Like most countries, Nigeria has an official language: English. But the vast majority of Nigerians don’t speak English as their first language—rather, they learn it for school, work, or to communicate with people from different regions of the country. And often, it’s Nigeria’s own English-based creole language, Nigerian Pidgin English, rather than Standard English. Most people in Nigeria speak an indigenous language as their mother tongue—one of the 520 or so indigenous languages that span the West African nation. That includes languages like Igala.
Igala had 1.6 million native speakers in 2020, according to Ethnologue, having doubled since 1989. The language is in vigorous use: it’s taught in local elementary schools, has a standardized orthography, and is used in all domains of life in its community. But, of course, Igala makes little impact on the international stage, and the many other, bigger, more prestigious languages in Nigeria pose a threat to this indigenous tongue. With limited translation resources, Igala doesn’t have many opportunities to expand its influence—but we at TranslationServices.com are thrilled to announce our new Igala translation services, proudly serving this minority community.
How about sending us a message and requesting a free quote for our Igala translation services?
Exploring Igala: What’s the background of this minority Nigerian language?
Igala speakers tend to reside in Nigeria’s Kogi State, found in its North Central region, although geographically, it’s situated in the southern half of the country. The Igala people live in the bank of the Niger River, south of where it meets the Benue River. The Igala language belongs to the Niger–Congo language family, as do virtually all languages in southern Nigeria, with Igala specifically occupying the Yoruboid branch of the family. That means it’s related to Yoruba, one of the biggest native languages in Nigeria, as well as Itsekiri, another fairly major language in the country.
Igala comprises a number of dialects, which include Ibaji, Idah, Dekina, Ogugu, Ankpa, Ebu, and Olumbanasaa. Like most other Niger–Congo languages, it’s tonal, which means the tone with which you pronounce a syllable can entirely change the meaning of the word. With five different tones, all of which are accordingly marked in Igala’s writing system, it’s a complex language. The basic word order of the language is subject-verb-object, as it is for most Niger–Congo languages, although subject-object-verb is also possible in certain cases. All in all, it’s not easy to translate between English and Igala because they’re so different, which is why we rely on native Igala speakers for our translation team.
We work with all different kinds of Igala translation projects.
We’ve built a well-rounded and diverse team of Igala translators to handle all sorts of different translation projects. Are you looking for a particular dialect? Just let us know—our team covers various Igala dialects. All our translators are native Igala speakers who love their language and love helping others break down the communication barriers that stand in the way of international connections, whether that entails translating from Igala to English or from English to Igala.
Perhaps you’re looking for Igala translation services in a more niche domain, such as academia, business, or literature. Our team is large and robust, filled with translation experts with many different specialties, so don’t hesitate to make any special requests. We’re here for academics conducting research in Nigeria’s Kogi State, business leaders who want to cater to a new customer base in their own language, and writers from both Nigeria and abroad who want to share their stories with a wider audience. We also offer localization services for any software developers looking to tap into the Igala market. And when it comes to technical jargon—just ask! We’ll try to match you with a translator who knows your field.
We’re eager to help you with your Igala translation project. Send us a message now so we can discuss the details!
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