Page-151-R

    to be kept in chains.) (3) bottom
    (e.g. of a vessel); idiom.: otɔ-ibiɛ
    [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ ] “the bottom of the en-
    trails”: the bottom of one’s
    heart (as opposed to okp-unu
    [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] “by word of mouth”: not
    quite sincerely); iwahu‿ɛʋ̃-ɔ̃ɽ̃ɛ̃
    s-otɔ-ibiɛ (sɛ [ ˥ ]) [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ / ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ ]
    I like him thoroughly (not
    partially), from the bottom of
    my heart. (4) floor (of a room,
    in comparison with ukpo [ ˥ ˩ ],
    the mud-niches) in otɔ-wa [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ];
    v. ikpawɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ] (in general use,
    but mainly used of the floor
    round the ukpafɛ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] in the
    ikũ’s [ ˩ \ ]). (5) reason (for
    something); otɔ-ɽe ʋo n-unaxa
    ʋ-eriɔ [ ˩ / ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ / ] lit. “what is
    its reason that you say so?”
    otɔ-ɽe n-iɽ̃ã naɽu‿ɛe eɽ-ɔna xĩ
    [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˦ (4-1) ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] lit. “the reason of
    it that they did it, is this”: is
    why they did it; cf. otɔ [ ˩ ˩ ].
    
otu [ ˥ ˩ ] a tree, Cleistopholis
    partens.
    
otu [ ˩ ˩ ] (1) age-group, generation;
    v. eʋ̃i [ ˩ \ ], iɽoɣae [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ], ɛɣele
    [ ˥ ˩ ˩ ], ediɔ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ]. (2) everybody
    who is about three years older
    or younger than any individual,
    is considered as being of his otu,
    bodily strength being the decid-
    ing factor; this not institution-
    alized idea of otu prevails in
    apportioning communal tasks to
    groups of men, in selecting
    partners for wrestling matches,
    etc. (3) working-gang, v. olotu
    [ ˥ \ ˩ ]; cf. Ibo, Jekri otu [ ˩ ˩ ].
    
otua [ ˥ \ ] a small tree, Baphia
    nitida; used in purification cere-
    monies; seven leaves of it pinned
    together are also used as sub-
    stitute of one’s Osũ [ ˩ ˥ ] shrine
    on travels.