Home > Language, Literature > Vol 1 No 1 July 2013 Abstract 5
Classification of Abesabesi
Agoyi, Taiwo Opeyemi
International Journal of Language and Literature, 1(1), 37-51.

Abstract
Àbèsàbèsì is the name of the language known in literature as Akpes. The language is spoken in nine communities. The communities are: Ìbaràm(ù), Ìyànì, Èkiròmì (Ìkáràm(ù), Àsẹ, Àkpès, Gèdègédé, Èṣùkù, Dája, Ìlúdọtun. Àbèsàbèsì linguistic communities are bilingual. Agoyi 2008 says Àbèsàbèsì has four dialects: Èkiròmì (spoken in Ìkáràmù and Àsẹ), Akpes (spoken in Àkùnù and Ìlúdọtun in Àjọwá), Ìluẹnì (spoken in Ìbaràm(ù), Ìyànì, Gèdègédé) and Èṣùkù spoken in Èṣùkù, Dája). Akpes is classified as a separate branch of the Niger-Congo family. Agoyi (1998, 2001) argues that Akpes (Ekiromi) be reclassified as Edoid. The reasons for her proposal are based on the inflection for number, as well as Lexico-statistics of word lists of about 66 basic items. Agoyi (2008) shows that Akpes and Èkiròmì, two Àbèsàbèsì languages, attest {ATR+ROUND] harmony which is not a common linguistic feature in Africa; nonetheless, there is a striking similarity in the [ATR] and [LOW] vowel harmony that Ilueni one of the Abesabèsi language lects, attests with the [ATR], [LOW] harmony found in Okpe (Pulleyblank (1986)). It is argued that [ATR+ROUND] drives [LOW] vowel Harmony in Ọṣùgù, another Abèsàbèsì lect. The phenomenon can be traced to the [LOW] vowel feature inherent in the proto Language. Gerunds in all Àbèsàbèsì lects manifests down step which is similar to Degema tone system (Elugbe 2011:11),

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Agoyi, Taiwo Opeyemi. (2013). Classification of Abesabesi. International Journal of Language and Literature, 1(1), 37-51.