animals, e.g. horses, elephants,
bulls, hippopotami, or cro-
codiles; used with the verb
ye [ ˥ ]; cf. gidigbii [ ˦ ˦ ˦ ].
gaga [ ˩ ˥ ] to surround; ɔhɛ‿iɽ̃ã
gag-egbe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] he surrounded
himself with them (also: ɔv-iɽ̃ã
[ ˩ / ˩ ]); cf. ga [ / ].
gaigai [ ˩ ˩ ] describes a manner of
walking: a measured walk, with
wide steps; “white-man style”;
used with the verb xiã [ ˥ ]; (the i
is not short).
ge [ \ ] same as de [ \ ].
gegeege [ ˦ ˦ ˦ ] very high (of a hill);
oke na yo gegeege [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˦ ˦ ] this hill
is very high; cf. gogoogo [ ˦ ˦ ˦ ]; v.
golotoo [ ˦ ˦ ˦ ] and geletee [ ˦ ˦ ˦ ].
gele [ ˩ ˥ ] an auxiliary verb em-
phasizing the main verb; may
be translated by “indeed” or
similar words; ɔgeleɽu‿ɛe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ \ ]
in fact he is doing it; ɔgeleɽu‿ɛe
[ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ (4-1) ] really he did it; geleta‿e
ɣe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ / ] go repeat it!
geletee [ ˦ ˦ ˦ ] extraordinarily high
(used with the verb yo [ ˥ ]); cf.
golotoo [ ˦ ˦ ˦ ].
gɛ̃gɛ̃ɛgɛ̃ [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ] tightly shut.
gɛ̃ɣɛ̃ỹgɛ̃ɣɛ̃ỹ [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ ] imitation of the
sound of a bell (egogo [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ] ; but
v. kɔɣɔkɔɣɔ [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ ]); v. also goɣo-
goɣo [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ ].
gi (gu) [ ˥ ] (1) to allow (to do
something); to let; ɔg-iɽ̃ã ɽu‿ɛe
[ ˩ ˥ / ˥ \ ] he allowed them to do
it; he let them do it. In the 1st
and 2nd pers. sgl., gũ, gu are
used instead of gi: igu‿ɛ ɽu‿ɛe
[ ˩ ˩ / ˥ \ ] (a) I am allowing you
to do it; (b) I am helping you to
do it, I am doing it with you;
pf.: ɔgũ ʋ̃ɛ ɽu‿ɛe (a) [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˦ (4-1) ] he
allowed me to do it; (b) [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ (3-1) ]
he helped me to do it. (v. gu
