An Ígálá-English Lexicon

Book excerpt: Ígálá language, which is spoken in parts of Kògí, Énúgu, Ánámbra, Delta and Bénúé States of Nigeria, is one of the world’s increasingly endangered languages. Unless something changes soon, it will be lost forever. John Idakwoji spent more than thirty years researching the language so that he could share with the world its oceanic depth and the sacred, unique but under-exploited culture that it nurtures even in its seldom written, rarely described and sparsely documented state of being. The book takes the bull by the horns, as it equips Igala teachers and students with the tools they need to engage in practical learning and instruction. You’ll find: insights on the properties and characteristics of the language, including its alphabet, tones, grammar, parts of speech, dialects, loan-words, and more. features of the lexicon and how readers can recognize and use vocabulary. over five thousand head-words presented in alphabetical order and bearing diacritical marks, phonetic symbols, and tone marks to enable interested non-Igalas to read the book. Research-based information on Igala’s prehistoric origins and the three successive dynasties that have ruled the land bring a personal touch to the lexicon. There is a desperate need and a vociferous call for Ígáláà to be preserved, and An Ígálá-English Lexicon answers that clarion call with an impressive trove of data, analysis, and documentation.