Efik language
[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).
[6][7] Dr Baikie had stated, "All the coast dialects from One to Old Kalabar, are, either directly or indirectly, connected with Igbo, which later Dr. Latham informed that, it is certainly related to the Kafir class".
The present linguistic classification was made by Greenberg who groups Efik in the Benue-Congo sub-family of the Niger-Congo family.
According to Greenberg, "the trait of the Niger–Congo morphology which provides the main material for comparison is the system of noun classification by pair of affixes.
When the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland Mission arrived Old Calabar in 1846, Reverend Hope Waddell and Samuel Edgerley with the assistance of the Efik trader Egboyoung (Ekpenyong) started the recordings of Efik vocabulary; these were printed in their lithographic press and made ready in 1849.
The orthography chosen by the missionaries was developed by Dr. Lepsius whose system and the phonetic alphabet were found to be suitable for the Efik language at the time.
From the early 1930s, there was a twelve-page quarterly magazine in Efik, "Obụkpọn Obio" (Town Bugle) edited by Reverend James Ballantyne.
[18] From 1948 to 1950, an eight-page weekly newspaper in Efik, "Obodom Edem Usiahautin" (Eastern Talking Drum), edited by Chief Etim Ekpenyong and printed at the Henshaw Press was sold at 2d each.
[16] Due to the extensive trading activities of the Efik people, the language became the lingua franca of the Cross River region.
[4] The Efik Language equally survived in the West Indies due to the exportation of slaves from the Cross River Region.
Words of Efik origin can be found in the vocabulary of the Gullah Geechee people of the United States.
The Efik vocabulary has continually expanded since the earliest contact with surrounding ethnicities and European traders.
[35][4] Due to its geographical position along the Lower Cross River, the Efik language adopted foreign words.
Words of Efut and qua origin exist in the Efik vocabulary by virtue of their long history of intermarriages and interethnic trade.
Words denoting material objects which history relates Europeans introduced at an early date, are un̄wọn̄ – Tobacco and snuff, lbokpot 'maize' and probably, lwa 'cassava'.
[39] The most common nouns used to identify specific groups include Mbakara (European), Oboriki (Portuguese), Unehe (Igbo), Asanu (Hausa), Ekoi, Ibibio.
Compounds that illustrate this usage include "Oboriki Unen" (Portuguese Hen), "Utere Mbakara" (Turkey), Ikpọ Unehe (Igbo climbing rope), Okpoho Ibibio (the manilla, copper ring once used as currency in Ibibioland).
[41][42][43] Efik words such as Utuenikan̄ (Lantern), n̄kanika (Bell or Clock), Enan̄ukwak (Bicycle), n̄wed Abasi (Bible) can be found in several communities in the Old Eastern Region and the Cameroons.
Nanji attests a school of thought that holds that forty percent of the Balondo Language consists of Efik words.
[44] Julian Loperus in her book The Londo Word (1985) states, The geographical position of the Balondo area, Just to the east of Cross River delta, also explains the rather large proportion of borrowed Efik.
Not only do many Nigerians speaking these languages work in palm plantations in the Balondo area, but Calabar appears to be a centre of attraction for young people wishing to experience the outside world.
[49] On 1 September 1975, a new Efik orthography was approved for use in schools by the Ministry of Education, Cross River state.
