The Engwo segmental alphabet has a total of 36 letters. Among these 36 letters are 29 consonants and 7 vowels. The letters are presented below in alphabetical order:
A a, B b, Ch ch, D d, Dz dz, E e, Ɛ ɛ, F f, G g, Gb gb, Gh gh, H h, ’ ’, I i, J j, K k, Kp kp, L l, M m, N n, Ny ny, Ŋ ŋ, O o, Ɔ ɔ, P p, R r, S s, Sh sh, T t, Ts ts, U u, V v, W w, Y y, Z z, Zh zh.
Phoneme |
Letter |
Word |
Translation |
a | A a | atán | chair |
b | B b | bó | dog |
tS | Ch ch | echú | red fly |
d | D d | endé | food |
dz | Dz dz | àdzo | honey bee |
e | E e | ekèrè | up |
ɛ | Ɛ ɛ | èkɛ̀rɛ̀ | pepper |
f | F f | afú | leaves |
g | G g | agɛ́ | grass |
gb | Gb gb | ńgbáa | salt |
Ä | Gh gh | ghô | human being |
h | H h | ahlá | hoe |
? | ’ ’ | akó’ | fufu |
i | I i | ebírí | war |
dӡ | J j | eju | shame |
k | K k | aká | pan |
kp | Kp kp | ekpê | canoe/boat |
l | L l | álo | leg/foot |
m | M m | émɛ́n | saliva |
n | N n | enɔ́ | soldier ant |
ø | Ny ny | nyɛ̂m | meat |
ŋ | Ŋ ŋ | elɔ́ŋɔ́ | trousers |
o | O o | ató | head |
ɔ | Ɔ ɔ | atɔ́ | branches |
p | P p | épan | curse |
R | R r | akírí | umbrella |
s | S s | àsɛ̀’ | comb |
S | Sh sh | shúu | fish |
t | T t | átɛ́’ | hut |
ts | Ts ts | etsâ | song |
u | U u | bú | goat |
v | V v | vánà | vine |
w | W w | éwu | fire |
j | Y y | ayé | woman |
z | Z z | azó’ | yam |
Z | Zh zh | ezhú | nose |
The letter ‘v’ does not occur in any typical Engwo word, but has been added to the alphabet to serve in case of borrowed words and names. It is nicknamed ‘the sleeping letter.’