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*ɛrɛe [ ˩ \ ] (1) somebody else

* (unknown to the speaker);

* ɣɛrhie-ɣ-ɛɽ-ɔɣ-ũʋ̃ɛ, ɔɣ-ɛrɛe nɔ

* [ ˥ / ˦ ˦ ˩ \ ˥ ˥ (4-1) ˥ ] (iɣe [ ˥ ˩ ]) don’t take

* it, for it is not my own, it

* is somebody else’s! (ɔɣ-ɛrɛe

* [ ˥ ˥ (4-1) ] always means “somebody

* unknown”, while ɔɣ-ɔʋ̃a-ʋehe

* [ ˥ ˥ / ˩ ˥ ] does not imply “un-

* known”); ɛr(ɛ)-ɔɽu ʋ̃-ɔ̃na

* [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ (4-1) ] “did somebody do me

* this” (when something bad has

* happened in one’s absence).

* This example leads on to the

* meaning of (2) “some un-

* known enemy”, implying any

* forces that work towards one’s

* undoing, such as e.g. the evil

* wishes of other people, bad

* advice, opposition, etc. The ɛrɛe

* [ ˩ \ ] is given a sacrifice upon the

* advice of doctors; the act of

* sacrificing is called mu [ ˥ ] ze [ ˥ ]

* na [ ˥ ], and the prayer is: ɛrɛe ʋ̃ɛ,

* ɣ-eʋ̃i n-iyaɽu-ɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ / ] “my

* ɛrɛe, look (ɣe [ / ]) at the things

* I am doing (sacrificing) to you”.

* The prayer averts the above-

* mentioned influences. The term

* occurs also in a thanksgiving

* formula used by a junior woman

* to her seniors when having taken

* part of a meal; ɛrɛe ɣigb-uɛ

* [ ˩ ˥ ˦ / ‿ ˩ ] “the bad wishes of other

* people may not kill you!” v.

* kada [ \ ˩ ], bukpɛ [ ˥ ˩ ]. (3)

* Further, this term is applied to

* a man whom one knows to be

* one’s enemy; it seems to imply

* equality in age or rank: ɛrɛ-egbe

* ma ʋ-ɔɽe xĩ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] lit. “equals

* (and enemies) of each other are

* we and he”: he and I are equals

* (and enemies); ɛrɛ(e) ʋ̃ɔ̃‿ũxĩ

* [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] “you are my enemy”, i.e.

* you have tried to undo me.
