Editing Yoruba language (section)

== History ==
{{further|Volta–Niger languages|Benue–Congo languages}}
Yoruba is classified among the [[Edekiri languages]], which together with [[Itsekiri language|Itsekiri]] and the isolate [[Igala language|Igala]] form the [[Yoruboid languages|Yoruboid]] group of languages within the [[Volta–Niger languages|Volta–Niger]] branch of the [[Niger–Congo languages|Niger–Congo]] family. 
The linguistic unity of the Niger–Congo family dates to deep pre-history, with estimates ranging around 11,000 years ago (the end of the [[Upper Paleolithic]]).<ref>{{cite book| last1=Heine|first1=Bernd|author-link1=Bernd Heine|last2=Nurse| first2=Derek|author-link2=Derek Nurse|title=African Languages: An Introduction |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=C7XhcYoFxaQC&pg=PA294|year=2000|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-66629-9|page=294}}</ref> In present-day [[Nigeria]], it is estimated that there are around 50 million Yoruba primary and secondary language speakers, as well as several other millions of speakers outside Nigeria, making it the most widely spoken African language outside of the continent. There is a substantial body of literature in the Yoruba language, including books, newspapers, and pamphlets.<ref name="britannica.com">{{Cite web |title=Yoruba language {{!}} West African, Nigeria, Benin {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Yoruba-language |access-date=2024-03-19 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref> Yoruba is used in radio and television broadcasting and is taught at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels.<ref name="britannica.com"/>