in ʋ-uhuʋ̃u [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] “at head”: on
top of; ʋ-otɔ [ ˥ ˩ ] “in ground”:
underneath. In this way, the
English prepositions are ex-
pressed by means of one Bini
preposition only, linked with
various local nouns. ʋ-obɔ [ ˩ ˥ ]
lit. “in hand”, means “from”
when a human being is qualified
by it. ʋ- is also employed to
form a great number of ad-
verbial expressions, as e.g. ʋ-eʋa
[ ˩ \ ] there; ʋ-odɔ [ ˩ \ ] there (a
locality still further away than
that indicated by ʋ-eʋa); ʋ-eʋ̃a
[ ˩ \ ] here; ʋ-oɽe [ ˥ ˥ ] outside;
on the street (used when the
speaker is at home and means
another place in the town).
The “prepositions” formed by
means of linking ʋ- to a noun
of place can also be used ad-
verbially, e.g. ʋ-od-aɽo [ ˩ \ ˩ ] in
front (generalised by adding odɛ
“road”), in front of; ʋ-iyeke
[ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] at the back; behind;
ʋ-od-uxuʋ̃u [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] above. Other
adverbs formed with the help of
ʋ- are ʋ-ehia [ ˥ ˦ ] “in all”:
altogether, e.g. ix-ĩkpɔ̃‿ũgie ʋ-
ehia (xiɛ̃ [ ˥ ]) [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] “I sold
twenty pounds in all”: I sold
goods amounting to the value
of twenty pounds. ʋ-eriɔ [ ˥ / ]
or [ \ / ], and ʋ-enia [ ˥ / ] or
[ \ / ] “thus”; ʋ-ɛxoxo [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ] “in
the corner”: privately.
(e)ʋ- 2 as; like (used with nouns);
ɔba ʋ-eb-axuɛ [ ˩ / ˦ (3-1) ˩ ] it is red
like a parrot tail-feather. ʋ-enɛ
[ ˥ ˦ ] “as if” (introducing sen-
tences); ɔye ʋ-en-ɔmaʋiɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ ˧ / ]
he looks (lit. “is”) as if he has
not slept. To ʋ-enɛ [ ˥ ˦ ] may be
added awɛ [ ˩ \ ] “one says”: ɔɽu
