hands and asks somebody else
to guess the number. The
answers may be: ɔkpã [ ˥ ˥ ] “an
odd number”, izu [ ˩ ˩ ] “an even
number”, ɔyɔ [ ˥ ˥ ] “more than
seven”, or ihoi [ ˩ ˩ ] “empty”.
Grains must be paid for wrong
answers according to fixed rules.
Other terms used in the game
are oʋi‿akãʋ̃udu [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ] and ogie
n-ɛʋ̃ɔ‿ũɽoɣo [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ]. isɛ n-aʋa
[ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] “seed-throwing”: a game
played with seeds that are
thrown up from the palm of the
hand, caught with the back of
the hand first, and finally, caught
again with the palm. If one or
more seeds drop during this
performance, the opponent gets
the lot, if nothing drops, the
opponent must “pay”. It is
played by the players in turn.
isɛ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ] five; isɛ̃ nya‿ugie [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˦ ˧ ] 25;
isɛ̃ nya‿ɔgbã [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] 35; cf. usɛ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ].
isɛgwɛ̃ [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ] gravelly soil.
isɛɣɛgwɛ [ ˥ ˩ \ ˥ ] a kind of ikpogi
[ ˩ \ ˩ ]; the fruit is dark green;
not a climbing plant; v. ogi [ ˩ ˩ ].
Isɛkiɽi [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ], also Isɛki [ ˩ ˩ \ ] the
Jekri people; v. Iwɛɽɛ [ ˩ \ ˩ ].
isɛkpokĩ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ] (sgl. ɔ-) a working
“gang” of the Ɔba’s: leather
workers, lit. “sewers of leather
boxes”; they work for private
individuals as well; cf. se [ ˥ ],
ɛkpokĩ [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ].
isi 1 [ ˩ ˥ ] (1) a village, town, or
country where one does not live,
e.g. isi ɛʋo [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] the other
villages abroad; isi ɛʋo okpia
na ke re [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ / / ˥ ˦ ] “this man
has come from another village”,
i.e. is not a native of this viliage.
(2) rest- or sleeping-quarters of a
traveller.
