bers of a clan to their seniors
when meeting them for the first
time in the morning. They kneel
in front of their seniors when
greeting them. The syllable la is
usually followed by the name of
the clan and an o, e.g. la-ʋi‿eze o
[ ˥ ˦ ˦ ˧ ˧ ] is used in the iʋi‿eze [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ]
clan.
la [ / ] to carry repeatedly, several
times; v. hɛ [ / ], viɔ [ / ].
lagbalaɣoɽi [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] in no time; very
quickly; an idiom: lagbalaɣoɽi
Adezi gbe nɛ [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] “in no
time Adezi (a Bini warrior)
killed (or ‘struck’?)”: it hap-
pened very quickly (said of
anything); cf. la 1 [ ˥ ] (?).
laɣa [ ˩ ˥ ] to wave, to spread (of the
branches of a tree); v. uwɔwɛ
[ ˥ / ˩ ].
lalɔ [ ˩ ˥ ] to lick; cf. elalɔ [ ˩ \ ˩ ].
lao [ ˥ ] to enter; la‿owa [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] to
enter a house; ɔla-ɽɔ [ ˩ ˥ (4-1) ] he
entered it (but: ɔgbera la‿owa
[ ˩ ˧ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] he passed into the house).
la‿ukpo [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ] loʋiɛ [ ˩ / ] to go to
bed; iɽala‿ukpo loʋiɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˦ ˩ ˩ / ]
I am going to bed.
le [ ˥ ] (1) to cook; ɔl-ɛe [ ˩ ˥ ‿ / ] he
cooked it; rhie-ɽe n-al-ɛe‿ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ (4-1) ]
bring it in order that we may
cook it! inya n-ale [ ˩ ˩ ˥ \ ] cooked
yam. (2) to charm (by cooking
with medicine for some days);
ɔl-oɽoka na [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] he charmed
this ring; (better rhua [ / ]).
le [ / ] in le [ / ] nya [ / ] to treat
with contempt by waving one’s
hand over a man, gesticulate
over him; ɔle nya ʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ / ˩ ˥ ] he
is treating me with contempt;
also: l-eɣe [ ˩ ˥ ] nya [ / ]; ɣɛl-eɣe
nya ʋ̃ɛ [ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ \ ] don’t belittle me
(by gestures)! (also ɣɛ [ \ ]).
