Ọchịchị language explained

Ọchịchị
Also Known As:Ochichi
Region:Rivers State
States:Nigeria
Familycolor:Niger-Congo
Fam2:Atlantic–Congo
Fam3:Benue–Congo
Fam4:Cross River
Fam5:Central Delta
Iso3:xoc
Glotto:ochi1235
Glottorefname:O'chi'chi'| speakers = few| date = 2002}}Ochichi (Ọchịchị) is a recently discovered and presumably extinct Central Delta language of Nigeria. Its first published reference was in 2002. It was spoken by a few elders in the villages of Ikwewengwo and Umuebulu in the Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State.[1]

Its existence was first discovered in a student project, and a small team from the University of Port Harcourt subsequently went out to attempt to collect further data on the language. The speakers refused to give any further information on the language, as they had almost entirely switched culturally to the Echie (or Échiè) dialect of Igbo and no longer wished to remember their old language.

From the few words collected, Ọchịchị appears to be related to Obulom, a Central Delta language in turn related to Abuan. However, Obulom itself is not well known.

References

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Notes and References

  1. Web site: A note on Ọchịchị. Roger Blench. 2003.