Obanliku language explained

Obanliku
Also Known As:	Banliku
States:	Nigeria
Speakers:	65,000
Date:	1989
Ref:	e25
Familycolor:	Niger-Congo
Fam2:	Atlantic–Congo
Fam3:	Benue–Congo
Fam4:	Southern Bantoid?
Fam5:	Bendi
Dia1:	Basang
Dia2:	Bebi
Dia3:	Bishiri
Dia4:	Bisu
Dia5:	Busi
Iso3:	bzy
Glotto:	oban1244
Glottorefname:	Obanliku

Obanliku (Banliku, Abanliku) is a Bendi language of Nigeria. There are five dialects or varieties: Bisu, Busi, Bishiri, Basang and Bebi.^[1]

In a 2011 survey, it was found that the Bisu, Busi, Bishiri and Bebi dialects share above 75% lexical similarity and are mutually intelligible, but the southwestern Basang dialect had less than 75%, causing some difficulty for speakers of the other dialects.^[2] Basang speakers could understand the other dialects, however.^[3] Additionally, all Obanliku speakers have some understanding of the neighbouring Bete-Bendi language, mainly through learning it at the market;^[4] the Obanliku and Bete-Bendi languages also had an average of 70% lexical similarity.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Summary Report of a Sociolinguistic Survey of the Obanliku Speech Varieties of Cross River State, Nigeria An Abridged Version of a Full Report (PDF Download Available). 2011. ResearchGate. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20170801035716/https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281278788_Summary_Report_of_a_Sociolinguistic_Survey_of_the_Obanliku_Speech_Varieties_of_Cross_River_State_Nigeria_An_Abridged_Version_of_a_Full_Report. 1 August 2017. 2017-07-31.
2. Web site: Summary Report of a Sociolinguistic Survey of the Obanliku Speech Varieties of Cross River State, Nigeria An Abridged Version of a Full Report (PDF Download Available). 2011. ResearchGate. 3. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20170801035716/https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281278788_Summary_Report_of_a_Sociolinguistic_Survey_of_the_Obanliku_Speech_Varieties_of_Cross_River_State_Nigeria_An_Abridged_Version_of_a_Full_Report. 1 August 2017. 2017-08-01.
3. Web site: Summary Report of a Sociolinguistic Survey of the Obanliku Speech Varieties of Cross River State, Nigeria An Abridged Version of a Full Report (PDF Download Available). 2011. ResearchGate. 7. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20170801035716/https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281278788_Summary_Report_of_a_Sociolinguistic_Survey_of_the_Obanliku_Speech_Varieties_of_Cross_River_State_Nigeria_An_Abridged_Version_of_a_Full_Report. 1 August 2017. 2017-08-01.
4. Web site: Summary Report of a Sociolinguistic Survey of the Obanliku Speech Varieties of Cross River State, Nigeria An Abridged Version of a Full Report (PDF Download Available). 2011. ResearchGate. 9. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20170801035716/https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281278788_Summary_Report_of_a_Sociolinguistic_Survey_of_the_Obanliku_Speech_Varieties_of_Cross_River_State_Nigeria_An_Abridged_Version_of_a_Full_Report. 1 August 2017. 2017-08-01.