(1) a timber-tree, Lophira procera;

leaves are red at first, and become green later on.

(2) red tail feather of the grey West African parrot;

same as ebaxuɛ [ ˩ \ ˩ ];

cf. ba 1 [ / ].

nakedness;

cf. bã [ ˥ ].

now;

same as enwa [ ˩ \ ] and nia [ / ];

ebã‿ure [ ˩ ˥ ˥ \ ] now you have come!

ɔd-ebã [ ˩ ˩ \ ] he is coming now;

ebã niã [ ˩ ˥ / ], same as ebã;

ebãbã [ ˩ \ \ ] just now.

restiveness;

v. zɛ 1 [ ˥ ].

(1) leaf;

herb;

special herbs (and other plants called ebe): eb-aɣad-eha [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] “three-pointed leaf” (cf. eha [ ˩ ˥ ]): a shrub, Allophyllus africanus.

eb-ahãhi [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] a shrub, Piper umbellatum;

fruit used as a medicine against dysentery;

leaf as substitute for toilet-paper (cf. hã [ / ] (?); ɛhi [ ˩ ˩ ] (?)).

eb-ahɛ [ ˩ \ ˩ ] fern;

there are two sorts distinguished by A.: eb-ahɛ n-oɣĩ-ɔ̃ba [ ˩ \ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ ] (meaning?), the larger sort, said to be “useless”, and eb-ahɛ ne giɛɽɛ [ ˩ \ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] “the small fern”, used for closing both ends of present-parcels sent to the Ɔba;

it is also tied (in bunches) to omɛ [ ˥ ˥ ], the palm-leaf fringes, at every juju-shrine;

it is an auspicious plant, and without it as a sign of friendship the juju will not accept any sacrifice;

its seed is difficult to be seen, and therefore it brings prosperity in life to the man who sees it;

it is as much worth as osumaɽe [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ], the fruit of uɽuhe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ], and the placenta of a cow;

eb-akpɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] a plant, Millettia thonningii;

the leaf is used against dysentery.

eb-eni [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] (eni [ ˩ ˥ ]) a kind of leaf (not the one called “elephant-grass”) used as thatch;

it lasts for about five years, and if there is a fire in the house, for seven or more years (v. ebi‿ɛba [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ]).

(eb-eʋariɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] another name for the fish aɽɔe [ ˥ ˩ ]; when dried, its skin is oily like the leaf wrapped around eʋariɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ]).

eb-ɛgogo [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ ] a tree (F.D. list: ebogogo), Carapa procera;

leaves are used to cover the ridge of thatched roofs;

they are tied to ɛkwe [ ˩ ˥ ] (palm branches that are woven together).

ebi‿ɛba [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ] an inferior sort of eb-eni [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ];

used for parcelling food-stuff.

eb-iɣ-ɛdo ɽe [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] “leaf of the money the Binis are eating”: a small plant, Ageratum conyzoides;

it has a white “cotton”-tuft at its top;

used in the following symbolic way: if somebody comes with a request to an influential clerk or a man in an important position, he will be shown this leaf as a veiled question for a bribe or a present, hence the name.

eb-is-ũgu [ ˩ ˥ ˦ (3-1) ] (isã [ ˩ ˩ ]) “leaf of vulture-faeces”: a leaf used for rubbing house-walls;

it is mixed with charcoal and gives the walls a black colour (v. usie [ ˩ ˥ ]);

its name probably comes from some similarity of its quickly growing patches with the splashed faeces of vultures.

eb-itɛtɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] an afɔ [ ˩ ˥ ]-leaf used for a soup (v. unwɔʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ]) and for purposes of purification.

eb-odɔ̃dɔ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˦ ] a small plant, Talinum triangulare;

used in preparing a soup (v. afɔ [ ˩ ˥ ]) with a taste similar to that of ocro-soup;

eb-odɔ̃dɔ̃ n-ule na ɽu amaamɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ \ ˥ ] this ɔdɔ̃dɔ̃-soup you have made is watery.

eb-uʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˥ (4-1) ] “salt-leaf”: a creeper, Manniophyton africanum;

it causes itching when touched, hence the name.

ebe n-ɔy-ɔba [ ˩ ˩ ˥ / ˥ ] (yɛ [ / ]) “the leaf that pleases the Ɔba”: a tree, Monodoramyristica, same as ikposa;

it is sald that somebody once showed its leaf to the Ɔba and that the Ɔba was pleased with it and gave the man a wife and a servant;

the flower of this tree, called iyɔha [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ], “pawn”, is used in a game.

Redupl. ebebe [ ˩ \ ˥ ] or [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] green;

ɔɽu‿ebebe [ ˩ ˩ ˩ \ ˥ ] it is green.

(2) paper;

also: ebe n-agb-ẽbe (or n-aya- [ ˩ ˥ ]) [ ˩ ˩ / ˩ ˥ ] lit. “leaf that is used for writing”.

(3) book;

also: ebe n-atie [ ˩ ˩ ˩ / ] “leaf that is read” or, eb-ebo [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] “European leaf”;

eb-imu [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] warrant of arrest.

wine-tapping;

cf. bɛ [ / ].

boundary between farms of owners sharing the same plot;

cf. ebɛ̃ [ ˩ ˩ ] (?);

v. sɛ 1 [ ˥ ].

pointed iron rods or broken glass (covered) serving to keep people off from farmland;

cf. ebɛ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ] (?)

darkness;

mostly reduplicated: ebiebi [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ];

ebiebi so gbe [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ ˨ ] “darkness has darkened much”: it is very dark;

ebiebi so [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ ] “darkness is darkening”: it is getting dark;

cf. bi 1 [ ˥ ];

ʋiɽiʋiɽi [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

European;

white man;

ebo n-ɔxwa [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] “the great white man”: the Governor;

eb-igɛdu [ ˥ ˦ ˦ ˦ ] manager of a timber-camp;

cf. Yor. oyĩbo [ ˩ ˩ / ].

(ɔ- seems also to be used as a prefix) a dish prepared from cassava: unground cassava is cooked, then cut in slices, and kept in water until daybreak.

It is eaten during farmwork because it is easy to prepare and can be kept;

it is considered to be rather inferior, and it is mostly eaten by poor people;

ebɔbɔzi is said to have been the original way of preparing cassava (together with efɛ̃rhinyɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ]) before ekpukpu [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ], usi [ ˩ ˥ ], and igaɽi [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] were introduced, which are the most usual cassava dishes now.

dust;

fine sand;

v. exae [ ˥ ˩ ].

a herb used as an ingredient for soups by the Akure people (Yorubas);

it is said to be able to cure elapurhu [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˦ ], fugitive swellings.

rain-water;

cf. da [ / ].

a “tying”-charm used to ward off death, in cases of fainting, unconsciousness, or approaching death;

agb-edae y-ɔɽ-uhuʋ̃u ʋ-ɔkuɔɽe [ ˩ ˥ / ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ / ˩ ] edae was tied to his head when he had fainted.

title of the heir to the throne in Benin;

he has a court of his own at Uselu [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ], and is a member of the Uzama [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ].

examination;

cf. daʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˥ ].

buffalo;

bush-cow;

cf. Yor. ede [ ˩ / ].

a strong creeper consisting of many threads.

(1) a grey hair.

(2) grey: ɔfua ʋ-edɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ ] it is grey (lit. “white”) like grey hair;

v. tɔ [ ˥ ], emuɛ [ ˩ ˩ ].

civet-cat;

v. ɔxɛ 2 [ ˩ ˥ ].

a kind of white yam with a faint smell;

cf. ukpakɔ̃ [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ];

v. ema 2 [ ˩ ˩ ].

villager: bushman;

cf. dia 1 [ ˥ ], igue [ ˥ \ ].

here;

more vague than eʋ̃a [ ˩ \ ] “this spot”: this side, way, part;

in this place;

edĩɽ̃ã‿ɔye ɽa [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] is it in this place?

title of a war-chief;

Praise-name: v. Abigẽgẽ [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˥ ];

cf. Yor. ogũ [ ˦ ˦ ].

a large flying insect;

it sheds its wings;

edible.

name of an Ɔba.

roof, the whole construction, including the thatch, but not used for iron sheets, v. ekpamaku [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ]: edɔʋ̃-owa na mayo gbe [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ / ˥ ˥ \ ] the roof of this house is not very high.

driver (form used by old people and women; nowadays, edɽaeva is generally used).

answer to the salute koyɔ [ ˥ ˩ ] ( “yes”);

ee-ko [ ˦ ˥ ] “yes, friend!”

a “band” of the Ɔba’s who purify breaches of taboos (awua [ ˩ ˩ ]) at the Ɛguae [ ˩ ˩ ];

they are relatives of the Ɔba;

the sacrifice to otɔe [ ˩ ˩ ] is also performed by them;

they form a special sib under the Ogi-efa [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ].

missionary, especially a Roman Catholic father.

Engl.

(1) side (of the body);

efɛ̃ xia ʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] “(my) side aches me”;

ɔgb-eʋ̃i y-ɔʋ̃-efɛ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] he hit me (something) in the side.

(2) efɛ̃-so [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] some parts (not a good expression, considered as “boyish” speech, v. ihe [ ˥ ˩ ]);

efɛ̃-so yema ʋ-ɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ / ˩ \ ] some parts are still good in it.

a dish made from unsifted cassava: the cassava is ground, and the starch (usi [ ˩ ˥ ]) pressed out;

the remaining powder is left for two days to ferment, and is then fried.

This dish has been given up by the Binis, but it is still the stock food of the Jekris and Sobos;

cf. Port. farinha;

v. ebɔbɔzi [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ], igaɽi [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ], ekpukpu [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ].

violent storm.

bullet;

v. igele [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ] (shot), uke [ ˩ ˥ ].

fleshy parts, flesh, of animals and human beings.

main part of the cult of Ɔxwahɛ [ ˩ / ˩ ] known to adult men only;

cf. ga 1 [ ˥ ], ugaʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ \ ˩ ].

a fence across the bush on which traps are set;

also: ega‿ifi [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ] (ifi [ ˩ ˥ ] trap);

cf. ga [ / ].

small drinking-glass;

liqueur glass;

cf. Engl.

a double-storey house;

v. kpɛtɛsi [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ].

title (of a chief) egi-asegbeɽe [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] hereditary title;

short for egie n-aɽe ɔsegbe‿ɔsegbe [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] “title that is taken (‘eaten’) turn by turn”;

hereditary titles are those of the Ezɔmɔ [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ], Oliha [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ], Ɛɽo [ ˩ ˥ ], Edɔhɛ̃ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ], Ɔlɔtɔ̃ [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ], Ehɔlɔ N-iɽe [ ˥ \ ˩ ˥ ˥ ] and Elogbosɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] (also called Ologboshere);

also Ogiaʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ], Ɛlema [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ], and those of the Ogies;

not hereditary are the “body-titles” (egi-egbe [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ]), i.e. those of the chiefs representing the Ɔba’s eye, head, etc. as well as the Ɛhi‿ɔba [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ ], and the titles of the Eɣaɛʋo [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ] chiefs;

cf. ugie [ ˩ ˩ ] (?), ogie [ ˩ ˩ ], igie [ ˩ ˩ ] (?).

a clan which is said to have originated from Akurɛ.

Chief Edogũ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ] belongs to it;

cf. ogie [ ˩ ˩ ] (?);

v. ɛgbɛe [ ˩ \ ].

a sib to which most Ishan (Esã [ ˥ ˩ ]) people belong;

its head is the Ezɔmɔ [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ] who is said to have been king of Ishan at one time.

Chief Unwagwɛ [ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] also belongs to this sib;

cf. ogie [ ˩ ˩ ];

v. ɛgbɛe [ ˩ \ ].

land-snail;

v. akeɽekeɽe [ ˩ ˩ ˩ \ ˩ ].

a Bini village situated on the road leading to Siluko (Is-iloko [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ]).

(1) a force serving Ɔxwahɛ [ ˩ / ˩ ] and represented in his shrine;

it reminds the god of any broken oaths that were sworn by him, and it also helps to kill a man who has trespassed against him: lit. “helper to kill”;

cf. gu [ ˥ ], ɛɽe [ ˥ ˩ ], gbe [ ˥ ].

(2) a rope with a noose meant to entrap the victim’s foot;

used in the trap otohio [ ˩ \ ˩ ].

cry of onlookers used to encourage people who are felling trees on a new farm.

the land-tortoise;

it is the clever animal in folklore;

praise-names: eʋ̃i z-okp-owɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ \ ˩ ] “the thing that swaggers” (proudly);

eʋ̃i nyakã [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] “the thing that walks like a cripple”;

v. emosima [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ], ɛɽuʋɔ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ], elukeluke [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ].

hunter’s hide;

v. ɔxɛ 2 [ ˩ ˥ ].

faith;

belief;

nowadays iyayi [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] is more in use;

cf. Yor. gba gbɔ [ ˩ / ].

beam supporting the wall above a door.

ladder.

an illness similar to esalɔ [ ˩ \ ˩ ];

it attacks the hands or feet in the form of pimples which are very painful;

there is no swelling, but a discharge of mucus;

if treated, it breaks out at another spot;

cf. gbe [ ˥ ], zɛ 2 (?) [ ˥ ], aɽo [ ˩ ˩ ].

lover, used of women but also of men;

the word does, however, not necessarily imply sexual relations.

(1) body;

egbe n-ɔkp-ɔʋ̃a (kpe [ / ]) [ ˩ ˩ ˩ / (4-1) ] “body that is beating a man”: a kind of jerking pain in the bones, perhaps due to rheumatism;

also called egbe n-ɔfi‿ɔʋ̃a‿eʋ̃i [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ \ ] “body that is striking a man a blow”;

idiom.: egbe ʋ̃ɛ da ʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] “my body is precious to me”: I am careful not to hurt myself;

imu‿egbe gb-okuta [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˥ ˥ ] “I took body struck stone”: I hit myself against a stone;

egbe gu‿ɛe ɽu [ ˩ ˥ ˩ / ˥ ] “body is doing with her”: she is having a miscarriage (there is said to be no wilful abortion nor abortive medicine; but others, e.g. repudiated lovers, are occasionally, though not frequently, held to be the cause of miscarriages);

egbe mu‿ɛ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ (4-1) ] he is fooling about, or intruding, out of high spirits;

iɽu‿ɛɽe y-egbe n-ɔhɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] “I did (it) to him to (his) body as (lit. ‘give’(?)) a present”: I did this to him without his being able to take revenge;

egbe is further used in the following compound expressions: egb-amɛ [ ˩ \ ˩ ] = ɔkp-ɛ̃zɛ [ ˩ \ ˩ ] riverside;

bank (Egh. Hist.);

egb-ekɛ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] house-wall;

egb-owa [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] latrine;

the general term;

not as outspoken and “boyish” a term as ow-isã [ ˩ \ ˩ ].

(2) one another;

each other;

iɽ̃ã gu egbe gbĩna [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˥ ] they fought each other.

(3) the same (with ɔni [ ˥ / ] “that”);

egb-ɔn-iw-en-udo mɛ [ ˩ ˥ / ˥ ˦ ˩ ˥ ] “that body (which) I said (wɛ [ / ]) that you might weave for me”: the same that I told you to weave for me.

(4) will;

egbe n-uyasu ʋ̃ɛ‿iɽ-egbe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ \ ] “body you took to lead (= accompany) me is not (sc. your own) body”: it was not of your own will that you accompanied me;

egbe‿iɽ-egbe n-uyaha ʋ̃-osa [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ \ ] it was not of (your own) will that you paid me (your) debt (the i may also be omitted or, at least, be very faint).

(5) though (v. rhe [ / ]);

egbe n-uya ɽu‿ɛe, t-iɣayegb-uɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ (4-1) ˥ ˦ / / ] “body you took to do it, I shall still flog you”: though you have done it (viz. in spite of your previous refusal), I shall still flog you!

egbe n-imaya hemi-ɔɛ̃, iyesiɛ̃ nɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ \ ˩ ˥ ˩ \ ] “though I had not yet seen him, I still denied for him”, viz. that he had done a certain thing.

high spirits;

cf. egbe [ ˩ ˥ ], mu 1 [ ˥ ].

easylife;

leisure, as e.g. the wife of a “big” man with many servants has;

cf. egbe [ ˩ ˥ ], ɽɔxɔ [ ˩ ˥ ].

felling trees, when making a new farm;

egbɔ fo nɛ ʋ-ugbo ɽuɛ ɽa [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˥ ˩ / ˩ ˩ ] is the felling of trees finished already on your farm?

cf. gbɔ [ ˥ ];

v. itẽrhã [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

(1) a high fence (with openings at the side) made of ixiʋ̃i [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ]-trees, and standing at the village entrance (uɣe [ ˥ ˩ ]);

it keeps off evil spirits and bad charms;

ixiʋ̃i is used because of its particular “power” as the most senior, “aged”, tree.

(2) a name.

native tobacco, much planted on farms.

a kind of woodpecker with a big head and short beak (akpalakp-erhã [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] has a smaller head, but its beak is a little longer).

(1) chain;

not as big as ɔgiɔɽɔ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ];

eɣã na kɔ̃kɔ̃ gbe [ ˥ / ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] this chain is very big.

(2) prison (in the meaning of imprisoment);

amu‿ɛ̃ y-eɣã [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ ˩ ] they put him in prison;

cf. Yor. ɛnwɔ [ ˩ ˩ ];

cf. also oleɣã [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ], ɔsuoleɣã [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ];

v. ogba 1 [ ˥ ˩ ].

“sharers of the country”: this term refers to two groups of Bini chiefs, the Eɣaɛʋo N-ogbe [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] and the Eɣaɛʋo N-oɽe [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ].

While the first group contains the household officials at the Ɛguae [ ˩ ˩ ], the second consists of the fiefholders in the country, who, however, reside in Benin City.

The four most important members of this group are: Iyasɛ [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ], Esɔgbã [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ], Esɔ̃ [ ˥ / ], and Osuma [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ];

they are also called Eɣaɛʋo n-enɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ \ ˩ ], “the four Eɣaɛʋo”;

while the others are the Eɣaɛʋo n-ikotɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ \ ˩ ˩ ], the “lower eɣaɛʋo”;

cf. ɣae [ / ], ɛʋo [ ˩ ˩ ], Ogbe [ ˥ ˩ ], oɽe [ ˥ ˥ ].

a position in the ogwɛga [ ˩ \ ˩ ]-divination (o.o.o.c.);

of Yor. origin?

(1) rubbish lying in the house in the morning before it is swept;

v. ikpoleɣo [ ˩ ˥ ˦ (3-1) ].

(2) bad taste in, and smell from, the mouth, esp. in the morning.

present of food given to e.g. emosima [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ], the tortoise, when seen by a worshipper of Ɔxwahɛ [ ˩ / ˩ ].

a tree, Trichilia prieuriana, but also Duboscia viridiflora;

used as firewood only.

an idiomatic word for conception, pregnancy, used when wishing that young people or foreigners may not understand what is being said;

v. rhie [ / ].

eating-feast;

cf. ɣɔ [ / ].

camp near the river;

beach;

eɣute n-ɔmose [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] “a beautiful shore”, beginning of a Christian hymn in Bini;

cf. Yor. ebutɛ [ ˩ / ˥ ].

three;

ɛd-eha [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] three days;

ax-eha [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ], [ ˩ \ ˥ ] three pots;

axe-n-eha [ ˩ ˩ \ ˩ ] the three pots;

eha‿irɔʋ-ugie [ ˩ ˥ ˥ \ ˥ ˦ ] “three are not in twenty”: seventeen;

redupl. eheha [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] all the three;

eheha [ ˩ \ ˩ ] in groups of three.

in ehã‿ẽgbe hia [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ˧ ] dressing up;

originally: dressing up as masquerade dancer;

cf. hã 2 [ / ].

six;

iɽ̃ã ehã de [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ / ] six of them are coming.

name for the group of chiefs who are neither members of the Uzama [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] nor of the Eɣaɛʋo [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

Their leader is chief Ɔbas-ogie [ ˥ ˥ ˦ ˩ ];

cf. ɛkpɛ̃ [ ˩ ˩ ] (?)

film on teeth;

cf. akɔ̃ [ ˩ ˩ ], ehɛ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ] is not used alone.

hire;

rent;

ehaya umu‿ikɛkɛ ɽuɛ yi ɽa [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ / ˦ ˩ ] “(is it) hire you put your bicycle on”: do you hire your bicycle out?

cf. Engl.;

v. iɣo 1 [ ˥ ˥ ].

food given to one’s wife to be cooked;

v. we [ ˥ ], emehe [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ].

(1) place;

iri-ehe [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] “I am going somewhere”: I am going on a journey, or, on a walk;

eheikehe [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] wherever;

eheikehe n-ɔrhirhisɛ, ɛʋ̃-ɔ̃ma gbĩna (ʋ̃ɛ [ / ]) [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ / ˥ ˥ ˥ / / ˥ ˩ \ ] wherever he goes, he must fight;

v. (e)d―.

(2) chance, same as eke [ ˩ ˥ ];

imami-ehe n-aɽu‿ɛe [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ \ ] I have no chance to do it.

(3) menstruation;

v. owa [ ˩ ˥ ], ukpɔ̃ [ ˩ ˩ ].

fish;

eh-ɔ̃gbɔ̃ [ ˥ / ˩ ] fresh fish;

ehɛ̃ n-ɔkae [ ˥ ˩ ˥ \ ] dried fish.

name of an Ɔba;

he instituted the Ibiwe [ ˩ \ ˩ ]society.

name of an Ɔba.

all;

vi-ehia re [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ ] bring them all!

ena hia-ɽ-ɔɣɔe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ (4-1) ] all these (things) are his;

idiom.: ehia‿ehia xĩ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] “all is all”: it is all the same, and ehia‿ehia xĩ mɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˦ ], ehia‿e hia xĩ ʋ̃ɛ-ɽe [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] it is all the same to me (-ɽe means something like “concerning it, in reference to it”).

also ihiaɣa, (1) tassel;

ehiaɣ-ɔka [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ] tassel of corn (maize).

(2) a small veil worn by some priests.

naught;

nil.

(1) ear;

v. daʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˥ ].

(2) edge;

ehɔ-ɽe [ ˩ / ˩ ] its edge (of a table, cloth, etc.);

cf. the use of Yor. eti [ ˧ ˥ ].

(1) an annual sacrificial festival to the ancestors;

iɽ̃ã ɣaɽu‿ehɔ [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] they are performing the ehɔ-festival (or: ri‿ehɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ]);

v. orhu 2 [ ˩ ˥ ].

(2) (with a god’s name as a following genitive): an annual festival of a god, e.g. eh-olokũ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ] festival of Olokũ [ ˥ ˥ ˦ ];

eh-osũ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] festival of Osũ [ ˩ ˥ ].

The latter takes place about April;

the ewaisɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ], the priest’s assistants, beat drums (iɣede [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ]) and dance, and while dancing they perform magical tricks;

these are said to be taking a tortoise out of their abdomen, vomiting scorpions, stabbing themselves with knives without injury, and sowing plants which grow up immediately.

The priest himself is said to turn into a leopard, elephant, chimpanzee, an oil-palm, etc., transforming himself into a cow being the most difficult degree.

a village on the boundary between Bini and Ishan country;

“Ehor”.

title of a chief who supervises (and helps in) the butchering of animals for the Ɔba, and slaughters at all the Ɔba’s sacrifices;

he is given parts of the slaughtered animals;

a praise-name is: Ehɔ̃dɔ n-ɔriaɽ̃aʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ (4-1) ˩ ˩ ˩ ] “Ehɔ̃dɔ the meat-eater”

a term derived from the ogwɛga [ ˩ \ ˩ ]-position ɔh-ɔɣae [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ] (v. ɔha [ ˩ ˥ ]);

this position is believed to indicate enmity from a brother by the same father, hence ehɔɣae means something like: “a brother by the same father who is, at the same time, one’s enemy”, “hidden enemy among one’s relatives”.

It seems, however, that the term can also be used without any connotation of enmity, only to denote paternal relatives.

(A brother by the same mother is not usually one’s enemy; this was explained by the fact that he is “of the same blood”, and that he shares one’s properties.) Cf. ɔɣae [ ˩ ˥ ].

purification (general term);

cf. hɔʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˥ ];

v. ihɔʋ̃egbe [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ], ihɔʋ̃owa [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ], ihɔʋ̃ɛʋ̃o [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

the Ika-people (and language) inhabiting the Agbor Division of Benin province, and Igbãkɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] in the Benin Division;

they are a branch of the Ibo-speaking peoples.

“biscuits”;

a baked or fried foodstuff consisting of maize: eka‿ɔka [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˩ ] of beans eka‿eɽe [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˩ ], of yam ek-inya [ ˥ ˥ ˦ ] (fried with oil or lard, or baked; maybe ground before), or of plantain eka‿ɔɣɛdɛ [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ] (plantains cut and fried);

cf. Yor. akara [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

sgl. ɔ- a band of the Ɔba’s consisting of some of his relatives and performing the sacrifices at the ugies, together with the Ihama [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ].

(1) bridle.

(2) gag;

v. uxu [ ˩ ˥ ].

measles (?), same as ɛnwinwa [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ].

glass tumbler, probably Port. caneca;

v. ukpu [ ˥ ˩ ], igobele [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ], egalahi [ ˩ ˩ \ ˩ ].

kerosene, also called am-urhukpa [ ˩ \ ˩ ˩ ] “lamp-water”.

Engl.

(1) a tree, Omphalocarpum procerum;

husks of its seeds, put on a string, are wrapped in “bamboo” (raffia) leaves and worn round the feet as a rattle.

(2) rattle (v. above).

(3) a dance performed after the Ɔba’s coronation at which ekasa rattles are worn.

place;

eke n-iye [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] the place where I live;

v. ehe [ ˩ ˥ ], (e)d―.

title of a chief, the senior of the Isĩɛʋ̃ɛɽo [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ] sib.

a masquerader representing a spirit Ekeze who appears when the Ɔvia [ ˩ ˥ ]-society dances, disturbing the masqueraders, and driving them away.

The Ɔvia people fight him, but, however numerous, they are always conquered;

called ekeze n-iy-ɛɽ̃iʋ̃i [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ˩ ] “Ekeze, the mother of the god”.

rest-day of a god (every fifth day) when the priests stay at home, adorning their juju;

whoever works, is supposed to meet with bad luck;

cf. ɛdɛ [ ˩ ˥ ].

(1) mud (for house-building);

ekɛ̃ n-exwi [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] black mud, mixed with ulakpa [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ], the red and best mud, in house building;

ek-ɛ̃xexae [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ] sandy mud;

formerly used to fill swampy spots in the rain-pit (ukpafɛ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ]) now also for plastering the house-walls;

it is used for building when other mud is lacking;

ek-õbuɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ] clay (for pottery), v. obuɛ [ ˥ ˥ ];

v. also oɽoɣo [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ], orhue [ ˩ ˩ ].

(2) wall, ek-ɔ̃gbe [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] “wall of Ogbe”: the wall running round the Ɛguae [ ˩ ˩ ], esp. the Ɔba’s harem.

There was once a law that anybody who touched this wall was to be killed.

This, however, led to so many false denunciations that the Ɔba decreed that the man who denounced the offender should be killed as well.

Since then, it is said, there has been no further report.

egg;

ek-ɔ̃xɔxɔ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ] hen’s egg;

ekɛ̃-kpɛkpɛyɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˦ ˦ ] duck’s egg.

Throwing eggs at a man is the greatest insult in Benin.

a pad used when carrying loads (cloth, grass, etc.);

same as ukuoki [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ];

uɣuga rhi-eki [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ˦ ˩ ] “may you not serve (and) take the pad” scil.

“as your only reward”: may you be rewarded for your service (to a servant coming from work, as an answer to his greeting, by a senior man).

There is also a curse: t-uɽaga rhi-eki [ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] may you serve and receive a pad (as your reward).

(1) penis.

(2) eki-osisi [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ ] trigger of a gun.

(3) eki-awa [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˦ ] “dog’spenis”: a shrub, Erythrina spec. (also Callichilia stenosepala);

one has a long fruit and a dark green stem, the other, a short fruit (distribution of the Latin names unknown).

“missing ten in sixty”: fifty.

dog;

cf. Ibo nkita [ ˥ ˥ ˦ ];

v. oʋi-akota [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ], awa [ ˩ ˥ ].

(1) a “camp”, i.e. a temporary, though possibly long-inhabited settlement for purposes of hunting, farming, and formerly war;

ek-aɣɛ̃ [ ˩ \ ˩ ] a shelter consisting of four poles and a roof of mats, serving e.g. as a market stall;

cf. oko 1 [ ˩ ˥ ];

v. agɔ [ ˩ ˥ ], oxogbo 1 [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ].

(2) name of Lagos (Yor. eko [ ˩ / ]);

perhaps the name is of Bini origin, as there is a tradition that Lagos was founded as a Bini war-camp.

cocoa;

Engl.

native spoon consisting of the cover of a snail’s shell;

still used by a few old people, and in bush-villages;

v. akeɽekeɽe [ ˩ ˩ ˩ \ ˩ ], ekuyɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ].

malice;

ekueku [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] wrong;

false;

undue;

ɔgbe ʋ̃-ẽkueku [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] he flogged me without reason;

v. iɣo 1 [ ˥ ˥ ].

semen.

bellows;

ozo gua kp-eku-ɛsɛse [ ˩ ˥ / / ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] Ojo knows very well (how) to work the bellows.

a bird the cry of which is said to spell evil, and it is believed that a district in which it is frequently heard will have many deaths;

the cry is interpreted as kũ‿ɛ̃ɽ̃ɛ̃ kɛ̃kɛ̃kɛ̃kɛ̃kɛ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ ] “tie it (viz. a corpse) strongly!” and the evening- and night-cry is: ɛʋo foo [ ˩ ˩ (5-3) ] “the country (or village) is finished!” After the first cry, a death is expected in three or seven days’ time;

if somebody is ill at the time of the cry, “the witches will expect his death; for it gives the witches power”.

Therefore, the bird is shot if it is possible;

cf. kũ 1 [ / ].

cook.

Engl.

(European) spoon;

cf. Port. colher;

v. ekokohiɛ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ / ].

a shrub, Ongokea klaineana;

cf. eka [ ˥ ˩ ] (?);

uzo [ ˥ ˩ ] (?).

upper arm;

cf. abɔ [ ˩ ˥ ], ekwawɛ [ ˥ \ ˩ ].

thigh;

cf. owɛ [ ˩ ˩ ], ekwabɔ [ ˥ ˥ ˦ ].

(also ekwɔmɔ [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ]) a fat brown rat.

same as ɛbete [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ];

v. esi 1 [ ˩ ˩ ].

vomiting;

cf. kpa 3 [ ˥ ].

hitting;

knocking (with the fist);

boxing (not a sport);

ekpa-ɽe tu gbe [ ˥ / ˩ ˥ ˦ ] “his boxing resounds (much)”: he has a good way of hitting.

a present given to the Ɔba in order to notify him of a sacrifice going to be performed (in which he is going to take part);

this is done e.g. by the followers of the god Ɔxwahɛ [ ˩ / ˩ ].

a tree, Albizzia zygia;

the leaves are used for soup, the wood as firewood.

a beetle found on the raffia palm (ɔgɔ [ ˩ ˩ ]) and the oil palm (udĩ [ ˩ ˥ ]);

it sucks juice out of the cuttings made by wine-tappers, or out of the stumps of felled palms;

v. oɽu [ ˥ / ].

scorpion.

a long loaf of yam-fufu similar to a loaf of bread;

v. osugba [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ].

a tree, Canarium schweinfurthii.

a flat fish, possessing many bones and rough scales, and therefore not appreciated, it has a red and a blue stripe on either side;

cf. xwaɽaxwaɽa [ ˦ ˦ ˦ ˦ ].

corrugated iron sheet;

ekpamaku n-aya kã owa [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] corrugated iron that is used to “thatch” houses.

a small wasp that has its nest on creepers.

a shrub the fruit of which is used as a poison for rats;

it is reputed to drive them mad;

but if the onlooker laughs, the “power of the medicine” is supposed to weaken so that the rat will not die;

also called: ekpekukpeku n-ɔgb-ofɛ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] “ekpekukpeku which kills rats”.

duck;

cf. Yor. kpɛkpɛyɛ [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ].

a masquerade-society of young boys, imitating the Ɔvia [ ˩ ˥ ]-society;

no mirrors and cloths, as in Ɔvia, are used for the masquerade-dress, but only palm-branches and ropes;

the senior is called oh-ɛ̃kpo [ ˩ \ ˩ ] “priest of ekpo”;

their purpose was stated to be mainly “cheering up the quarter”, but they have a juju as well (in form of a stick) which has a certain power;

thus e.g. barren women may sacrifice a cock to it, and offences against it are also expiated by the sacrifice of a cock;

members of the society sometimes bar a road by means of a rope in order to obtain a small toll from passers-by.

Where there is an Ɔvia-society, young men leave the Ekpo at the age of fifteen, but where there is none, as e.g. at Urho N-igbe [ ˩ ˩ \ ˩ ], they are said to remain in it until they are 35 or 40 years of age;

v. Akobiɛ [ ˥ / \ ].

bullet.

thanksgiving: especially a procession round the town passing all the chiefs’ gates, made by a newly-made chief;

mu‿egbe ɣ-ima ɣay-ekpɔʋ̃ɛ-ɽɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ / ˩ ] get ready that we may go (for a) thanksgiving procession to-day!

cf. kpɔʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˥ ].

a dish prepared from cassava: the cassava is ground with the rough outside of a pierced kerosene tin, whereupon it is made into a ball.

This is ground again in a mortar (olɔ [ ˥ ˥ ]), mixed with water, and baked.

Like usi [ ˩ ˥ ] and igaɽi [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ], it is one of the more modern ways of preparing cassava;

v. ebɔbɔzi [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ], efɛ̃rhinyɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ].

a bell used in the Ɔxwahɛ [ ˩ / ˩ ]-cult;

it is of the same shape as ɛgogo [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ], but it has a nail inside.

a disease: tinea;

cf. lalɔ [ ˩ ˥ ].

fugitive swellings in the arm;

itches;

due to filaria(?).

Effective medicines are said to be emu-ɔhae [ ˩ ˥ ˥ (4-1) ] “ashes of a bachelor”, and a herb called ebubule [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ].

a disease: dropsy?

v. owɛ [ ˩ ˩ ].

a name for the river-tortoise.

general term for “drum”;

of two drums usually played together the one having the lower tone is referred to as iy-ema [ ˥ \ ˩ ], the “mother-drum”, the one having the higher tone, as oʋi‿ema [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ], the “daughter-drum”.

Some of the most important drums are: em-ɛdo [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] “drum of Benin”: a big round drum beaten with one stick during the ugie that is called ukpetuɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ];

the beats are interpreted as: gi-ɔɣ-ɔba sɛ [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˩ ] lit. “let that of the Ɔba pass”: let the will of the Ɔba be done!

em-iɣã [ ˩ ˥ (4-1) ] a drum for chiefs;

it is put on the ground and beaten with two sticks, especially in chiefs’ houses during the ehɔ [ ˩ ˥ ] and during ugies when they are “tossing” the ɛbɛ̃ [ ˩ ˩ ], i.e. performing a swordplay;

priests of Ɔxwahɛ [ ˩ / ˩ ] have it as well.

em-izaduma [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] a war-drum.

em-izagbɛdɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] a drum played when the young men (iɽoɣae [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ] and iɣele [ ˥ ˩ ˩ ]) are dancing the izagbɛdɛ [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ]-dance.

em-uɣo [ ˩ \ ˩ ] a small drum covered with hide on one side only, beaten by hand;

a dance-drum (v. uɣo [ ˩ ˩ ]) mostly used by women.

For other drums v. iɣede [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ], emaba [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

(1) yam (plant and fruit while on the farm);

inu‿ema ũkpɛ̃-ɽɛ [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ ] how many yams did you dig to-day?

v. ba 2 [ / ], fã [ ˥ ], kpɛ̃ [ ˥ ], viɔ [ / ], inya [ ˩ ˥ ], isã [ ˩ ˩ ], eka [ ˥ ˩ ], eru [ ˩ ˥ ], igbĩ [ ˩ ˥ ], ivu [ ˩ ˩ ];

red yam (ikpɛ̃ [ ˥ ˩ ]): emilɛ [ ˥ ˩ ˩ ], olimɛhi [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ], uhoboriabe [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ], ugo [ ˩ ˥ ] (wild);

white yam (emɔwɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ]): edia n-ukpakɔ̃ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ], ogigbã [ ˩ \ ˩ ] (wild);

red and white yam: erhuɽu [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ];

other varieties are: aɽebũ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ], olusɛe [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ], udĩ [ ˩ ˥ ], igioɽua [ ˥ ˩ / ], ukpu [ ˥ ˩ ].

(2) fufu made from yam.

(1) a drum made from a calabash, with a rattle fastened to it;

used during ugies [ ˩ ˩ ], and by some chiefs.

(2) a dance at which the dancers hold this drum and drum on it, while moving forward and backward;

cf. ema 1 [ ˩ ˩ ].

machine, e.g. emasini n-aya dɔl-ukpɔ̃ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] “machine for repairing clothes”: sewing-machine.

iron;

cf. ɔtɔ̃ [ ˩ ˩ ] (?);

v. ogũ [ ˩ ˥ ].

monkey;

v. atugiɛ̃ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ], alazi [ ˥ ˥ ˦ ], axarho [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ], ɛxoxo [ ˥ ˩ ˩ ], ogĩ [ ˩ ˥ ], ɔsa [ ˩ ˩ ], uhiɽi [ ˥ \ ˩ ].

(1) bands, or crowds, of women acclaiming the Ɔba when he is marching through the town during the ugie [ ˩ ˩ ] called isiokuo [ ˩ \ ˩ ];

they exclaim iyare! [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] “safe arrival”, or “welcome home”.

(2) emɛhɛ n-uɽubi [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] carriers of the Ɔba;

they must never be seen by the Ɔba without a load on their heads, therefore, when he is near, they either put the nearest thing on their heads, or, they lean their heads against a house-wall, as if about to lift the house, asking help of passers-by: mu mɛ [ ˩ ˥ ] “lift it for me” (Uɽubi [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ] is a quarter of Uselu [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ], near Benin City);

cf. mu [ ˥ ] (?), ihɛ [ ˩ ˥ ] (?).

illness;

complaint;

may be made specific by a noun indicating a part of the body, e.g. in emiaʋ̃-obɔ lɔɣɔ ʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] lit. “an illness of the hand is paining me”;

a special disease is emiaʋ̃-ũhobo [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ] lit. “Sobo-disease”: probably ascites;

v. uhuʋ̃ova [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ].

a special kind of red yam the fruit of which hangs from a rope;

cf. ema 2 [ ˩ ˩ ].

meat;

same as aɽ̃aʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ].

a dress of the Ɔba’s;

not the most elaborate one.

a kind of tortoise said to have been charmed by Ɔxwahɛ [ ˩ / ˩ ] and put in the bush surrounding his shrines.

They are sacred and must not be caught and are even given food (v. eɣo [ ˩ ˩ ]).

It is believed that in farm fires they remain unhurt because they are under a charm.

an uɽuhe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] tree standing on ɛki‿ɔba [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ ] in Benin City which is the seat of a god (?) that is worshipped.

Ɔba makes sacrifices to it, and any burial must pass under it.

Cowries and chalk are then thrown to it as a sign of notice to the tree or the power manifested by it.

loan;

cf. mɔmɔ [ ˩ ˥ ], iɣo 1 [ ˥ ˥ ].

one variety of white yam;

cf. ema 2 [ ˩ ˩ ].

(1) ashes.

(2) grey: ɔfua ʋ-emuɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ] it is grey (lit. “white”) like ashes;

v. edɛ [ ˩ ˥ ].

fire-fly.

four;

ma enɛ nɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] we were four of us.

enɛ(i)r-ɔʋ-ugie [ ˩ ˥ \ ˥ ˦ ] lit. “four are not in twenty”: sixteen;

enɛ(i)r-ɔʋ-iyeva [ ˩ ˥ \ ˥ ˦ ˧ ] “four are not in forty”: thirty-six;

redupl. enenɛ [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] all the four;

enenɛ [ ˩ \ ˩ ] four by four;

in groups of four.

elephant;

elephant tusks are kept on the Ɔba’s erha [ ˥ ˥ ]-shrine (v. also akɔ̃hɛ̃ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ], oko [ ˥ ˩ ]);

eni amɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] hippopotamus (oɽoboto [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] is more in use);

v. udiã [ ˩ ˥ ], ebe [ ˩ ˥ ].

name;

eni ɽ̃uɛ̃ ʋo [ ˩ ˩ / / ] what is your name?

ʋ-ati-eni ɽ̃uɛ̃ [ / ˩ ˩ ˩ / ] “what do they call your name?” is more usual;

cf. iheni [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

so;

thus;

cf. eriɔ [ ˩ ˥ ].

a white bird, the Cattle Egret or Buff-backed Heron, which is considered to be very “senior”;

its praise-name is enibokũ‿ɔ̃xɔxɔ n-uhɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] “Enibokũ, the fowl of Ifɛ.” They are not common at Benin City, but many of them are said to come at the time of the Ɔba’s igwɛ [ ˩ ˩ ], the sacrifice to his head, where also one enibokũ is included (?);

thirty or fifty come to a certain tree near the Ɛguae [ ˩ ˩ ];

they are said to come from Ifɛ.

crayfish (found in rivers).

pigeon;

it is a symbol of happy marriage;

oɽ̃ɔʋ̃-ĩɽ̃ã ye ʋ-ɔɣ-enixuxu [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˦ ˧ ˩ ˩ ] their marriage is like that of the house-pigeons.

now (same as ebã [ ˩ \ ]);

redupl.: nwanwa [ ˥ (4-1) ];

enwa‿ũde [ ˩ ˥ ˩ / ‿ ˩ ] now are you coming?

flash of lightning, or of the reflected sun in a mirror;

enwananwan-erhɛ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] spark from worked iron in a smithy (Ɔxw.);

cf. nwana-nwana [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ];

v. ɛhohaʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ].

answer;

cf. nwaniɛ [ ˩ ˥ ], inwaniɛʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

a palm-branch with its side branches on;

enwaʋ̃-ɛ̃ɽ̃iʋ̃i [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] (unusual tones) “palm-branch of ɛɽ̃iʋ̃i [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ]”: a tree Dracaena sp.;

its leaves are like palm-leaves;

when cooked they are used as a medicine against gonorrhoea;

v. exɔe 2 [ ˥ ˩ ].

(1) (mother’s) breast.

(2) milk;

enw-ɛmila [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] cow-milk.

a drum which is beaten by the Ogbelaka [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ]-people during ugies [ ˩ ˩ ] (or at one particular ugie?).

promise;

cf. nya 2 [ / ].

name of a Bini village, seat of an Ɔxwahɛ [ ˩ / ˩ ]-shrine;

a market is also held there.

yawn;

cf. nyanya [ ˩ ˥ ].

a round fruit similar to a calabash;

edible.

“yes, my son”;

used by old men to young men;

a short form for e, oʋi ʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ].

the Piping Hornbill;

same as axwɛxae [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

ganglion;

v. ake [ ˥ ˥ ].

(1) knotty part in a piece of wood, or in a creeper;

eri‿erhã na igiava [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˥ ˩ / ˩ ] the knotty part of this tree (or, wood) cannot be split;

v. mu 1 [ ˥ ].

(2) retardation in growth (of a child, e.g.);

v. kpɛe [ / ].

(1) grazing;

cf. ria [ / ], ɽe [ ˥ ];

v. rie [ / ].

(2) explanation of the code-words in the ogwɛga [ ˩ \ ˩ ]-oracle.

sandfly.

a bath containing “medicines” taken by a man when about to die: somebody else will then die in his stead, while he himself will recover;

this “substitute” may even come from the same family.

so;

thus;

ʋ-en-uɽu na, eri(ɔ)‿aɣaaɽu lel-ɔsi‿ɔʋ̃a [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ˦ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] lit. “as you are doing now, so people do follow their friend”: you are acting like a real friend;

ʋ-eriɔ [ ˥ / ] thus;

like that.

a small white ants’ hill used as a food for chickens and for ɛkose [ ˩ \ ˩ ];

v. ulelefe [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

drag-net;

cf. Jekri eriri [ ˧ ˥ ˥ ].

lodging in somebody else’s house for want of a house of one’s own;

erɔ iye [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] I am in lodging, or a lodger;

iɣ-erɔ [ ˥ ˥ ˦ ] rent;

v. iɣo 1 [ ˥ ˥ ];

cf. rɔ [ ˥ ‿ / ], ɔɽuerɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

a rack standing on a farm, or, for greater safety, in the bush, on which the yam-harvest is kept.

It consists of several main poles (utɔ̃yotɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ] or uke [ ˩ ˥ ]) standing at equal distances and supported by forked branches (ikadɛlɛ [ ˥ ˩ \ ˩ ]), and between these there are smaller poles called ɔxɛ [ ˩ ˥ ].

The yams are tied horizontally to stripped palm-branches (exɔe [ ˥ ˩ ]), and each row is called ugã [ ˩ ˩ ].

The structure is supported by cross-poles.

three in number, which are called ogba [ ˩ ˥ ].

In measuring the yam-harvest, the distance between two main poles is uhobo [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ], half the distance is ɛkp-ɔxɛ [ ˥ ˥ ˦ ], that between three main poles (= two uhoho) is ɛwɛ [ ˩ ˩ ].

father;

erha ʋ̃ɛ [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] my father;

erha-a [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] your father;

erha-e [ ˥ \ ] his father;

erha ʋ̃a [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ], erh-ima [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ] our father;

erh-uwa [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ] your (pl.) father;

erh-iɽ̃ã [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ] their father.

erha ʋ̃-osa [ ˥ ˩ \ ˩ ] “our father Osa”: an epithet of Osa [ ˩ ˩ ].

erh-odede [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] grandfather;

erha ʋ̃-odede [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] my grandfather;

also: erha ʋ̃ɛ n-ɔxwa [ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ].

The term may be specified: erh-erha [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ] father’s father;

erh-iye [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ] mother’s father;

v. umɔbɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

(2) “father” as the revered ancestor whose shrine is in every Bini house.

(3) erha ʋ̃ɛ n-agbɔ̃ [ ˥ ˩ ˩ \ ˩ ] “my father of this world”: my lover (said by a woman);

the man thus referred to may be quite young;

and the reason for this is probably that he is “like a father towards his beloved”, v. iye [ ˥ ˥ ], egbaxiã [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ].

(4) erha n-as-agbɔ̃ miɛ (sɛ 1 [ ˥ ]) [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] “the father whom one reaches the world to see”: fosterfather, or generally, a man who treats a young boy like his father, i.e. shows kindness to him.

(1) tree;

shrub;

erhã n-igbɔ̃ ya k-ɛhi [ ˩ ˩ ˩ / ˥ ˦ ˩ ] “the tree which the foreigners (or Ibos) take to construct (kɔ [ ˥ ]) their ɛhi”: a tree, Erythrina senegalensis;

erh-ẽrhɛ̃ [ ˩ \ ˩ ] “tree of fire”: practice of felling a tree by putting fire to it;

erh-ũkoko [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] “pipe-shrub”: a shrub, perhaps Sterculia oblonga (F.D. list: Okoko), from which the tubes of long pipes are obtained.

erhã n-ɔba ya kp-oti hĩ‿ɛ̃do re [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] “the tree which the Ɔba took to take the leprosy away from Benin”: a tree, same as anyaerhã [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ] (F.D. list: Distemonanthus benthamianus).

(2) wood;

stick;

erh-ẽru [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] (all the) sticks used in a yam-stack (eɽu [ ˩ ˥ ]).

erh-ɛ̃zɔ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ] “stick of law-suit”: dock;

witness-box;

ɔzen-unu‿ɛ̃ɽ̃ɛ̃ ʋ-uw-erh-ɛ̃zɔ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ˦ ] he gave his statement in the witness-box (or, in the dock).

erh-ĩdo [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] the stick to which the threads are fastened in a loom.

part of palm fruit that joins the fruit to the tree;

the erhe are burnt in order to obtain em-uxuɛ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] palm-husk ashes;

when burning they are called uxuɛ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ].

a copper stool sent by the Portuguese, v. L.R. p. 112 (on p. 111 there is a brass copy of it, made by the Ɔba Eɽesɔnyɛ [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ ]).

fire;

kok-erhɛ̃ ni mɛ [ ˩ ˩ / ˦ ˧ ] build up (lit. “collect, join”, viz. the firewood) that fire for me.

erhɛ̃baʋogo [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] “fire is flaming on an old farm”;

a shrub, Enantia affinis;

the wood is yellow inside, a feature which probably explains the tree being called “fire” (but it is not clear why “on an old farm”);

wood is used for building purposes.

a plant similar to ikpogi [ ˩ \ ˩ ] with small fruit containing seeds;

it is said to taste very pleasant when fried, and to cause indigestion when eaten much.

craw-craw;

erh-ãbɛ [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ] “craw-craw of razor”: barber’s rash.

tying one’s cloth;

cf. rhuã [ / ].

the Dark-heeled Cuckoo, or, Senegal Coucal.

a kind of yam, red and white;

fruit a little bitter;

is eaten a good deal by the Yoruba people;

a medicine is obtained from it ensuring quick conception;

v. ema 2 [ ˩ ˩ ].

(1) prayer, Christian and pagan.

(2) blessing;

v. isɛ [ ˩ ˥ ].

butterfly;

v. oʋi [ ˩ ˥ ].

a white bean (not from a shrub, like ikpexie [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ]) of which the Yorubas make eka [ ˥ ˩ ] (Yor. akara [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ]);

the Bini people use maize and water-yam;

cf. Yor. eree [ ˧ / ].

(1) gain;

profit;

eɽe ɽuɛ kpɔlɔ ʋ-eʋ̃i n-uxiɛ̃ na [ ˩ ˩ / ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] “your profit is great in this thing that you are selling”.

(2) reward;

eɽe n-ɔrhie mɛ ʋ-ekpa eʋ̃i n-iɽu nɛ, eɽ-ɔr-eʋa [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ (4-1) ˩ ˥ ˦ (3-1) ] lit. “the reward he gave me for the thing I did for him is what is there”, i.e. is over there;

cf. Yor. ere [ ˩ ˩ ].

name of an Ɔba.

deception (by somebody);

cf. ɽɛɽɛ [ ˩ ˥ ].

cunning;

deceiving;

cheating;

cf. ɽo [ / ] (?);

v. ɽu [ ˥ ], ɛkɛ [ ˩ ˥ ].

knife;

for kitchen and eating;

eɽ-ulema [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] cobbler’s knife (cf. le [ ˥ ], ema 2 [ ˩ ˩ ]).

placenta.

eight.

any harmful ɛbo [ ˩ \ ] (charm) destined to cause sickness and possibly containing poison as well;

it is put into food, thrown at people when they are present, blown into the air when they are absent, put on one’s path, etc;

cf. ɽ̃uã [ / ];

v. gbe [ / ] xɛ [ / ].

(1) side taken by somebody who is not concerned in a quarrel, palaver, etc.;

d-esa n-uye ʋ-ɔ yi [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ / ˥ ] “which side (is it that) your are in (it)?” on which side are you?

(2) share in some enterprise, plot of ground, etc.;

esa‿ɔɣ-uɛ ʋo ʋ-ɔ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˥ ] “your (own) share is what in it”: what is your share in it?

idiom.: ɛʋ̃ɛ‿esa [ / ˩ ˩ \ ] it is of no account;

it does not matter;

n-uɽu na hia‿iʋ̃ɛ‿esa [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ \ ] “all this what you are doing is of no account”: it does not do me any harm;

cf. igbesa [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

shop;

factory;

same as ow-ɛki [ ˩ \ ˩ ];

Engl.

blood;

same as ɛrhaɛ̃ [ ˩ \ ].

demijohn;

cf. Yor. ʃago [ ˥ ˧ ].

(1) a men’s drum;

the iɣele [ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] age-group dance to this drum;

it is small and round, covered with skin on both ends (but not narrow in the middle).

(2) name of the dance.

a plant;

the seeds are strung up and put round a calabash, serving as a rattle;

v. ukusɛ [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ].

a disease: small sores, mostly on hands and feet;

resembles smallpox, but bigger in size;

probably tertiary syphilis.

a chief who performs the ama [ ˩ ˥ ]-ceremony (relating to the Ɔba’s children).

saw;

it seems to occur with the prefixes a- and ɔ- as well;

cf. Port. sierra.

any carved bone or ivory;

cf. igbesaʋ̃a [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

any sacrifice ordered by an oracle;

“predicted sacrifice”;

es-ɔsi‿ɛe y-ɔɽ-egbe [ ˩ / ˥ / ˩ ˩ ˥ ] “it is a predicted sacrifice that has drawn it to his body”: i.e. that has caused the trouble;

is often said as explanation of a disaster, bad luck, etc. that has befallen a man;

idiom.: imu‿es-ɔgiɛ n-ɔgiɛ (na [ ˥ ]) [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ / ˩ / ] “I took the predicted sacrifice of Ɔgiɛ and gave it to Ɔgiɛ (a name)”: I left it alone;

v. zɔ 2 [ / ], aɽugbo [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

a dwarf-like being, believed to live in the dense bush;

it looks like a man, but is covered with hair all over the body, including the face, so that its eyes are almost invisible.

lt carries a mat woven like the house of the worm (?) akũerhãkũiri [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ], and always utters sounds like i i, i i [ ˥ ˦ ˥ ˦ ].

It is believed to be harmless when not troubled, but “if it passes through a man’s legs, he must die”.

It cannot be killed with a knife, etc. because, if cut, “it becomes double and fourfold”, and it is never hit by a bullet, but if sand is thrown at it, it “must pick up every grain of it before it can leave the spot”.

From the skull, a “medicine” is prepared enabling the user to know what happens at a distance.

Its mat which, however, nobody can obtain, brings “prosperity in life”.

a chief;

senior of the Iw-ɛguae [ ˩ \ ˩ ]-society;

the title is not hereditary.

the gum-tree, Tetrapleura tetraptera.

bush-pig;

esi‿ebo [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ] “European pig”: house-pig;

recently introduced, same as ɛlɛdɛ [ ˥ \ ˩ ].

esi oha [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ] a brown rat found in dirty places;

used as a sacrificial animal by the priests of Ɔɽ̃ɔ̃mila [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ];

same as ekwɛmɔ [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ].

esi oha [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ] may nowadays possibly be used to distinguish the bush-pig from the house-pig;

cf. Yor. esi [ ˧ ˩ ];

v. azãna [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ], oluku [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ].

good (perhaps “goodness”);

ɔʋ̃a‿esi [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] a good man;

n-ɔʋ̃a‿esi [ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˩ ] the good man;

eʋ̃i‿esi [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] a good thing.

hail;

occurs e.g. at the time of every heavy rainfall in the rainy season (orhɔ [ ˩ ˩ ]), and on the whole, three or four times in the year.

a bird, the Bristlebill;

it is said to summon all the birds to the bath in the morning and the evening;

the head is used as a love-“medicine” by young men.

cigarette;

idiomatically they are also called ikpĩhiãb-emila [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˦ ˧ ˩ ] “Miller’s finger” (Miller’s was the first European store in Benin City);

Engl.

(also a-), grease (for rubbing oneself).

the Bulbul;

it has a curved tuft of feathers on its head (ugu-akpata [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ ]);

said to have been appointed king of the birds (but etitibiti [ ˩ ˩ ˩ \ ˩ ] became king at last).

some;

eso r-owa ʋ-iɽ̃ã [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] some of (“among”) them are at home;

redupl. eseso [ ˩ \ ˩ ] (with negat. verb) neither;

eseso mare [ ˩ ˥ / ˥ \ ] neither (of them) has come;

also: n-ɔre‿ir-eseso [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ \ ˩ ] “who has come is not in either”.

a charm, having the power of predicting, owned by the Ɔba.

Some powerful doctors are said to own this charm as well, in which case it is not called esosomaye.

a chief, one of the most important members of the Eɣaɛʋo N-oɽe [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ].

a chief;

member of the Eɣaɛʋo N-oɽe [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ];

acts for the Iyasɛ [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] in his absence.

socks;

Engl.

church;

Engl.

(1) a harmful deity which is sent by other gods, mostly by Ɔɽ̃ɔ̃mila [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ], to cause trouble;

it cannot kill a man, but leads him into danger, temptation, e.g. to break the law, and lawsuits;

it is fed ( “given chop”) in order to propitiate it, and an image of it is kept in a niche at one side of the house- or compound-gate (v. iba [ ˥ ˩ ]) “in order to keep bad things away”;

the image is of wood, and some stones are added in the niche.

(2) the Devil in the Christian sense of the word;

cf. Yor. eʃu [ ˩ ˩ ].

owl;

general term;

there are four different kinds, which, perhaps, may have special names;

its cry in the backyard means that someone in the house will get fever, but it is not considered as very dangerous.

The owl may be a messenger of witches, or, a “strong charm watching by night”, i.e. “a charm that is supervised by witchcraft”;

men also are believed to turn into owls.

school;

Engl.

act of talking (also of parrots);

ɔxuɛ na gu-eta [ ˩ / ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ] this parrot can talk ( “knows talking”);

cf. ta [ ˥ ], ɔta [ ˩ ˥ ].

a position in the ogwɛga [ ˩ \ ˩ ]-divination (o.o.c.o.);

v. Yor. irɛtɛ [ ˩ \ ˩ ].

a very small insect running on the surface of water in rivers;

cf. Jekri etebetebe [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ] (?) said to be equal in meaning to Bini iɽ̃aʋ̃iɽ̃ã [ ˩ ˩ \ ˩ ].

table;

Engl.

(an old word): barbarian, foreigner;

it denotes a man from a “distant country who does not know the law and does not recognize the Ɔba”.

silk;

v. esada [ ˩ \ ˩ ], (e)siliki [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ];

cf. Port. teada (?).

heron.

teacher;

Engl.

a blue-black bird, not very big, with a lyre-shaped tail;

said to be the king of birds by the Bini people.

hair;

eto ɽuɛ tã gbe (or et-uɛ [ ˩ / ]) [ ˩ ˩ / ˦ ˧ ] your hair is very long;

eto n-ukɛ̃ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] thick hair like that of Africans;

eto n-imɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ] light hair like that of white men;

reddish hair;

et-asɔ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] “hair of night” (?): hair standing up on the head.

et-ifũ-aɽo [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] eye-lashes;

same as ifũ-aɽo [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ ];

et-aɽo [ ˩ \ ˩ ] eye-brows;

et-ekia [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ] (male) pubic hair;

et-uhe [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] (female) pubic hair.

eto n-asaɽe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ / ˩ ] “plaited hair”: a style of women’s hair-dressing: the hair is plaited in parallel rows along the head;

worn by young women;

v. akegbe [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ], isaba [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ], okuku [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ], oxogbo [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ], uɽ-eha [ ˥ ˥ ˦ ].

turkey;

cf. Yor. tolotolo [ ˩ / ˩ / ].

cock’s crest at its throat;

etɔɣɔtɔɣ-ɔkpa [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ \ ˩ ] cock’s crest;

cf. ɔgɔgɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

scissors;

cf. Port. tesoura.

a position in the ogwɛga [ ˩ \ ˩ ]-divination (o.c.o.o.);

cf. Yor. etura [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ].

two;

eveva [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] both;

w-iɽã-veva ɣade [ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ / ] tell both of them to come!

eveva [ ˩ \ ˩ ] two by two;

wayay-uvĩ-eveva [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ (4-1) ˩ ] (you pl.) stand in double file!

etɛ̃ n-eva [ ˩ ˥ (4-1) ˩ ] the two brothers.

evairɔʋugie [ ˩ ˥ \ ˥ ˦ ] “two are not in twenty”: eighteen.

or evavu [ ˩ \ ˩ ] valve, in cars and bicycles;

Engl.

weeping;

am-eve [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] tears;

idiom.: eve n-aʋ̃-ɔ̃za vi-ɔza [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ ] lit. “the weeping with Ɔza’s wives wept (for) Ɔza”: crocodile’s tears.

Ɔza was a wicked but powerful man whose wives were glad when he died.

It is used in the following way: ɣɛvi-ɔʋ̃-eve n-aʋ̃-ɔ̃za vi-ɔza [ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ ] don’t weep crocodile’s tears over me!

cf. viɛ [ ˥ ].

elephantiasis;

there are three kinds of elephantiasis: ev-axwaxwaɽi [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] (the small size), eve n-uko [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ] “calabashe.” (the big size), and eve lɛyolɛre [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] “elephantiasis-run-go-run come”: a fugitive variety of the disease, said to be the most serious one;

it is stated to kill the patient gradually;

if somebody has died from it, the swelling is quickly removed, before it disappears again, for there is a belief that otherwise it may follow the man into his next reincarnation.

Reincarnated men may be recognized by their having this disease, and it is believed that it does not kill a man a second time;

v. uxuʋ̃u [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

wrestling;

cf. vɛ̃ 1 [ ˥ ];

v. ya gbe [ ˩ ˥ ].

anvil consisting of iron fixed on wood;

also okuta [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ].

or possibly [ ˥ ˥ ˦ ] an animal, perhaps a rodent;

possibly identical with the one called “cutting-grass”;

said to have come during the last decades from the grass country;

N.W.Th. “badger”;

cf. ato [ ˩ \ ].

a kind of ant that is found on corpses.

there;

eʋa ɔsɛe [ ˩ ˥ ˥ \ ] there it ends (used at the end of stories);

v. (e)ʋ 1.

cf. (e)ʋ- 3.

(my) father;

used as an address;

cf. Yor. baba [ ˩ / ].

parents.

“rice-cake”;

izɛ [ ˥ ˩ ] is used as well, which is, at the same time, the name of the “native rice”;

the word is mostly used by sellers when praising their merchandise;

doha‿eʋoxoo [ / ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] or, in an older form which is dying out, ɣoha‿eʋoxoo [ / ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] (in the pl. wa- [ ˩ ] is prefixed).

scabies.

(1) mist.

(2) a woman’s name.

here;

v. (e)ʋ- 1.

a man who continuously looks at himself in order to see whether his clothes fit;

cf. ʋ̃aʋ̃a [ ˩ ˥ ].

madness;

eʋ̃ɛʋ̃-ɔ̃ɽ̃ɛ̃ dɔ yɔ-ɽɛ [ ˩ ˩ / ˩ / / ˩ ] “his madness was quenched to-day”: he has a lucid internal;

cf. ɔʋ̃ɛʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ].

thing;

something;

with negative verb: nothing;

ɔmarhi-eʋ̃i nɛ [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ / \ ] he gave him nothing.

For “nothing”, eʋ̃i rhɔkpa [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] is used as well: ɔmarhi-eʋ̃i rhɔkpa nɛ [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ / \ ] he gave him nothing;

eʋ̃i dã [ ˩ / ˩ ] “bad thing”: evil (Bibl.);

eʋ̃ikeʋ̃i [ ˩ / ˩ \ ] everything;

anything.

eʋ̃i n-abaku ɽu [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] “things which have been done by mistake”: mistake.

eʋ̃i n-ale [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] “things that are cooked”: cooking (ileʋ̃i [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ] is not possible).

eʋ̃i n-amɔmɔɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ \ ] “things that have been lent”: loan (also eʋ-amɔmɔɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ \ ])+.

eʋ̃i n-exwa [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] “the great things”: (a) the burial of an Ɔba;

(b) witches;

idiom.: eʋ̃i ʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] “my child” (wife, servant).

Followed by genitives: eʋ̃i‿ehɔ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ] ear-rings;

more used than oɽok-ehɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ];

eʋ̃i‿exue [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] “things of shame”: disgrace;

v. ɽu [ ˥ ];

eʋ̃-ĩgbĩna [ ˩ \ ˩ ˩ ] weapon, lit. “thing of fight”;

eʋ̃-ĩri [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] “thing of rope”: an animal given to a man to be taken care of;

or possibly simply “domestic animal”;

eʋ̃i‿okɔ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ] seed;

(okɔ [ ˥ ˩ ] is not used alone);

eʋ̃i‿orhɔ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] harvest;

eʋ̃i ɽ-ebo [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ] “thing of Europeans” (?): plate (ɽ is not nasalized);

eʋ̃i‿ũgaʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ (4-1) ˩ ] “things of service”: bride-wealth;

“dowry”;

eʋ̃i‿ũwawa [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ] palm-oil chop (v. ɔpɛxɛrhɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ]).

In the following cases, the construction seems to be a short relative sentence without the particle n-: eʋ̃i fi [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] “thing that attacks”: small-pox;

eʋ̃i gb-eni [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ], “thing that has killed elephant”: toothache (not when cutting teeth);

eʋ̃i r-akɔ̃ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] “thing that is in the tooth”: toothache (with children when cutting teeth);

eʋ̃i r-aɽo [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] “thing that is in the eye”: yellow fever (?; also eʋ-ir-aɽo?);

eʋ̃i r-ɔb-ɛʋo [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˦ ˩ ] “things that are in the Ɔba’s country”: an age-group consisting of the boys of 6―12 years;

they sweep the streets, or, in a village that is very populated they carry refuse away;

eʋ̃i r-unu [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] toothache (not when cutting teeth);

v. (e)d-.

stinginess (Akugbe);

cf. eʋ̃i [ ˩ \ ], da 1 [ ˥ ].

sleeping-mat made out of the sticks of ebi‿ɛba [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ].

act of giving food to witches as done by witch-doctors at a witches’ meeting-place;

slaughtering included;

cf. wa 1 [ / ];

v. izobo [ ˩ \ ˩ ].

a method of divination practised by the Osũ [ ˩ ˥ ] priests: small images of human beings and animals, cowries, chalk, charcoal, and a model of a canoe are put on a drum.

A chewed kolanut is spat on to it, whereupon the images are put into a cup and thrown on the drum again.

The resulting arrangements of images are then analysed.

If e.g. the image of a sick man falls into the “canoe”, somebody will die.

The image of a goat e.g. resting in the “canoe” points to the sacrifice of a goat required for some purpose, e.g. for curing an illness.

v. ɔbo [ ˩ ˥ ].

a fish yielding much meat;

v. ekpalakpala [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ].

window;

Engl.

whisky.

whistling (with mouth).

larva of a fly found on mud-couches;

produces itching and craw-craw;

it is believed to be attracted by the urine of children who sleep there;

v. ahiewɔe [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

(1) act of waking the Ɔba by a shout similar to a cock’s crow.

(2) name of the “gang” (band) whose task it is to wake the Ɔba.

The office was created by the Ɔba Ɛsigie [ ˥ ˦ ˩ ], therefore all the members of the ewua [ ˥ \ ] wear a cross.

Their leader is the Ohu-ɔba [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˥ ], and “to wake the Ɔba” is ki-ewua [ ˩ ˥ \ ] (kie [ / ]).

(1) sand.

(2) powder;

exa-osisi [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ ] gun-powder;

redupl.: exexae [ ˥ ˦ ˩ ], e.g. in odɛ na ɽu‿exexae [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ˩ ] this road is sandy, lit. “makes sand-sand”;

v. ebubɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ], ekɛ̃ [ ˩ ˩ ].

repetition;

exarh-uxuʋ̃u [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˩ ] (or exarh-ɛbo [ ˩ ˥ ˦ (3-1) ]) “repetition of medicines, charms”: magic formula;

spell;

cf. xarha [ ˩ ˥ ].

umbrella, also ugbĩnamɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

(1) small;

little;

owa n-exerhe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˦ ] the small house;

owa na y-exerhe [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˦ ] this house is a small one.

(2) a little;

v. e.g. the Bini title of Egh. Hist. “Ekherhe vbe ebe itan Ɛdo” “a little from the book of stories of Benin”: a little about the history of Benin;

cf. xerhe [ ˩ ˥ ].

Bini-name for the Ekiti country.

(1) mind;

character;

k-exɔek-exɔe [ ˥ / ˥ ˩ ] with all one’s mind (Akugbe);

uʋ̃ɛ-xɔe dã [ ˩ / / ˩ ] you have a bad character.

(2) will;

v. egbe [ ˩ ˥ ].

palm-branch with its leaves removed;

used for tying yams;

v. enwaʋ̃ɛ [ ˥ ˩ ˩ ].

shame;

exue mu ʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] I am ashamed.

the remnants, ashes, of a farm-fire;

they must be burnt once again;

cf. xuɛ̃ [ / ].

a rat trap.

a group of charms of oval shape, made of a pounded “medicine” that has been mixed with water or, when making a “stronger” exwae, with coconut milk or blood.

Those “stronger” exwaes must not be made in one’s house (in the ɛgũ [ ˥ ˩ ]) but in the bush.

The exwae is usually kept in the ɛgũ, i.e. the apartment where one’s Osũ [ ˩ ˥ ] stands;

in that case it is used to “push” one’s enemies into danger (v. sua [ / ]), and also in cursing and blessing.

In other cases it stands under a small thatched shelter outside the wall of the compound;

those exwaes are of a “stronger” nature: they are called exwae n-odĩɔʋ̃a [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] “main exwae”, lit. “exwae that is senior to man”, and they give strength to the particular god whom the owner of the exwae follows.

Others are found in the shrines of gods;

they are given the blood of sacrifices (v. wa [ / ]; ɔwaisɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ]).

Possibly the exwaes always have some relation to the Osũ [ ˩ ˥ ];

they are also said to be “moving with witches”, and, therefore, the witch-doctor holds an exwae when “giving chop to witchcraft” in order that it may communicate with the witches and tell them that they are given food.

A curse is: exwaa (exwae ɔ-) sua ɽuɛ [ ˥ ˩ ˩ / ‿ ˩ ] “may exwae push you”: v. asua [ ˩ ˥ ], ɛbo [ ˩ \ ].

(1) tomato.

(2) garden-egg.

palm-wine;

drinks obtained from the oil-palm;

the tree must be cut down in order to obtain it;

exwɛxwɛ‿ɔgb-uɛ ɽa [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ / ˩ ] are you drunk from exwɛxwɛ? (to somebody who acts foolishly, or, like a drunken man);

v. udegbotɔ [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ], ɔgɔ [ ˩ ˩ ].

the Scaly Ant-eater.

swamp;

cf. Yor. kpɔtɔ-kpɔtɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] slush.

nonsense;

ɔt-ɛʋ̃-ẽyaɣa (ta [ ˥ ]) [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˩ ] he talked nonsense.

gaɽi or ulɔka [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ], while unmixed with liquids.

disregard;

lack of respect toward senior people;

cf. yaɣa [ ˩ ˥ ].

a sib (that of the Iyasɛ n-ɔhɛʋ̃ɛ [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˦ (3-1) ˩ ]);

the morning greeting is la-yedɛ o [ ˥ ˦ ˦ ˧ ];

v. ɛgbɛe [ ˩ \ ].

praising appellation of a woman who has many children;

v. iyeye [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ].

grandchild;

eyɛ n-okpia [ ˩ ˩ \ ˩ ] grandson;

eyɛ n oxuo [ ˩ ˩ \ ˩ ] granddaughter;

v. iwu [ ˩ ˩ ], ihiɛ̃hiɛ̃ [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ], sakpaɽ̃ɛ̃-ɣodĩ [ ˥ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˩ ], ɣabiɔna [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ].

a chisel-like blade used by wine-tappers.

dysentery;

v. ɛko [ ˩ \ ];

of Yor. origin.

a musical instrument made of a long, thin calabash (a flute);

it is played by the Ikpezikɛ̃ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ] during ugies [ ˩ ˩ ] for the Ɔba and a few chiefs.

the senior chief at Uhɛ̃ [ ˩ ˩ ];

he is said to have been the first Bini man to grow oil palms, and therefore he is the “owner” of all the oil palms of the country though this probably does not mean practical ownership;

he used to bring a human sacrifice to the palm tree once a year, the sacrifice being performed at one palm tree at Uhɛ̃ which is supposed to stand on the spot where the first palm tree grew (or to be the same tree?).

A praise-name is Ezima n-uhɛ̃ n-ɔkp-ema ri‿awɔ [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ / ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] “Ezima of Uhɛ̃ who has beaten the drum to eat awɔ” (= obobo [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ]).

a repair, a defective place made good;

ezɔ na gĩ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] this repair leaks;

cf. zɔ 2 [ / ].

a chief, the highest in rank after the Ɔba;

lives at Uzɛbu [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ], a quarter of Benin City where he seems to enjoy sovereign rights to a greater extent than any other ruler in the Bini country;

in former times the inhabitants of Uzɛbu are even said to have seized men from Benin City;

he is the head of the egi-esã [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ] sib (cf. ogie [ ˩ ˩ ] “ruler” and esã [ ˥ ˩ ] “Ishan”), and the Ezɔmɔs are said to have been rulers of Ishan once upon a time (though not the first Ezɔmɔs);

his messengers are, or were, until a short time ago, much respected in some parts of the Ishan country.

He is considered to be the first warchief of the Binis, and as such has the most powerful charms.

Every morning he sits on his dais, calling down evil on the enemies of Benin.

The title is hereditary;

by Europeans he is called Ojɔmɔ.

A praise-name is Ezɔmɔ N-uti [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ];

cf. Yor. ɔjɔmɔ or ojɔmɔ [ ˦ ˦ ˦ ].

name of an Ɔba.