Efik language

Efik
Usem Efịk
Native toSouthern Nigeria
RegionCross River State
EthnicityEfik
Native speakers
1 million (2020)[1]
Second language: 2 million[1]
Latin
Nsibidi
Language codes
ISO 639-2efi
ISO 639-3efi
Glottologefik1245

Efik /ˈɛfɪk/ EF-ik[2] (Usem Efịk) is the indigenous language of the Efik people, who are situated in the present-day Cross River state and Akwa Ibom state of Nigeria, as well as in the North-West of Cameroon. The Efik language is mutually intelligible with other lower Cross River languages such as Ibibio, Annang, Oro and Ekid but the degree of intelligibility in the case of Oro and Ekid is unidirectional; in other words, speakers of these languages speak and understand Efik (and Ibibio) but not vice versa.[3] The Efik vocabulary has been enriched and influenced by external contact with the British, Portuguese and other surrounding communities such as Balondo, Oron, Efut, Okoyong, Efiat and Ekoi (Qua).[4][5]

  1. ^ a b Efik at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022) Closed access icon
  2. ^ Bauer, p. 370
  3. ^ Mensah and Ekawan, p.60
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference auto5 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Goldie, Dictionary of the Efik, p.28

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