Okpe | |
---|---|
Native to | Nigeria |
Region | Delta State |
Ethnicity | Urhobo |
Native speakers
|
25,000 (2000) |
Niger–Congo
|
|
Language codes | |
ISO 639-3 |
– inclusive codeIndividual code: – Idesa |
Glottolog | okpe1250 |
Okpe is an Edoid language of Nigeria spoken by the Urhobo people.
The sound system is rather conservative, and nearly the same as that of Urhobo. The vowels system is the same, and somewhat reduced compared to proto-Edoid: there are seven vowels, /i e ɛ a ɔ o u/. Of the consonants, only significant differences are the addition of /ɣʷ/ and of the distinction between l vs n and y vs ny: these alternate, depending on whether the following vowel is oral or nasal. /ɾ, ʋ, w/ also have nasal allophones before nasal vowels.