtɛ/ | ntị /ntɪ/ | eo /eo/ | ụsow /ʊsɔw/ | tu /tu/ | ozọ /ozɔ/ |
| Nose | imi /imi/ | emi /emi/ | imi /īmī/ | isue /isue/ | isuveny /isuveɲ/ | ho /ho/ | unwe /unwe/ |
| Mouth | ọnu /ɔnu/ | ụnụ /ʊnʊ/ | ọnụ /ɔnʊ/ | uno /uno/ | enu /enu/ | ngba /ŋɡba/ | unu /unu/ |
| Tooth | eze /eze/ | ize /ize/ | eze /eze/ | ako /ako/ | ụku /ʊkʊ/ | rinde /rinde/ | akọ /akɔ/ |
| Tongue | ire /ire/ | idho /iðo/ | ire /iɾe/ | olemi /olemi/ | ụḍem /ʊɗɛm/ | mira /mira/ | erou /eɾou/ |
| Hand | ẹka /ɛka/ | aka /aka/ | aka /aka/ | oba /oba/ | ụḅo /ʊɓɔ/ | be /be/ | obọ /obɔ/ |
| Foot | ọkpa /ɔkpa/ | uko /uko/ | ụkwụ /ʊkʷʊ/ | — | avi /avi/ | kpendu /kpendu/ | owọ /owɔ/ |
| Heart | obu /obu/ | obi /obi/ | obi /obi/ | itsu /itsu/ | ụnwo ivom /ʊŋʷɔ ivom/ | ngbaduse /ŋɡbaduse/ | udu /udu/ |
| Bone | ọkpu /ɔkpʊ/ | ukpo /ukpo/ | ọkpụkpụ /ɔkpʊkpʊ/ | ugoa /uɡoa/ | uḅuwo /uɓuwo/ | meme /meme/ | ubeku /ubeku/ |
| Blood | mmee /mːeː/ | ubala /ubala/ | ọbara /ɔbaɾa/ | atale /atale/ | ịjzalam /ɪzalam/ | kure /kure/ | azẹ /azɛ/ |
| Poop | nshị /nʃɪ/ | — | nsị /n̩sḭ/ | — | — | — | isọ /isɔ/ |
| Love | ihunanya /ihunaɲa/ | ihunanya /ihunaɲa/ | ịhụnanya /ɪhʊnaɲa/ | gbele /ɡbele/ | — /—/ | kpinyemu /kpiɲemu/ | ọsuọ /ɔswɔ/ |
| Tree | oshi /oʃi/ | osisi /osisi/ | osisi /osisi/ | orhan /oɾhan/ | ụtany /ʊtaɲ/ | ngua /ŋɡua/ | orhan /oɾan/ |
| Dog | nkita /ŋkita/ | akịta /akɪta/ | nkịta /ŋkɪta/ | agbon /aɡbon/ | ạḅuwa /aɓʊwa/ | ango /aŋɡo/ | ebọ /ebɔ/ |
| Cat | nwamba /ŋwamba/ | nwamba /ŋwamba/ | nwamba /ŋʷamba/ | otsuvua /otsuvua/ | pọsi /pɔsɪ/ | gbabo /ɡbabo/ | ọtọmha /ɔtɔmha/ |
| Fish | ema /ema/ | ukpa /ukpa/ | azụ /azʊ/ | eseri /eseri/ | esen /esen/ | tio /tio/ | yei /jei/ |
| Bird | ẹnu /ɛnu/ | — | nnụnụ /nːʊnʊ/ | apfiami /apfiami/ | ẹfen /ɛfɛn/ | zire /zire/ | evra /evɾa/ |
| Egg | ẹkwa /ɛkwa/ | ukwa /ukwa/ | àkwá /àkʷá/ | — | — | para /paɾa/ | ike /ike/ |
| Bear | bịye /bɪje/ | — | bịa /bɪa/ | — | — | urisi /uɾisi/ | — |
| Horse | ịnya /ɪɲa/ | inyanya /ɨɲaɲa/ | ịnyịnya /ɪɲɪɲa/ | akazi /akaʒi/ | — | farasi /faɾasi/ | anyenya /aɲeɲa/ |
| House | ulo /ulo/ | ulo /ulo/ | ụlọ /ʊlɔ/ | ukekpe /ukekpe/ | ụvay /ʊvaj/ | bambu /bambu/ | uwowhe /uwowhe/ |
| Milk | ẹra /ɛɾa/ | — | mmiri ara /mːiɾi aɾa/ | — | — | momunya /momuɲa/ | imiliki /imiliki/ |
| Honey | manụ ẹnwu /manʊ ɛŋwu/ | oga ogbenyi /ɔɡa ɔɡbɛɲɨ/ | mmanụ aṅụ /mːanʊ aŋʊ/ | — | — | anyege /aɲeɡe/ | ọnyọ /ɔɲɔ/ |
| Salt | unu /unu/ | aɗa /aɗa/ | nnu /nːu/ | umeri /umeri/ | uḅuwan /uɓuwən/ | tikpo /tikpo/ | uwhei /uʍei/ |
| Wine | mẹe /mɛe/ | — | mmanya /mːaɲa/ | — | — | imekakue /imekakue/ | enwaene /enwaene/ |
| Iron | igwe /iɡwe/ | uci /utʃi/ | igwe /iɡʷe/ | akure /akuɾe/ | ikulele /ikulele/ | mara /mara/ | ayọno /ajɔno/ |
| Book | ẹkwo /ɛkwo/ | — | akwụkwọ /akʷʊkʷɔ/ | — | — | kitabu /kitabu/ | ụbị /ʊbɪ/ |
| Eat | ri /ɾi/ | ri /ɾi/ | iri /iɾi/ | remi /ɾemi/ | ḍi /ɗi/ | ri /ɾi/ | re /ɾe/ |
| Drink | nu /nu/ | ŋụ /ŋʊ/ | ịṅụ /ɪŋʊ/ | yamẹ /jamɛ/ | nyọnw /ɲɔŋʷ/ | mbira /mbiɾa/ | da /da/ |
| Sleep | ku mgbẹnya /ku mɡbɛɲa/ | nyi inina /ɲi inina/ | ịrahụ /ɪɾahʊ/ | — | mẹse /mɛsɛ/ | ra /ɾa/ | wezẹ /wɛzɛ/ |
| One | nanụ /nanʊ/ | otu /otu/ | otu /otu/ | ɔkpa /ɔkpa/ | ọvu /ɔvʊ/ | sa /sa/ | ọvo /ɔvo/ |
| Two | ẹbo /ɛbɔ/ | gbibo /ɡbibo/ | abụọ /abʊɔ/ | eva /eva/ | iva /ivə/ | ue /uwe/ | ivẹ /ivɛ/ |
| Three | ẹto /ɛtɔ/ | bɨtọ /ɓɨtɔ/ | atọ /atɔ/ | ela /ela/ | ịsay /ɪsaj/ | biata /biata/ | isa /isa/ |
| Four | ẹno /ɛnɔ/ | bɨnọ /ɓɨnɔ/ | anọ /anɔ/ | ezie /eʒie/ | — | biama /biama/ | ịnị /ɪnɪ/ |
| Five | ise /ise/ | bise /ɓise/ | ise /ise/ | ise /ise/ | isuwon /isuwon/ | bisue /bisue/ | isoi /isɔi/ |
| Hundred | ụkporo ise /ʊkpoɾo ise/ | — | narị /naɾɪ/ | — | itany isuwon /itaɲ isuwon/ | ngbangbu /ŋɡbaŋɡbu/ | ẹgba /ɛɡba/ |
| Hello | ndo /ndo/ | nno /nːo/ | nnọọ /nːɔː/ | udze /udze/ | — /—/ | mo ima ya /mo ima ja/ | mavọ /mavɔ/ |
| Thank you | ima ego /ima eɡo/ | imela /imela/ | daalụ /daːlʊ/ | oyabuwere /ojabuweɾe/ | — /—/ | oni-tambua /oni-tambua/ | migwo /miɡwo/ |
| Good | oma /oma/ | oma /oma/ | ọma /ɔma/ | edue /edue/ | ovi /ovi/ | wene /wene/ | ọwhọ /ɔwhɔ/ |
| New | ọphuu /ɔɸuː/ | — | ọhụrụ /ɔhʊɾʊ/ | — | ọfany /ɔfaɲ/ | vovo /vovo/ | ọkpokpọ /ɔkpokpɔ/ |
| Red | bara /bara/ | bara /bara/ | ọbara ọbara /ɔbaɾa ɔbaɾa/ | bara /bara/ | ạtuatu /atʊatʊ/ | zamba /zamba/ | wowe /wowe/ |
| White | ọchaa /ɔtʃaː/ | usa /usa/ | ọcha /ɔtʃa/ | pfa /pfa/ | ọfufu /ɔfʊfʊ/ | pisi /pisi/ | ọfuafụ /ɔfuafʊ/ |
| Black | ojii /odʒiː/ | uyi /uji/ | ojii /odʒiː/ | wisi /wisi/ | obibi /obibi/ | bibiri /bibiɾi/ | obiebi /obiebi/ |
| Green | oyingo-oyingo /ojiŋɡo ojiŋɡo/ | — | ndụndụ /ndʊndʊ/ | — | — | nvutanvuta /nvutanvuta/ | — |
| Blue | urwukpu-urwukpu /uɾʷukpu uɾʷukpu/ | — | anụnụ anụnụ /anʊnʊ anʊnʊ/ | — | — | — | iburu /ibuɾu/ |
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