The Edo language, spoken predominantly by the Edo people in southern Nigeria, belongs to the Volta-Niger branch of the Niger-Congo language family. According to the eLinguistics.net analysis using specific software modules to assess linguistic relationships, the five languages most similar to Edo are Yoruba, Twi, Zande, Umbundu, and Aja, although it is quite unique.
- Yoruba (35.1)
Yoruba is arguably the closest and most influential relative of Edo among major West African languages. Both languages fall under the Volta-Niger subgroup and share commonalities in phonetic tone systems, noun classes, and cultural vocabulary. Edo and Yoruba peoples have had centuries of interaction through trade, migration, and intermarriage, further aligning their linguistic patterns. - Twi (29.3)
Twi, a dialect of Akan, is spoken mainly in Ghana but has surprising affinities with Edo. Though separated geographically, they have some vocabulary in common, like agya in Twi and agie in Edo for father. Their relationship is partially due to their common ancestry within the Niger-Congo family and the historical movement of peoples across West Africa. - Zande (27.2)
While Zande may seem geographically and linguistically distant, it features structural and phonetic elements that align with Edo. As a Ubangian language within the broader Niger-Congo family, Zande shares deep ancestral roots with Edo. Both languages rely heavily on inflection to convey grammatical tense, and both use serial verb constructions. - Umbundu (26.5)
Spoken primarily in Angola, Umbundu, a Bantu language, may appear far removed from Edo geographically, but both languages share key features typical of the Niger-Congo family. Umbundu and Edo also display a strong tradition of oral literature and storytelling, which is deeply embedded in their grammar and usage. - Aja (26.0)
Aja is one of the closest linguistic cousins to Edo in both geography and structure. Spoken in the border areas of Benin and Togo, Aja is considered part of the Gbe language cluster. The interaction between the Edo and Gbe-speaking peoples over centuries has fostered mutual influence. They have similar vocabulary like amá in Aja and èmà in Edo for mother.
(to be considered for the list, the language must be spoken by at least one million people)