egbe s-otɔ s-uxuʋ̃u (gue [ / ])
[ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] he covered himself
all over with a cloth (when
going to sleep). Redupl. ototɔ
[ ˩ \ ˩ ] means (a) bottom of a
vessel: otot-ukpu [ ˩ ˥ (4-1) ˩ ] the bot-
tom of the glass (inside); (b)
dregs: otot-anyɔ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ ] the dregs
of palm-wine; (c) under: otot-
erhã [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ ] under the tree. If
motion is implied instead of rest,
ototɔ is used with the verbs yi [ ˥ ]
or rie [ / ], yo [ ˥ ]: gi-a tota y-
otot-erhã na [ ˩ / ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ ˩ ] let us sit
down under this tree! iɽ̃ã gwa
ri-otot-ɛzɛ [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ (3-1) ˩ ] they are
pulling (rowing) down stream;
iɽ̃ã gwa y-otot-ɛzɛ (yo) [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ (4-1) ˩ ]
they have rowed downstream
(and are back again).
otɔe [ ˩ ˩ ] (1) earth; ground; soil;
ot-iku [ ˩ \ ˩ ] spot on which
refuse is thrown; dust heap.
(2) the Ground, Earth, as a
deity. If all the gods are
against a man, except the Earth,
he “will not quickly die”. Its
shrine is the inyatɔ̃ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ]. When
a suicide has taken place the
“owners of the ground”, i.e. the
ancient owners of the ground on
which the village is built, must
be called for pacification. A pay-
ment is made to them for the
sacrifice, whereupon everybody
must go inside his house, and
they perform the sacrifice, ac-
companied by ɛmil-ɔvia [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˦ ]
(bull-roaring). After the sacri-
fice, the rope is cut and the
corpse buried. (Suicides are
supposed to go to ɛɽ̃iʋ̃-ĩmawu
[ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] or iduʋ̃-ĩmawu [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] “the
Underworld, or quarter, of the
suicides”, where they are said
