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Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Africa > Benin > Ede Ije

Ede Ije

A language of Benin

ISO 639-3: ijj

Population  50,000 (2000 SIL).
Region  Plateau Province (north part of former Oueme Province), Pobe and Ketou subprefectures; Zou Province, Ouihni Subprefecture. Rural districts between Ketou and Pobe towns, westward to Oueme River; villages in Zou Province, Zogbodome Subprefecture, south of Zogbodome town.
Language map  Benin, reference number 18
Alternate names   Holi, Ije
Dialects  One of 8 languages comprising the Ede language subgroup (Yorboid) spread over southwestern Nigeria, southern and central Benin, and southern and central Togo. The subgroup also includes Ede Cabe [cbj], Ede Ica [ica], Ede Idaca [idd], Ife [ife], Ede Nago [nqg], Kura Ede Nago [nqk], Manigri-Kambole Ede Nago [xkb]. The various people groups seek to maintain their individual identities yet recognize the wider Yoruba community. Lexical similarity: 85% with Yoruba of Porto-Novo [yor], 91% with Ede Nago [nqg].
Classification  Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Defoid, Yoruboid, Edekiri
Language use  All domains. Also use French, Yoruba [yor], Fon [fon], or Arabic.
Language development  Basic literacy program using Yoruba expanded to include post-literacy.
Comments  Traditional religion, Christian, Muslim.

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

KLUGE, Angela, editor. 2011. "A sociolinguistic survey of the Ede language communities of Benin and Togo, Introduction and Volume 1: Ede language family – Background and assessment methodology."  Available online

SCHMIDT, Jeff H., author. 2011. "A sociolinguistic survey of the Ede language communities of Benin and Togo, Volume 5: Ije language area."  Available online