Hello Language Lovers! Welcome back to a new episode of Speaking Tongues. This week we’re celebrating Ekpeye language and culture with Franca, founder of the  Speak Ekpeye Fluently Language Initiative, an NGO dedicated to the revitalization and promotion of the Ekpeye language. 

In this episode we discuss: 

🇳🇬the intricacies of the Ekpeye language, its tonal and descriptive nature used when communicating in the language

🇳🇬It’s similarities and differences to the Igbo language, and how despite often classified as a dialect of Igbo, the traits that make Ekpeye stand out as its own language

🇳🇬The debate between Ekpeye & Igbo over names with “chi” and the reasons people have for thinking these names belong to one or the other

🇳🇬We learn why until recently, there had not been a word in Ekpeye for “window” - and Franca tells us what that word is!

🇳🇬Festivals that are present in her community and how wrestling is a much beloved sport in Ekpeye land

🇳🇬How she started encouraging students to learn Ekpeye and the importance of being able to communicate in this language as well as one the major 3 Nigerian languages

Thank you to Franca for sharing your knowledge, your culture, and your language with all of us. If you enjoy this episode of Speaking Tongues, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the Speaking Tongues Podcast on Apple Podcasts and like and subscribe on YouTube so that other language lovers like ourselves can find the show! If you’ve been a long-time listener of the show or a recent listener, you can now pledge ongoing support for the show on Buy Me a Coffee dot com or on Patreon dot com. And as you know, I wrote a book! My food ‘zine of international language and cuisine, Taste Buds Vol 1. is available now for purchase! Check social media for the sneak peek inside of the book and make sure you purchase for yourself and your friends! Links to all platforms are below!

To Connect with Franca: 

Website: https://speakekpeyefluently.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ekpeye_language_hub/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SPEAK.ekpeye.fluently/?_rdc=1&_rdr

YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@speakekpeyefluently692

7000 Languages: https://www.7000.org/ekpeye

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