a possible, but rare, alternative to the particle (e)t-;

used perhaps only before pronouns of the 2nd pers. sgl.;

rh-uwɛ ʋexiã [ ˥ ˩ / \ ] are you going, too?

to steal.

The verbal noun urhaʋ̃ɛ is not used.

to untie;

rhã [ / ] hĩ [ \ ] to detach;

irhã-ɽ̃ɛ̃ hĩ [ ˩ / ˦ (3-1) ] I detached it.

rh-ãɽo [ / ˩ ] to become, be civilised (lit. “to be unfolded as to the eyes”);

cf. irhãɽo [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

loud.

(1) to touch;

idiom.: iyarhaʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] lit. “I take to touch”: slave;

the etymological connection seems doubtful.

(2) to dip in, e.g. fufu into a soup before eating it;

mi-ema ya rhaʋ̃-ũnwɔʋ̃ɛ mɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] lit. “take (miɛ [ / ]?) fufu to take dip (into) soup give me!” dip some fufu into the soup and give it me!

an auxuliary verb indicating that the action expressed by the main verb stands in a concessive relation to the rest of the sentence;

ɔrherha ʋ̃ɛ, ɣa iɣaɣixu‿ɛe gie [ ˩ \ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ / ˥ ] “though he has stolen (from) me, who shall I drive him to (lit. send)?” used if the culprit belongs to the same family so that one cannot pursue him.

farewell (from rherhere [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] “arrive in time”);

said to a man leaving the speaker, or met on the road, going in the opposite direction.

an auxiliary verb indicating that the main action is carried out in due time;

irherheɽu‿ɛe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ (4-1) ] I did it in time;

e.g. as answer to the question: urherhepos‿ebe ni yi [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ ˨ / ˥ ] did you post that letter in time?

to be, become spoilt;

ɔrhiae [ ˩ \ ] it is spoilt;

also ɔrhia [ ˩ ˥ ‿ / ] (containing a [ / ], i.e. ɽua [ ˥ ]);

cf. rhia [ / ].

to spoil;

to squander (rhia‿iɣo [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ]);

also rhia [ / ] ɽua (or, a) [ ˥ ];

cf. rhia [ ˥ ].

lean;

also used of a thin plantain;

used with the verb ye [ ˥ ];

v. kãgũkãgũ [ ˦ ˦ ˦ ˦ ].

to take;

v. mu [ ˥ ] which seems to refer to heavier things: “to lift up”, and was said to refer specially to things containing grains or liquids, not to whole things like rhie;

v. further ya 1 [ ˥ ] which implies “to take in order to use”;

ɔrhi-ɛɽe [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ] he took it;

as answer to a question, e.g. Combinations with verbs: rhie [ / ] ba [ / ] to add.

rhie [ / ] fi [ ˥ ] to (take and) throw something.

rhie [ / ] fua [ ˥ ] to throw away, off;

ɣa rhie ʋ̃-ũkpɔ̃ fua ʋ-iri [ ˥ ˦ ˧ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] who threw my cloth off from the rope?

(rhie kua is not possible, as rhie implies taking one entire object, and kua, a collective object like a liquid or grains, v. however mu [ ˥ ]).

rhie [ / ] gb-axua [ ˩ ˥ ] to save;

more idiomatic than rhie [ / ] hĩ [ \ ];

instead of rhie, ya [ ˥ ] may be used here;

ɔrh-iɣo ni gb-axua xɛ ɛzɔ n-ati-ɛɽe [ ˩ / ˥ ˦ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˦ (3-1) ] he saved that money for the law-suit to which he was summoned.

rhie [ / ] gb-otɔ [ ˥ ˩ ] to knock the ground with something;

irhi-unwɛrhiɛ̃ gb-otɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ] I knocked the whip to the ground (in order to frighten somebody).

rhie [ / ] hĩ [ \ ] “to take away”: (a) to keep;

to save;

rhi-abɛ na hĩ mɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ \ ˥ ] keep this pen-knife for me!

irh-iɣo hĩ [ ˩ / ˥ (4-1) ] I have saved money (v. rhie [ / ] gb-axua [ ˩ ˥ ]);

(b) to take out;

igbã r-ɔʋ̃-owɛ, dorhi-ɛɽe hĩ mɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ / ˩ ˥ ˩ \ ˥ ] “a thorn is in my foot, come (and) take it out for me!” (fua [ / ], though possible, need not be used, as its idea of “throwing away” is understood in the sentence).

rhie [ / ] lele [ ˩ ˥ ] “to take (and) follow”: (a) to take something together with something else;

ɔrhi-emiowo lel-ema ɽe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] “he took meat (‘along’) with fufu (and) ate (it)”;

(b) to rub something along a surface;

ɔrhi-ɔdã lel-ɛe [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ \ ] he is painting along it (viz. the surface of a wall, etc.).

rhie [ / ] lɛ ɽe [ ˩ / ] to (take and) hide;

ɔrhi-en-ebe lɛ ɽe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ ˩ / ] “he took the book (and) hid (it)”.

rhie [ / ] ma [ / ] to show something to somebody;

to prove;

ɔna rhie ma-ɣ-uɽ-oʋi ʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˩ / / / ˩ ˩ \ ] this shows that you are not my son (as a reproach when the son has behaved badly, or been disobedient to his father);

ɔrhie ma ʋ̃ɛ exɔe dã n-ɔgu‿ɛe [ ˩ / ˩ ˥ ˥ / ˩ ˩ ˥ / ] “he proved to me his bad character that is with him” (the ma is half-long).

rhie [ / ] na [ ˥ ] to give somebody something;

rhi-eb-ɛɽe nɛ [ ˩ ˩ / ˩ \ ] give him his book!

(but v. ya [ ˥ ] na [ ˥ ] “to give an a present”).

rhie [ / ] rɔ [ / ] (a) to (take and) hang up;

ɔrhi-ɛrhu ɽuɛ rɔ y-egbaha [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ / ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] “he took your hat (and) hung it on the door beam”;

(b) to perch (of birds);

ahiaʋ̃ɛ rhie rɔ y-owa na [ ˥ ˦ ˩ / ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] a bird perched on this house (not rhi-erɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ]!).

rhie [ / ] ʋ̃ɛ [ / ] to (take and) hold;

miɛ rhie ʋ̃ɛ ʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] hold it for me!

ɔrhi-ukpɔ̃ ʋ̃ɛ ʋ-ɔxiã [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] he held a cloth when going.

rhie [ / ] ʋ̃ɔ‿obɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] to take somebody or something with oneself (on a journey);

ɔrhi-ɔtĩ‿ɔ̃ɽ̃ɛ̃ ʋ̃ɔ‿obɔ ʋ-ɔri-ehe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˦ ˧ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] he took his “brother” with him when he went travelling.

rhie [ / ] y-otɔ [ ˥ ˩ ] to put something back: to leave when told to do so (but v. sɛ 1 [ ˥ ] ɽae [ / ] y-otɔ [ ˥ ˩ ] which means “to leave behind”);

weri-egbe [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] may be added in front of y-otɔ in order to stress the idea of the object being returned;

ɔrhi-en-ukpɔ̃ (weri-egbe [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ]) y-otɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ (4-1) ˩ ˥ ˩ ] he left the cloth (when told to put it back).

Combinations with nouns: rhi-egbe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] to become free from being a servant (not from slavery);

a young man working with a senior “brother”, i.e. relation, can leave his service only when his “brother” lets him go, not of his own free will;

the trans. verb is rhuã [ / ] which is also used in reference to the emada [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ] at the Ɛguae [ ˩ ˩ ];

uɣurhi-egbe nɛ ʋ-ɔguoʋ̃adia ɽa [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ] have you already become free from service?

rhi-egbe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] s-otɔ (sɛ 1 [ ˥ ]) [ ˥ ˩ ] to obey;

to submit;

to admit somebody’s superiority (Akugbe);

A. prefers: rhi-egbe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] ri-otɔ (re 2 [ ˥ ]) [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ];

ɔrhi-egbe ri-otɔ nɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ˧ ˧ ˩ \ ] he obeyed him (possibly rhi-egbe [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ]).

rhi-obɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] y-ebe [ ˩ ˥ ] “to put hand to a paper”: to sign (A. Biogr.).

rhi-ɔha [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] to marry (a woman);

ɔrhi-ɔha n-odɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ \ ˩ ] he was married yesterday.

(1) to taste well;

“to be sweet”;

but not “sweet” in the strict sense of the word;

ema rhiɛ̃rhiɛ̃ gbe [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] fufu tastes very well.

(2) to be pleasant to look at or see;

iku na rhiɛ̃rhiɛ̃ gbe [ ˩ / ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] this dance is very pleasant;

iɽoɽ̃iʋ̃i na rhiɛ̃rhiɛ̃ gbe [ ˩ ˩ ˩ / ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] this funeral is very “grand”;

v. miɛmiɛ [ ˩ ˥ ].

tall and lean, of a man;

used with the verb ye [ ˥ ];

v. rhiamarhiama [ ˦ ˦ ˦ ˦ ].

all the time;

max-ɔɽe rhiĩɽ̃ĩ [ ˩ / ˩ ˥ ˥ ] “we are (have been) waiting for him all the time” (may be followed by ke naʋ̃ũsĩ ɣade [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ˧ / ] “from all the time to come”: since all the while);

cf. rhirhi [ ˥ ˥ ].

(1) when used by itself: to start early.

(2) with another verb: to be early in doing something;

ɔrhiɔ kpaɔ‿ugbɛ hia [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] he always leaves early;

ɔrhiɔ xiã [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] he went early.

rhiɔ [ ˥ ] re [ ˥ ] to wake up, lit. “to be early in coming”, is especially important;

ɔrhiɔ re [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] he is awake.

very cold;

e.g. of rain-water;

a higher degree than xwɛrhɛɛ [ ˩ ˩ ];

ɔfu re rhiɔɔ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ ] it is very cold;

v. riɛriɛ [ ˩ ˩ ].

an auxiliary verb indicating: (1) that the action expressed by the main verb is continuous, or, at least, fairly extended (when used in the pf.: “for some time”);

ɔrhirhiɽu‿ɛe [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ \ ] he is doing it all the time;

or (2) expressing the idea translated by “whoever”, “whatever”, etc.;

n-ɔrhirhiɣaxĩ [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ ] “whoever he may be”: anyone;

cf. rhiĩɽ̃ĩ [ ˥ ˥ ].

to become solid, of mud in house-building.

to praise somebody for some achievement;

ɣɛrho ʋɛ [ ˥ ˩ \ ] don’t praise me!

in rho [ / ] da [ / ] (Ɔba [ ˥ ˥ ]) to insult the Ɔba (by a mistake in etiquette, or by irreverence);

gua guã n-uɣɛ rho [ / / ˦ (4-1) / ‿ ˩ ] “know how to talk lest you make a mistake in etiquette!”.

to insult;

to abuse;

cf. the preceding (?).

to rain;

amɛ rhɔ [ ˩ ˩ / ] it is raining.

(1) to pick up small things from the ground;

irhɔ-ɽe si koko [ ˩ / ˦ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] I picked it up (and) gathered (it) together, e.g. scattered palm nuts when the bunch has been cut off;

rhɔ‿eʋ̃-ĩzobo [ ˩ ˩ ˥ (4-1) ˩ ] to gather the things necessary, for izobo [ ˩ \ ˩ ].

(2) to sort out;

same as hãnɔ [ ˩ ˥ ].

to light a lamp, also rh-ukpa [ ˥ ˥ ];

cf. urhukpa [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

(1) to cover;

not with a lid, v. gue [ / ], but e.g. by putting some big object over a small one.

(2) to be leafy, of yam (the poles and yam ropes are covered by the leaves).

(3) to be blind, in rhu‿aɽo [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ];

cf. arhuaɽo [ ˩ \ ˩ ].

(4) to blind somebody (not only “to dazzle”, v. gb-ebibi [ ˥ / ˩ ], but in the full sense of the word);

(5) in rhu [ ˥ ] gba [ ˥ ] ma [ ˥ ] to come closely together.

(1) to wear;

to put on;

to dress;

irh-ũkpɔ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] (a) I have put clothes on;

I have dressed;

(b) I wear a cloth, clothes;

ɔrhuã-ɽ-ukpɔ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ] he is wearing his (i.e. somebody else’s) cloth(es);

(ɔrh-ũkpɔ̃-ɽ̃ɛ̃ [ ˩ ˥ / ˩ ] he wears his own dress).

(2) to dress somebody;

ɔrhuã-ɽ̃-ũkpɔ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ] he dressed him (with nasalised ɽ̃);

cf. rhuã [ / ].

(1) to peel off (skin of snakes, or of human beings after some kinds of illness; or the bark of certain trees, v. ugbɔ̃gbɔ̃ [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ]);

egbe ʋ̃ɛ rhuãɽ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ / ˩ ] “my body peeled”.

(2) “to be clothed”, of an ɔmada [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ];

the emada used to go naked during the term of their service so that “to be clothed” is an equivalent to “to terminate one’s time of service with the Ɔba”.

(3) to clothe, i.e. to terminate the term of service of an ɔmada;

also rhuã [ / ] ʋ-ɔguɔʋ̃adia [ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ] “to free (somebody) from servanthood”.

(4) in rhuã‿egbe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] to be on one’s guard.

v. rhi-egbe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ];

cf. rhuã [ ˥ ].

to circumcize (males and females);

cf. arhuɛ [ ˩ ˩ ].

to set a trap (the trap is bent when it is set)+;

the verb is used with all names of traps, except ɔɣɔɽɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ] (verb: fi [ ˥ ]).

irhuɛ‿ifi [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] I am setting a trap.

to congeal (of oil);

v. ki [ / ].

to run;

ɔrh-ulɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] he ran;

v. lɛ [ / ], t-ulɛ mu [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ] “to start running”.

to pour;

rhurhɛ [ ˩ ˥ ] kua [ ˥ ] to pour out;

ɔrhurh-ofigbɔ̃ kua [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ / ] he poured palm-oil out.

ɔfɔ rhurhɛ ku-ɔʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˦ ] lit. “perspiration is pouring on me”: I am streaming with perspiration.

staggering;

tumbling against things;

ɽu rhurhurhu [ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˥ ] to move in the way described above;

v. ɛnyaɛ [ ˩ ˩ ].

(1) a verb indicating that the action of the main verb is done because of something (followed by a pronoun);

ɔrhuʋ̃uda-ɽe ɣagb-ɔʋoxã-ɽ̃ɛ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ / ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ / ˩ ] “on account of it he beat his wife”;

ɔrhuʋ̃uda-ɽe tota [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ / ˥ / ] “he is sitting down because of it”.

(2) also used with the meaning “in spite of”;

irhuʋ̃uda-ɽe ɽu‿ɛe [ ˩ ˥ ˩ / ˩ ˥ \ ] I did it in spite of him.

(3) the conjunction “because”;

ɔgĩ-owa-ɽe hia, rhuʋ̃uda-ɣ-ɔɽa-kpaɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ / ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ / ] he burnt all his houses, because he was going to leave (done by the Sobo people) (-ɣ- from iɣe [ ˥ ˩ ]).

(4) because of (noun or preposition?);

iɣayo rhuʋ̃ud-ɔse ʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] I shall go because of my friend;

rhuʋ̃ud-ɔni and rhuʋ̃ud-ɔɽ̃ĩ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ / ] “because of that”: therefore;

rhuʋ̃ud-ɔni imaɣinagwi gbe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ / ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ ] “(it is on) account of that (that) I never quarrel any more”: rhuʋ̃ud-ɔni ɔɣazɛ-ɣ-iyo [ ˩ ˩ ˥ / ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ \ ] lit. (it is) account of that (which) will cause me to go (-ɣ- from iɣe [ ˥ ˩ ]).