What does "I" mean in Yoruba?
English has two words for the speaker: "I" as the subject and "me" as the object, plus "my" for possession. Yoruba has one pronoun with four shapes. Each shape depends on where the pronoun stands in the sentence and what follows it:
- mo: "I", the ordinary subject of an affirmative sentence: Mo lọ, "I went." - mi: "me" after a verb or a preposition, and "my" after a noun: Ó rí mi, "He saw me"; ilé mi, "my house". - èmi: "I, me", the full or emphatic form. It stands alone, carries contrast, and is used before the future marker yóò: Èmi ni, "It's me"; Èmi náà, "Me too." - n: a short nasal "I" used after kí ("that, let") and before the negative kò: kí n lọ, "that I go"; N kò mọ̀, "I don't know."
In everyday speech the negative is usually Mi ò… instead of N kò…. So the phrase you will hear most often is Mi ò mọ̀, "I don't know."
Three things differ from English:
1. Yoruba has no separate word for "my". The object pronoun mi does both jobs. After a verb it means "me", and after a noun it means "my". This is the genitive of Lesson 5: possessed + possessor, so bàbá mi is "father [of] me", "my father". 2. The object form changes its tone. After a high-tone verb it is mi (mid tone): Ó rí mi, "He saw me". After a mid- or low-tone verb it becomes mí (high tone): Ó pè mí, "She called me." It is the same word. The tone follows the verb, as the object "it" did in Lesson 7. 3. "I" changes shape in the negative. You cannot say Mo kò. The negative takes N kò in writing and Mi ò in speech, or the full Èmi kò / Èmi ò.
There is no gender and no politeness distinction in "I". Politeness lies in the pronoun you use for the other person: ọ / o to a child or friend, ẹ / yín to an elder (examples 8.16–8.30).
- mo = I (subject): Mo lọ, Mo ń kọ́ èdè Yorùbá, Mo ti jẹun - mi = me (after verbs and prepositions) and my (after nouns): Ó rí mi, pẹ̀lú mi, ilé mi; after a mid- or low-tone verb it becomes mí: Ó pè mí - èmi = the full, emphatic I/me: Èmi ni "It's me", Èmi náà "me too", Èmi yóò lọ "I will go" - Negative: N kò (written), Mi ò (spoken), never Mo kò: Mi ò mọ̀, "I don't know" - After kí ("that, let"), "I" is n: Ẹ jẹ́ kí n lọ, "Let me go"
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The IPA in this lesson marks tone as the spelling does: acute = high (á), grave = low (à), no mark = mid (a).
- mo /mo/: mid tone; o is the close o of French eau, not the o of "hot" - mi /mi/: mid tone; the vowel is short ee, as in "meet" but clipped - mí /mí/: the same syllable on a high pitch; the only difference from mi is pitch, not loudness - èmi /èmi/: low then mid, "EH-mee" with the first syllable lower, not stressed; e without a dot is the close e of French été - n in N kò, kí n: a syllable made only of a nasal. It takes the position of the next consonant, so before k it is [ŋ], like the ng of "sing": N kò /ŋ kò/ - mọ̀ /mɔ̀/ "know": ọ is the open o of British "hot", on a low tone; contrast mo /mo/ "I" - Mi ò /mi ò/: two syllables, mid then low; the ò is the reduced negative kò - jẹun /ɟɛũ/ "eat": ẹ is the e of "bed"; final -un is a nasal u, not u + n - gb /ɡ͡b/ and p /k͡p/ are single sounds, lips and back of the tongue closing at once: gbàgbé /ɡ͡bàɡ͡bé/, pè /k͡pè/ - In quick speech mo is often said on a low tone before the progressive ń: written Mo ń lọ, heard [mò ń lɔ]
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8.1a Mo I lọ went
8.1b Mo /mo/ 1SG.SUBJ lọ /lɔ/ go
8.2a Mo I jẹun ate
8.2b Mo /mo/ 1SG.SUBJ jẹun /ɟɛũ/ eat(jẹ+oúnjẹ)
8.3a Ó he rí saw mi me
8.3b Ó /ó/ 3SG.SUBJ rí /ɾí/ see mi /mi/ 1SG.OBJ
8.4a Orúkọ name mi my ni is Adé Ade
8.4b Orúkọ /oɾúkɔ/ name mi /mi/ 1SG.POSS ni /ni/ FOC.be Adé /adé/ Ade
8.5a Mi I ò not mọ̀ know
8.5b Mi /mi/ 1SG.SUBJ.NEG ò /ò/ NEG mọ̀ /mɔ̀/ know
8.6a Mo I ń am kọ́ learning èdè language Yorùbá Yoruba
8.6b Mo /mo/ 1SG.SUBJ ń /ń/ PROG kọ́ /kɔ́/ learn èdè /èdè/ language Yorùbá /joɾùbá/ Yoruba
8.7a Èmi I náà too fẹ́ want lọ go sí to ọjà market
8.7b Èmi /èmi/ 1SG.EMPH náà /náà/ also fẹ́ /fɛ́/ want lọ /lɔ/ go sí /sí/ to ọjà /ɔɟà/ market
8.8a Bàbá father mi my ń is ṣiṣẹ́ working ní in Èkó Lagos
8.8b Bàbá /bàbá/ father mi /mi/ 1SG.POSS ń /ń/ PROG ṣiṣẹ́ /ʃiʃɛ́/ work ní /ní/ at Èkó /èkó/ Lagos
8.9a Mo I ti have jẹun eaten ẹ you ṣé thank
8.9b Mo /mo/ 1SG.SUBJ ti /ti/ PERF jẹun /ɟɛũ/ eat ẹ /ɛ/ 2PL.HON ṣé /ʃé/ thank
8.10a N I kò not ní will gbàgbé forget yín you
8.10b N /ŋ/ 1SG.SUBJ.NEG kò /kò/ NEG ní /ní/ FUT.NEG gbàgbé /ɡ͡bàɡ͡bé/ forget yín /jĩ́/ 2PL.OBJ
8.11a Ó she pè called mí me mo I sì and dá answered a her lóhùn with-voice
8.11b Ó /ó/ 3SG.SUBJ pè /k͡pè/ call mí /mí/ 1SG.OBJ(high after low verb) mo /mo/ 1SG.SUBJ sì /sì/ and.then dá /dá/ answer(dá…lóhùn) a /a/ 3SG.OBJ lóhùn /lóhũ̀/ at-voice(ní+ohùn)
8.12a Inú inside mi my dùn is-sweet láti to rí see yín you
8.12b Inú /inú/ inside mi /mi/ 1SG.POSS dùn /dũ̀/ be.sweet láti /láti/ to rí /ɾí/ see yín /jĩ́/ 2PL.OBJ
8.13a Màmá mother mi my fún gave mi me ní with owó money
8.13b Màmá /màmá/ mother mi /mi/ 1SG.POSS fún /fṹ/ give mi /mi/ 1SG.OBJ ní /ní/ with owó /owó/ money
8.14a Èmi I yóò will lọ go sí to Ìbàdàn Ibadan lọ́la tomorrow
8.14b Èmi /èmi/ 1SG.EMPH yóò /jóò/ FUT lọ /lɔ/ go sí /sí/ to Ìbàdàn /ìbàdã̀/ Ibadan lọ́la /lɔ́la/ at-tomorrow(ní+ọ̀la)
8.15a Èmi I ni am ọ̀nà way ati and òtítọ́ truth ati and ìyè life Kò not sí there-is ẹni person tí who ó he lè can dé reach ọ̀dọ̀ presence Baba Father bíkòṣe except nípasẹ̀ through mi me
8.15b Èmi /èmi/ 1SG.EMPH ni /ni/ FOC.be ọ̀nà /ɔ̀nà/ way ati /àti/ and òtítọ́ /òtítɔ́/ truth ati /àti/ and ìyè /ìjè/ life Kò /kò/ NEG sí /sí/ exist.NEG ẹni /ɛni/ person tí /tí/ REL ó /ó/ 3SG.SUBJ lè /lè/ can dé /dé/ arrive ọ̀dọ̀ /ɔ̀dɔ̀/ presence Baba /baba/ father bíkòṣe /bíkòʃe/ except nípasẹ̀ /ník͡pasɛ̀/ by-way.of mi /mi/ 1SG.OBJ
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8.1 Mo lọ. → "I went."
8.2 Mo jẹun. → "I ate."
8.3 Ó rí mi. → "He saw me." (Or "She saw me": ó is both.)
8.4 Orúkọ mi ni Adé. → "My name is Ade."
8.5 Mi ò mọ̀. → "I don't know."
8.6 Mo ń kọ́ èdè Yorùbá. → "I am learning Yoruba."
8.7 Èmi náà fẹ́ lọ sí ọjà. → "I want to go to the market too."
8.8 Bàbá mi ń ṣiṣẹ́ ní Èkó. → "My father works in Lagos."
8.9 Mo ti jẹun, ẹ ṣé. → "I've already eaten, thank you."
8.10 N kò ní gbàgbé yín. → "I will not forget you."
8.11 Ó pè mí, mo sì dá a lóhùn. → "She called me, and I answered her."
8.12 Inú mi dùn láti rí yín. → "I am happy to see you."
8.13 Màmá mi fún mi ní owó. → "My mother gave me money."
8.14 Èmi yóò lọ sí Ìbàdàn lọ́la. → "I will go to Ibadan tomorrow."
8.15 Èmi ni ọ̀nà, ati òtítọ́ ati ìyè. Kò sí ẹni tí ó lè dé ọ̀dọ̀ Baba bíkòṣe nípasẹ̀ mi. → "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me." (Johanu 14:6, Yoruba Bible, YCE)
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8.1 Mo lọ.
8.2 Mo jẹun.
8.3 Ó rí mi.
8.4 Orúkọ mi ni Adé.
8.5 Mi ò mọ̀.
8.6 Mo ń kọ́ èdè Yorùbá.
8.7 Èmi náà fẹ́ lọ sí ọjà.
8.8 Bàbá mi ń ṣiṣẹ́ ní Èkó.
8.9 Mo ti jẹun, ẹ ṣé.
8.10 N kò ní gbàgbé yín.
8.11 Ó pè mí, mo sì dá a lóhùn.
8.12 Inú mi dùn láti rí yín.
8.13 Màmá mi fún mi ní owó.
8.14 Èmi yóò lọ sí Ìbàdàn lọ́la.
8.15 Èmi ni ọ̀nà, ati òtítọ́ ati ìyè. Kò sí ẹni tí ó lè dé ọ̀dọ̀ Baba bíkòṣe nípasẹ̀ mi.
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These are the grammar rules for mo, mi and èmi in Yoruba:
1. The four shapes of "I".
- mo: subject of an affirmative verb: Mo lọ (8.1), Mo ń kọ́ (8.6), Mo ti jẹun (8.9) - mi / mí: object of a verb or preposition, and possessor after a noun: Ó rí mi (8.3), Ó pè mí (8.11), nípasẹ̀ mi (8.15), orúkọ mi (8.4) - èmi: emphatic and independent form: Èmi náà (8.7), Èmi yóò (8.14), Èmi ni (8.15) - n: after kí "that, let" and before the negative kò: kí n kí yín (8.21), N kò ní (8.10)
2. Mo with the tense and aspect markers. Mo comes first and the marker stands between it and the verb, exactly as with any other subject:
- Mo lọ: I went (a bare action verb reports a completed event, 8.1) - Mo ń lọ: I am going / I go regularly (8.6) - Mo ti lọ: I have gone (8.9) - Mo máa lọ: I will go (everyday future, as in Lesson 7, 7.27) - Èmi yóò lọ: I will go (careful future, 8.14). Before yóò, written Yoruba normally uses the full èmi. The Yoruba Bible writes it èmi óo (Psalm 23:6, Section F).
3. The negative. "I" never appears as mo before the negative marker.
- N kò lọ: I didn't go (standard written form; the Bible: n kò ní, 8.10 and Section F) - Mi ò lọ: I didn't go (everyday speech, 8.5, 8.26) - Èmi kò lọ / Èmi ò lọ: I didn't go (emphatic) - Future negative: N kò ní lọ / Mi ò ní lọ, I won't go (8.10) - Not yet: Mi ò tíì jẹun, I haven't eaten yet (8.26)
4. The tone of the object pronoun. The object form takes its tone from the verb before it:
- after a high-tone verb it is mid: rí mi "see me" (8.3), fún mi "give me" (8.13), mú mi "take me", tẹ̀lé mi "follow me" (Section F) - after a mid- or low-tone verb it is high: fi mí (Section F), pa mí (8.26), pè mí (8.11)
After a noun ("my") and after a preposition, mi is always mid: ilé mi, bàbá mi, pẹ̀lú mi, nípasẹ̀ mi. The possessive never changes.
5. Èmi, the full form. Use èmi wherever English would stress "I" or "me", or where no verb follows:
- as a one-word answer: Ta ni? — Èmi ni. "Who is it?" — "It's me." (8.16–8.17) - with náà "too": Èmi náà, "me too" (8.7) - with àti "and": àti èmi àti ìwọ, "and you and I" (Lesson 3) - in identity sentences with the focus copula ni (Lesson 2): Èmi ni ọ̀nà, "I am the way" (8.15) - in contrast: Èmi kò lọ, I didn't go (though others did)
6. Kí n: "that I, let me". After the conjunction kí the subject "I" is n: Màmá mi ní kí n kí yín, "My mother said I should greet you" (8.21); kí n gbé oúnjẹ wá, "let me bring the food" (8.27); Ẹ jẹ́ kí n bá yín gbé e, "Let me help you carry it" (8.28).
7. Mine and myself. These are built on the same pronoun: tèmi "mine" (ti + èmi, Lesson 5), and ara mi "myself", literally "my body".
- Mo in the negative. Mo kò mọ̀ is wrong. Say N kò mọ̀ or Mi ò mọ̀. - Mo as an object. Ó rí mo is wrong. After a verb, "me" is mi: Ó rí mi. - Looking for a separate "my". There is none. Mi after the noun: ilé mi, never before it. - Ignoring the tone of mí. Ó pè mi with a mid tone sounds wrong. After a low- or mid-tone verb, write and say mí. - Overusing èmi. Èmi lọ sí ọjà for a plain "I went to the market" sounds insistent, as if you were contradicting someone. The neutral sentence is Mo lọ sí ọjà. - Mo after kí. After kí the standard form is n: kí n lọ, "that I go", not kí mo lọ. - Confusing mo "I" with mọ̀ "know". The dot and the tone matter: Mo mọ̀, "I know"; Mi ò mọ̀, "I don't know". - Dropping the subject. In a statement, keep mo: Mo lọ sí ọjà, "I went to the market". Commands have no subject (Jókòó!, "Sit down!", 8.27), but a statement about yourself starts with a form of "I".
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"I" in a culture of respect. The pronoun "I" has no polite or humble form. What changes is how you address others. A child speaking to a parent or grandparent uses the plural ẹ and yín (8.19, 8.28), while the elder uses o and ọ back (8.20). In a Yoruba conversation, then, the form of "you" tells you who the "I" is speaking to.
Èmi ni, "It's me." When someone knocks at a gate or calls out in a compound, the answer to Ta ni? "Who is it?" is Èmi ni, often followed by the name (8.17). It is one of the first full sentences a child learns. In Lesson 2 you met the same construction as Èmi ni Adé.
Mi in names. Many Yoruba personal names are short sentences, and a good number contain the speaker's "me" or "my". Olúwafẹ́mi means "God loves me" (fẹ́ "love" + mi). Ayọ̀mídé means "My joy has come". A person who says their name is often saying a sentence in which mi refers to the parents or the family who gave the name.
Inside and feeling. Yoruba speaks of feeling through inú mi, "my inside": Inú mi dùn, "I am happy" (8.12). The body is also the self: ara mi "myself" means literally "my body", and Ara mi le, "I am well", means "my body is strong".
Speech and writing. In everyday speech mi ò is far more common than n kò, and mo is often said on a low tone before ń. Written Yoruba, and above all the Bible, keeps the older n kò. Learners should be able to read both and should first learn to say Mi ò mọ̀, the most useful sentence in this lesson.
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From Psalm 23, verses 1, 4 and 6, in the Yoruba Bible (YCE, Bible Society of Nigeria, 1900/2010). The psalm is spoken in the first person throughout, so in six verses it uses nearly every form of "I": mi as possessor and object, mí after a mid-tone verb, mo as subject, n kò in the negative, and èmi before the future.
The text is quoted exactly as this edition prints it. Like other older editions, it leaves some tone marks off common words: it writes ninu, pẹlu, ati, aguntan, OLUWA and laelae where modern standard spelling has nínú, pẹ̀lú, àti, àgùntàn, OLÚWA and láéláé. The IPA below gives the modern pronunciation.
F.1a OLUWA LORD ni is Olùṣọ́-aguntan shepherd mi my n I kò not ní will ṣe be àìní lacking ohunkohun anything
F.1b OLUWA /olúwa/ Lord ni /ni/ FOC.be Olùṣọ́-aguntan /olùʃɔ́ àɡũ̀tã̀/ keeper-sheep mi /mi/ 1SG.POSS n /ŋ/ 1SG.SUBJ.NEG kò /kò/ NEG ní /ní/ FUT.NEG ṣe /ʃe/ do àìní /àìní/ NMLZ-NEG-have ohunkohun /ohũkohũ/ anything
F.2a Àní indeed bí if mo I tilẹ̀ even ń am rìn walking ninu in òkùnkùn darkness létí at-edge bèbè brink ikú death
F.2b Àní /àní/ indeed bí /bí/ if mo /mo/ 1SG.SUBJ tilẹ̀ /tilɛ̀/ even ń /ń/ PROG rìn /ɾĩ̀/ walk ninu /nínú/ at-inside òkùnkùn /òkũ̀kũ̀/ darkness létí /létí/ at-ear(ní+etí) bèbè /bèbè/ edge ikú /ikú/ death
F.3a n I kò not ní will bẹ̀rù fear ibi evil kankan any nítorí because tí that o you wà are pẹlu with mi me
F.3b n /ŋ/ 1SG.SUBJ.NEG kò /kò/ NEG ní /ní/ FUT.NEG bẹ̀rù /bɛ̀ɾù/ fear ibi /ibi/ evil kankan /kãkã/ any nítorí /nítoɾí/ because tí /tí/ that o /o/ 2SG.SUBJ wà /wà/ be.located pẹlu /k͡pɛ̀lú/ with mi /mi/ 1SG.OBJ
F.4a ọ̀gọ club rẹ your ati and ọ̀pá staff rẹ your ń are fi putting mí me lọ́kàn in-heart balẹ̀ at-rest
F.4b ọ̀gọ /ɔ̀ɡɔ/ club rẹ /ɾɛ/ 2SG.POSS ati /àti/ and ọ̀pá /ɔ̀k͡pá/ staff rẹ /ɾɛ/ 2SG.POSS ń /ń/ PROG fi /fi/ put mí /mí/ 1SG.OBJ(high after mid verb) lọ́kàn /lɔ́kã̀/ at-heart(ní+ọkàn) balẹ̀ /balɛ̀/ settle
F.5a Dájúdájú surely ire goodness ati and àánú mercy yóo will máa keep tẹ̀lé following mi me kiri about ní in gbogbo all ọjọ́ days ayé life mi my
F.5b Dájúdájú /dáɟúdáɟú/ surely ire /iɾe/ goodness ati /àti/ and àánú /àánú/ mercy yóo /jóo/ FUT máa /máa/ HAB tẹ̀lé /tɛ̀lé/ follow mi /mi/ 1SG.OBJ kiri /kiɾi/ around ní /ní/ at gbogbo /ɡ͡boɡ͡bo/ all ọjọ́ /ɔɟɔ́/ day ayé /ajé/ life/world mi /mi/ 1SG.POSS
F.6a èmi I óo will sì and máa keep gbé dwelling inú inside ilé house OLUWA LORD laelae forever
F.6b èmi /èmi/ 1SG.EMPH óo /óo/ FUT sì /sì/ and.then máa /máa/ HAB gbé /ɡ͡bé/ dwell inú /inú/ inside ilé /ilé/ house OLUWA /olúwa/ Lord laelae /láéláé/ forever
OLUWA ni Olùṣọ́-aguntan mi, n kò ní ṣe àìní ohunkohun. (…) Àní, bí mo tilẹ̀ ń rìn ninu òkùnkùn létí bèbè ikú, n kò ní bẹ̀rù ibi kankan; nítorí tí o wà pẹlu mi; ọ̀gọ rẹ ati ọ̀pá rẹ ń fi mí lọ́kàn balẹ̀. (…) Dájúdájú, ire ati àánú yóo máa tẹ̀lé mi kiri, ní gbogbo ọjọ́ ayé mi; èmi óo sì máa gbé inú ilé OLUWA laelae.
→ "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall lack nothing. (…) Even though I walk in darkness at the edge of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff comfort me. (…) Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever."
— Orin Dafidi 23:1, 4, 6, Yoruba Bible (YCE), Bible Society of Nigeria
OLUWA ni Olùṣọ́-aguntan mi, n kò ní ṣe àìní ohunkohun. (…) Àní, bí mo tilẹ̀ ń rìn ninu òkùnkùn létí bèbè ikú, n kò ní bẹ̀rù ibi kankan; nítorí tí o wà pẹlu mi; ọ̀gọ rẹ ati ọ̀pá rẹ ń fi mí lọ́kàn balẹ̀. (…) Dájúdájú, ire ati àánú yóo máa tẹ̀lé mi kiri, ní gbogbo ọjọ́ ayé mi; èmi óo sì máa gbé inú ilé OLUWA laelae.
- Olùṣọ́-aguntan mi, "my shepherd": the possessive mi after a noun, as in orúkọ mi (8.4). Olùṣọ́-aguntan is a compound noun, "keeper of sheep". The prefix olù- means "one who", as in Olùkọ́ "teacher", "one who teaches". - n kò ní ṣe àìní, "I will not be in want": the negative future with n, the written form of 8.10. Àìní is itself built on a negative: à- (makes a noun) + ì- (not) + ní (have), "not-having", "want". - bí mo tilẹ̀ ń rìn, "even though I walk": in the same verse the affirmative clause has mo and the negative clause has n kò. The Bible writes mo before ń, although many speakers say it on a low tone (see the Pronunciation Guide). - o wà pẹlu mi, "you are with me": mi after a preposition, always mid tone. - ń fi mí lọ́kàn balẹ̀, "comfort me", literally "put me at-heart settled". Fi has a mid tone, so the object is mí with a high tone. Compare tẹ̀lé mi in verse 6, where lé is high and the object is mid. The two verses show the tone rule of Section D §4 working in both directions. - èmi óo sì máa gbé, "and I will dwell": before the future marker the psalm uses the full èmi. Óo is this edition's spelling of the future yóò (8.14), and máa adds "continually". - Literary effect: the psalm's mi comes back at the end of phrase after phrase (Olùṣọ́-aguntan mi, pẹlu mi, tẹ̀lé mi, ayé mi), so the speaker's trust in God is heard again and again in the same small syllable. Yoruba ends so many phrases on the pronoun because possessor and object both follow the word they belong to.
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A compound in Ọ̀yọ́, a Saturday morning. Kẹ́hìndé has travelled from Lagos to visit his grandmother, and he knocks at her door with a parcel from his mother.
8.16a Ìyá: Ta who ni is-it ó one wà is níbẹ̀ there
8.16b Ta /ta/ who ni /ni/ FOC ó /ó/ 3SG.SUBJ(resumptive) wà /wà/ be.located níbẹ̀ /níbɛ̀/ at-there(ní+ibẹ̀)
8.17a Kẹ́hìndé: Èmi I ni it-is Ìyá Grandma Kẹ́hìndé Kehinde ni it-is
8.17b Èmi /èmi/ 1SG.EMPH ni /ni/ FOC.be Ìyá /ìjá/ mother/grandmother Kẹ́hìndé /kɛ́hĩ̀dé/ Kehinde ni /ni/ FOC.be
8.18a Ìyá: Kẹ́hìndé Kehinde ọmọ child mi my Wọlé come-in wọlé come-in
8.18b Kẹ́hìndé /kɛ́hĩ̀dé/ Kehinde ọmọ /ɔmɔ/ child mi /mi/ 1SG.POSS Wọlé /wɔlé/ enter-house(wọ+ilé) wọlé /wɔlé/ enter-house
8.19a Kẹ́hìndé: Ẹ you kú greetings àárọ̀ morning Ìyá Grandma Ṣé is-it-that àlàáfíà peace ni it-is
8.19b Ẹ /ɛ/ 2PL.HON kú /kú/ greet àárọ̀ /àáɾɔ̀/ morning Ìyá /ìjá/ grandmother Ṣé /ʃé/ Q àlàáfíà /àlàáfíà/ peace/health ni /ni/ FOC.be
8.20a Ìyá: Àlàáfíà peace ni it-is ọmọ child mi my Inú inside mi my dùn is-sweet láti to rí see ọ you
8.20b Àlàáfíà /àlàáfíà/ peace ni /ni/ FOC.be ọmọ /ɔmɔ/ child mi /mi/ 1SG.POSS Inú /inú/ inside mi /mi/ 1SG.POSS dùn /dũ̀/ be.sweet láti /láti/ to rí /ɾí/ see ọ /ɔ/ 2SG.OBJ
8.21a Kẹ́hìndé: Màmá mother mi my ní said kí that n I kí greet yín you
8.21b Màmá /màmá/ mother mi /mi/ 1SG.POSS ní /ní/ say kí /kí/ SUBJUNCT n /ŋ/ 1SG.SUBJ kí /kí/ greet yín /jĩ́/ 2PL.OBJ
8.22a Ìyá: Ṣé is-it-that ara body rẹ̀ her le is-strong
8.22b Ṣé /ʃé/ Q ara /aɾa/ body rẹ̀ /ɾɛ̀/ 3SG.POSS le /le/ be.strong
8.23a Kẹ́hìndé: Ara body rẹ̀ her le is-strong Ó she fún gave mi me ní with ẹ̀bùn gift fún for yín you
8.23b Ara /aɾa/ body rẹ̀ /ɾɛ̀/ 3SG.POSS le /le/ be.strong Ó /ó/ 3SG.SUBJ fún /fṹ/ give mi /mi/ 1SG.OBJ ní /ní/ with ẹ̀bùn /ɛ̀bũ̀/ gift fún /fṹ/ for yín /jĩ́/ 2PL.OBJ
8.24a Kẹ́hìndé: Ẹ you wò look-at ó it Aṣọ cloth tuntun new ni it-is
8.24b Ẹ /ɛ/ 2PL.HON wò /wò/ look ó /ó/ 3SG.OBJ Aṣọ /aʃɔ/ cloth tuntun /tũtũ/ new ni /ni/ FOC.be
8.25a Ìyá: Ó it dáa is-good gan-an very Ṣé is-it-that o you ti have jẹun eaten
8.25b Ó /ó/ 3SG.SUBJ dáa /dáa/ be.good gan-an /ɡãã/ very Ṣé /ʃé/ Q o /o/ 2SG.SUBJ ti /ti/ PERF jẹun /ɟɛũ/ eat
8.26a Kẹ́hìndé: Rárá no mi I ò not tíì yet jẹun eaten Ebi hunger ń is pa killing mí me
8.26b Rárá /ɾáɾá/ no mi /mi/ 1SG.SUBJ.NEG ò /ò/ NEG tíì /tíì/ yet jẹun /ɟɛũ/ eat Ebi /ebi/ hunger ń /ń/ PROG pa /k͡pa/ kill mí /mí/ 1SG.OBJ(high after mid verb)
8.27a Ìyá: Mo I ti have se cooked ọbẹ̀ soup ẹ̀gúsí egusi Jókòó sit-down kí that n I gbé carry oúnjẹ food wá come
8.27b Mo /mo/ 1SG.SUBJ ti /ti/ PERF se /se/ cook ọbẹ̀ /ɔbɛ̀/ soup ẹ̀gúsí /ɛ̀ɡúsí/ melon.seed Jókòó /ɟókòó/ sit kí /kí/ SUBJUNCT n /ŋ/ 1SG.SUBJ gbé /ɡ͡bé/ carry oúnjẹ /oṹɟɛ/ food wá /wá/ come
8.28a Kẹ́hìndé: Ẹ you ṣé thank Ìyá Grandma Ẹ you jẹ́ let kí that n I bá with yín you gbé carry e it
8.28b Ẹ /ɛ/ 2PL.HON ṣé /ʃé/ thank Ìyá /ìjá/ grandmother Ẹ /ɛ/ 2PL.HON jẹ́ /ɟɛ́/ allow kí /kí/ SUBJUNCT n /ŋ/ 1SG.SUBJ bá /bá/ with/help yín /jĩ́/ 2PL.OBJ gbé /ɡ͡bé/ carry e /e/ 3SG.OBJ
8.29a Ìyá: Rárá no o indeed jókòó sit-down Mo I ṣì still lágbára have-strength
8.29b Rárá /ɾáɾá/ no o /o/ EMPH jókòó /ɟókòó/ sit Mo /mo/ 1SG.SUBJ ṣì /ʃì/ still lágbára /láɡ͡báɾa/ at-strength(ní+agbára)
8.30a Kẹ́hìndé: Ó it dáa is-good Ìyá Grandma Mo I fẹ́ràn love yín you gan-an very-much
8.30b Ó /ó/ 3SG.SUBJ dáa /dáa/ be.good Ìyá /ìjá/ grandmother Mo /mo/ 1SG.SUBJ fẹ́ràn /fɛ́ɾã̀/ love yín /jĩ́/ 2PL.OBJ gan-an /ɡãã/ very
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8.16 Ìyá: Ta ni ó wà níbẹ̀? → "Who's there?"
8.17 Kẹ́hìndé: Èmi ni, Ìyá! Kẹ́hìndé ni. → "It's me, Grandma! It's Kehinde."
8.18 Ìyá: Kẹ́hìndé, ọmọ mi! Wọlé, wọlé. → "Kehinde, my child! Come in, come in."
8.19 Kẹ́hìndé: Ẹ kú àárọ̀, Ìyá. Ṣé àlàáfíà ni? → "Good morning, Grandma. Are you well?"
8.20 Ìyá: Àlàáfíà ni, ọmọ mi. Inú mi dùn láti rí ọ. → "I'm well, my child. I'm so happy to see you."
8.21 Kẹ́hìndé: Màmá mi ní kí n kí yín. → "My mother asked me to greet you."
8.22 Ìyá: Ṣé ara rẹ̀ le? → "Is she well?"
8.23 Kẹ́hìndé: Ara rẹ̀ le. Ó fún mi ní ẹ̀bùn fún yín. → "She's well. She gave me a present for you."
8.24 Kẹ́hìndé: Ẹ wò ó — aṣọ tuntun ni. → "Look at it — it's new cloth."
8.25 Ìyá: Ó dáa gan-an! Ṣé o ti jẹun? → "It's lovely! Have you eaten?"
8.26 Kẹ́hìndé: Rárá, mi ò tíì jẹun. Ebi ń pa mí. → "No, I haven't eaten yet. I'm starving."
8.27 Ìyá: Mo ti se ọbẹ̀ ẹ̀gúsí. Jókòó, kí n gbé oúnjẹ wá. → "I've cooked egusi soup. Sit down and let me bring the food."
8.28 Kẹ́hìndé: Ẹ ṣé, Ìyá. Ẹ jẹ́ kí n bá yín gbé e. → "Thank you, Grandma. Let me help you carry it."
8.29 Ìyá: Rárá o, jókòó! Mo ṣì lágbára. → "No, no, sit down! I'm still strong."
8.30 Kẹ́hìndé: Ó dáa, Ìyá. Mo fẹ́ràn yín gan-an. → "All right, Grandma. I love you very much."
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8.16 Ìyá: Ta ni ó wà níbẹ̀?
8.17 Kẹ́hìndé: Èmi ni, Ìyá! Kẹ́hìndé ni.
8.18 Ìyá: Kẹ́hìndé, ọmọ mi! Wọlé, wọlé.
8.19 Kẹ́hìndé: Ẹ kú àárọ̀, Ìyá. Ṣé àlàáfíà ni?
8.20 Ìyá: Àlàáfíà ni, ọmọ mi. Inú mi dùn láti rí ọ.
8.21 Kẹ́hìndé: Màmá mi ní kí n kí yín.
8.22 Ìyá: Ṣé ara rẹ̀ le?
8.23 Kẹ́hìndé: Ara rẹ̀ le. Ó fún mi ní ẹ̀bùn fún yín.
8.24 Kẹ́hìndé: Ẹ wò ó — aṣọ tuntun ni.
8.25 Ìyá: Ó dáa gan-an! Ṣé o ti jẹun?
8.26 Kẹ́hìndé: Rárá, mi ò tíì jẹun. Ebi ń pa mí.
8.27 Ìyá: Mo ti se ọbẹ̀ ẹ̀gúsí. Jókòó, kí n gbé oúnjẹ wá.
8.28 Kẹ́hìndé: Ẹ ṣé, Ìyá. Ẹ jẹ́ kí n bá yín gbé e.
8.29 Ìyá: Rárá o, jókòó! Mo ṣì lágbára.
8.30 Kẹ́hìndé: Ó dáa, Ìyá. Mo fẹ́ràn yín gan-an.
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The dialogue is a visit, so both speakers talk about themselves all the time. Every form of "I" from Section D appears.
- Èmi ni at the door. To Ta ni ó wà níbẹ̀? the answer is Èmi ni, "It's me" (8.17). Mo cannot stand alone. When "I" is the whole answer, it must be èmi. - Mo for plain statements. Mo ti se ọbẹ̀ ẹ̀gúsí (8.27), Mo ṣì lágbára (8.29), Mo fẹ́ràn yín (8.30): ordinary affirmative sentences take mo. - Mi in the negative. Mi ò tíì jẹun, "I haven't eaten yet" (8.26): the spoken negative with mi, together with tíì "yet", which goes with the negative. - Mi and mí as object. Ó fún mi (8.23), with mi mid after the high-tone fún; Ebi ń pa mí, "hunger is killing me" (8.26), with mí high after the mid-tone pa. Yoruba says "I am hungry" with the hunger as the subject and the speaker as the object. - Mi as possessor. ọmọ mi (8.18, 8.20), inú mi (8.20), Màmá mi (8.21). Compare ara rẹ̀, "her body" (8.22), where the possessor is the low-tone rẹ̀ "his, her". The mid-tone rẹ is "your". - Kí n. Three times the conjunction kí is followed by n: ní kí n kí yín "said that I should greet you" (8.21), kí n gbé oúnjẹ wá (8.27), Ẹ jẹ́ kí n… "let me…" (8.28). Note the two kí words in 8.21: the conjunction "that", then the verb "greet". - Two kinds of "you". Kẹ́hìndé uses the respectful ẹ / yín to his grandmother throughout (8.19, 8.21, 8.24, 8.28, 8.30). She answers with the familiar o / ọ (8.20, 8.25).
Vocabulary:
- Ìyá: mother; also used to address a grandmother or elderly woman - Ta ni…?: who…? - wọlé: come in, enter the house (wọ + ilé) - Ẹ kú àárọ̀: good morning (to an elder or several people) - àlàáfíà: peace, health; Ṣé àlàáfíà ni? "Are you well?" - ara … le: be well ("body … is strong") - ẹ̀bùn: gift - aṣọ: cloth, clothes; tuntun: new - ebi ń pa mí: I'm hungry ("hunger is killing me") - ọbẹ̀ ẹ̀gúsí: egusi soup (made with ground melon seeds) - jókòó: sit down - gbé … wá: bring ("carry … come") - lágbára: strong (ní + agbára "strength") - fẹ́ràn: love, like
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- mo, mọ̀, mọ: three different syllables. Mo /mo/ "I" has a close o on a mid tone. Mọ̀ /mɔ̀/ "know" has an open ọ on a low tone. Mo mọ̀ "I know" uses both side by side. - mi / mí: write the tone. Ó pè mí and Ó rí mi are both correct, and each shows which kind of verb comes before the pronoun. - N is written as a capital when it begins a sentence (N kò mọ̀). It is a full syllable, and it sounds like the consonant that follows: [ŋ] before k and g, [m] before b, [n] before d or l. Some writers mark its tone (Ǹ); the Yoruba Bible writes it plain. - èmi always carries the grave accent on its first vowel. Do not confuse it with ẹ̀mí "spirit, life", which has an open ẹ and a high final tone. - Mi ò is written as two words. ò is the short form of kò, and it keeps the low tone. - jẹun is one word ("eat food"), from jẹ + oúnjẹ; its final -un is a nasal vowel. - Typing on a Mac: the ABC Extended keyboard gives the underdot with Option+x and tone marks with Option+e (acute) and Option+` (grave). For the syllabic nasal with a tone, type n and add the mark: ǹ, ń.
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