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*ɛrɛe [ ˩ \ ] (1) somebody else



*    (unknown to the speaker);



*    ɣɛrhie-ɣ-ɛɽ-ɔɣ-ũʋ̃ɛ, ɔɣ-ɛrɛe nɔ



*    [ ˥ / ˦ ˦ ˩ \ ˥ ˥ \ ˥ ] (iɣe [ ˥ ˩ ]) don’t take



*    it, for it is not my own, it



*    is somebody else’s! (ɔɣ-ɛrɛe



*    [ ˥ ˥ (4-1) ] always means “somebody



*    unknown”, while ɔɣ-ɔʋ̃a-ʋehe



*    [ ˥ ˥ / ˩ ˥ ] does not imply “un-



*    known”); ɛr(ɛ)-ɔɽu ʋ̃-ɔ̃na



*    [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ (4-1) ] “did somebody do me



*    this” (when something bad has



*    happened in one’s absence).



*    This example leads on to the



*    meaning of (2) “some un-



*    known enemy”, implying any



*    forces that work towards one’s



*    undoing, such as e.g. the evil



*    wishes of other people, bad



*    advice, opposition, etc. The ɛrɛe



*    [ ˩ \ ] is given a sacrifice upon the



*    advice of doctors; the act of



*    sacrificing is called mu [ ˥ ] ze [ ˥ ]



*    na [ ˥ ], and the prayer is: ɛrɛe ʋ̃ɛ,



*    ɣ-eʋ̃i n-iyaɽu-ɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ / ] “my



*    ɛrɛe, look (ɣe [ / ]) at the things



*    I am doing (sacrificing) to you”.



*    The prayer averts the above-



*    mentioned influences. The term



*    occurs also in a thanksgiving



*    formula used by a junior woman



*    to her seniors when having taken



*    part of a meal; ɛrɛe ɣigb-uɛ



*    [ ˩ ˥ ˦ / ‿ ˩ ] “the bad wishes of other



*    people may not kill you!” v.



*    kada [ \ ˩ ], bukpɛ [ ˥ ˩ ]. (3)



*    Further, this term is applied to



*    a man whom one knows to be



*    one’s enemy; it seems to imply



*    equality in age or rank: ɛrɛ-egbe



*    ma ʋ-ɔɽe xĩ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] lit. “equals



*    (and enemies) of each other are



*    we and he”: he and I are equals



*    (and enemies); ɛrɛ(e) ʋ̃ɔ̃‿ũxĩ



*    [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] “you are my enemy”, i.e.



*    you have tried to undo me.