Abidji (also known as Abiji and Ambidji) is a language of uncertain classification within the Kwa branch of the Niger–Congo family. It is spoken in Ivory Coast.
It has two dialects: "enyembe" and "ogbru". These dialects' names are used by the members of these Abidji-speaking ethnic groups to refer to themselves. The name Ambidji was given to the language by these groups' neighbors.
Villages Abidji is spoken in these villages:
Village Name Native name (IPA) Soukoukro sukwebi Badasso gbadatɛ Elibou elibu Sahuyé sayjɛ gomon goma Yaobou jawebi; joabu; djabõ; nadja côtôcô; Amougbroussandou Sikensi sikãsi Bécédi besedi Brafoueby brafwebi Bakanou A, B gbakamɔ̃ Katadji kalaɟi Abiéhou abjeu Akakro akabi Ahimangbo emãgbo Akoungou akpũmbu
Writing system
Abidji is written with a Latin alphabet, using the graphemes of the practical writing for the languages of the Ivory Coast. The letter upsilon is often replaced with the V with hook .
+ Abidji alphabet Capital letters A B C D E Ɛ F G Gb J I Ɩ K Kp L M N Ny O Ɔ P R S T U Ʊ / Ʋ W Y ʔ Lowercase letters a b c d e ɛ f g gb j i ɩ k kp l m n ny o ɔ p r s t u ʊ / ʋ w y ʔ Phonetics
The nasal vowels are written with ( before and ): .
Phonology
Consonants + Abidji consonants, citing Labial Alveolar Palatal Velar Labial–velar GlottalPlosive voiceless voiced Nasal Fricative Approximant Trill
Vowels All vowels except have contrastive nasal forms. +Abidji vowelsFrontCentralBackClose Near-close Mid Near-open Open Abidji's phonology is characterized by vocal harmony: its 9 vowels are divided into two sets, based on the position of the root of the tongue at the time of articulation.
The vowels /i, e, u, o/ are fronted because they are articulated with the root of the tongue at the front of the mouth. The vowels /ɩ, ɛ, ʋ, ɔ/ are retracted because they are articulated with the root at the back. The vowel /a/ behaves like a retracted vowel in verbal forms, but in nominal forms, it can appear with both fronted and retracted vowels (ex: atingbre: "trail"; abrɛbɛ: "pineapple") All the vowels included in a single word belong to one of these two sets: yɔfʋ: love; kikeu: "shake".
All of these 9 vowels can be nasalized. Beyond that, Abidji only contains open syllables, with the sole exception being the first syllable of the word darsɛ: "metal pot", likely a loanword.
Tones Abidji is a tonal language. Therefore the pitch of each syllable plays a role in the meaning of words or conjugated form of a verb. Abidji has two phonemic tones, described as high and low . These can be attached to one or two vowels (e.g. kpan (H): "all"; kpan (HL): "human being").
Grammar The language's most distinct grammatical aspect is its verbal system, which is highly structured. Abidji contains 4 verb groups which are distinguished by their combination of tonal and syllabic arrangements.
The first group contains verbs with a monosyllabic root which cannot accommodate modulated tones (e.g. mɩkan: "I say" (L - H))
The second group contains verbs with a monosyllabic root which can carry a modulated tone (e.g. mɩkan: "I have" (L - HL))
The third group contains verbs with a polysyllabic root in which each syllable can only carry a singular tone (e.g. mubutu: "I ask" (L - H - L))
The fourth group only contains 5 exceptionally common verbs ("to go"; "to come"; "to eat"; "to die"; and "to fight") for which the verbal root alternates between a sequence of h followed by a vowel ('hi'), a sequence of two vowels ('ie'), and a sequence of ʔ followed by three vowels, based upon the conjugation of the verb in a given aspect/tense (e.g. mehi: "I come"; mie: "I came"; ʔieu: "to come" (infinitive))
Dialectic differences Lexical differences between the enyembe et ogbru dialects: englishfrançaisabidji (enyembe)adidji (ogbru)Beeabeillealãnɟaɔlɔ̃nɟaBark (v.)aboyerlubunɛgbɛNeedle (n.)aiguilleãfjɔrafofjɔruDrying areaaire de séchagebetagbetaMatch (n.)allumettekpasẽtɛpeFriendamiamwãɔmɔ̃PineappleananasabɛbrɛabrobɛAnimalanimalonjɛn̥njɛWait (v.)attendrekpɔkpɔ̃Todayaujourd'huiamnɔ̃amrɛ̃Brawl (n.)bagarrem̥bem̥meBroom (outdoor)balai (cour)tẽfɔtɔ̃fɔ̃Broom (indoor)balai (chambre)kparuweɓawreBuildbâtirrɔlɛGravelbouekɔdɔgɔkɔdɔgɔ̃Corpsecadavregwɛ̃tɛãẽteUnderwearcaleçonjɔmkotojamkotoCane (n.)cannekpamakpamãCowriecaurin̥srowan̥zrowaSingingchanteɟiedʒiHatchapeaukilekreFly-swatterchasse-mouchesajɛsãẽCatchatɟiɟraɟiɟraɔ̃; afanaWarmchaudɛt'eɛtsẽGoatchèvreŋ̥hi-jiŋhɛ̃Lemoncitronlɛkpɛ̃ɓɛnɛ̃HeartcœurlubolɔwɛlubwolɛConcession (land grant)concessionlukpomõlukpohũCrowcorbeaujebrekpɔ̃ɔ̃jeblekpɔmɛ̃Run (v.)courirjenedwe / dueKnifecouteaubajiremibajirumi; akraboToadcrapauddɔntrɔtrɔntrɔDance (v.)danserbubu-sɟiToothdentɛɲieɲẽGivedonnertotɔBackdosgegẽRight (dir.)droitekpese-bɔkpɛsɛ-bɔEnterentrerhɔwɔSpongeépongebelablaSpouse (fem.)épousejijuMarryépouserhɔ̃wãSpouse (m.)épouxhɛheStretchétendrepɛ (têŋge = Drag)To smokefumerbɛ ... jebɔ ... jeAntfourmimĩndereSmokefuméeminegbemregbeSon-in-lawgendremisjamesjaOkragomboaɟowɛadʒwɛGuavagoyavegbjãsɔFroggrenouilleabjam(ɔ̃)abajamɔBiggroslɔkpɔHumidhumideplɔpɔtɔIntestinesintestinsrɔwɔwɛrɔrɔcɛPlay (v.con.)jouerɛkpɛsɛkpɛHeavylourdlilɛhẽMoonluneŋwɔ̃hwɔ̃ChewmâchertɔtaMachetemachetteakrabɔbeseButmaisdodoɔkɔ̃mɔ̃nɔ̃HousemaisonkãkõEatmangerheɛ/eMedicinemédicamentrɛkpalɔkpaChinmentonhõhɔhõhɔ̃Watch (v.con.)montrenɔ̃nɛ̃Mortar mortierlufũlufuKnot (n.)nœudsãŋgɔtɔsãŋgoto; logboEye (n.)œilnɔ̃nɔ̃wɛnɛ-sɛ̃BirdoiseaurɔwarɔlowarɛRaffia palmpalmier raphiaŋ̥ko-t'iŋkwe-t'iLostperdula ... kpɛnepuSmall (adj.)petittekretekraeTrail (n.)pisteatẽŋgbreatĩŋgbreCry (v.)pleurerto-mototo-miteFish (n.)poissonsĩjesijeTake (v.)prendrecotʃoPriceprixɛnoɛnnɛTailqueuenihyĩlĩLook atregarderdekelekeRegionrégionmãjemãɛ̃ (earth)Mealrepasm̥bɔm̥bwɔScorpionscorpionsãŋgrãjikãŋgabediSaltselmuhumuwuCatfishsilureɟemneɟemreMousesourislɔkplɔkpõTaro roottaroaɟipuabjakeTermitetermiten̥ce (termite mound)m̥fɔGroundterrewɔtɔweteFall (v.)tomberpepɔTurtle/tortoisetortueɛdekelu-kpokpo (Sudden-death?)CowvachedẽgũWindventlɛfãlɔfãVillagevillageebiobuTwodeuxãnɔ̃ɔɲɔ̃FourquatreãlaãndaNineneufnɛmbrɛnɔ̃mbrɔ̃Tendixn̥djɔn̥sjɔ̃
Noun construction Englishsg.pl.Babyɛwɔe[s]wɔChildlɔbɔleɔmrɔbɔDogadwaadwakpãFishsĩjesĩjekpãMalekpeseɛkpeseMankpãakpãOld mankpẽŋkprɛakpãŋkprɛRopebebakpãWomanjuoju
References
External links Abidji basic lexicon at the Global Lexicostatistical Database Listen to a sample of Abidji from Global Recordings Network World Atlas of Language Structures information on Abidji