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ABSTRACT
This study conducts a thorough comparative analysis of linguistic features between the Nkanu dialect of Igbo and the standard Igbo language, aiming to establish a high degree of mutual intelligibility between them. The research utilized the SIL Comparative African 1000 Wordlist, where 400 words were used to examine the vocabulary of these varieties. Employing both the Comparative method framework and lexicostatistics analysis, the study examined cognates and non-cognates within the linguistic elements of these varieties. Data collection involved primary methods, including audio-recorded interviews for natural speech flow and accurate transcription, as well as secondary sources such as literature, official documents, and traditional texts. Both qualitative and quantitative analysis approaches were applied to determine the level of mutual intelligibility. The findings revealed approximately 94% linguistic similarities between these variations. This study suggests that scholars can use its findings as a reference for further research, including lexico-syntactic analysis and morpho-semantic analysis. This suggests that the findings and methodologies presented here can serve as a valuable reference point for scholars undertaking similar investigations in the realm of Igbo dialects and languages.
Key words: Nkanu, Comparative, Cognate, Language, Dialect, Lexicostatistics and Mutual Intelligibility.
