Efik language

Efik
Efik
Usem Efịk
Native to	Southern Nigeria
Region	Cross River State
Ethnicity	Efik
Native speakers	L1: 700,000 (2020); L2: 2 million
Language family	Niger–Congo? Atlantic–Congo Volta–Congo Benue–Congo Cross River Lower Cross Ibibio-Efik Efik; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Writing system	Latin; Nsibidi
Language codes
ISO 639-2	efi
ISO 639-3	efi
Glottolog	efik1245

Efik /ˈɛfɪk/ EF-ik^[2] (Usem Efịk) is the indigenous language of the Efik people, who are situated in the present-day Cross River State and Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria, as well as in the north-west of Cameroon. The Efik language is mutually intelligible with other lower Cross River languages such as Ibibio, Anaang, Oro and Ekid but the degree of intelligibility in the case of Oro and Ekid is unidirectional; in other words, speakers of these languages speak and understand Efik (and Ibibio) but not vice versa.^[3] The Efik vocabulary has been enriched and influenced by external contact with the British, Portuguese and other surrounding communities such as Balondo, Oron, Efut, Okoyong, Efiat and Ekoi (Qua).^[4]^[5]

^ ^a ^b Efik at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)
^ Bauer, p. 370
^ Mensah and Ekawan, p.60
^ Cite error: The named reference auto5 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Goldie, Dictionary of the Efik, p.28

[e25-1] Efik at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)

[2] Bauer, p. 370

[3] Mensah and Ekawan, p.60

[auto5-4] Cite error: The named reference auto5 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[5] Goldie, Dictionary of the Efik, p.28

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