Adjectivization of numerals in Izón language

This study examines the adjectival functions of numerals in Izón, a central Delta Niger-Congo language, with a focus on their syntactic integration, morphological derivation, and semantic scope. Numerals in Izón – covering cardinal, ordinal, multiplicative, distributive, fractional, and collective forms – demonstrate systematic positioning within noun phrases (NPs), frequently occupying prenominal modifier slots typically associated with adjectives. Using primary data elicited from native speakers, the study documents derivational strategies including compounding (-fene), ordinal marking (_-káramú), multiplicative suffixation (-kiri), and reduplication, showing that numerals are morphologically equipped to function adjectivally. Findings reveal that numerals not only quantify but also encode semantic contrasts such as order, distribution, portioning, and iteration, and they exhibit sensitivity to animacy distinctions, particularly in human versus non-human referents. Comparisons with English numerals highlight typological divergences: while English numerals occupy a single modifier slot with minimal derivational marking, Izón numerals engage in complex syntactic and morphological interactions, effectively creating a highly elaborated adjectival system in a language with limited canonical adjectives. The study contributes to Niger-Congo typology and functional syntax, emphasizing that numeral adjectivization in Izón represents both a structural innovation and a pragmatic resource for property ascription within NPs. These insights broaden our understanding of numeral-adjective interfaces and underscore the role of numerals as multifunctional grammatical elements in African languages. Keywords: Izón, numeral adjectives, adjectivization, distributive numerals, Niger-Congo,