kpa 1 [ ˥ ]
an auxiliary verb, used in (hypothetical) conditional sentences;
ikpami-ɔɛ̃, iɣalɛ nɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ \ ˥ / / \ ] “had I (always) been seeing him, I should have run away from him” (e.g. from a creditor who comes to ask for his money);
ikpami-ɔɛ̃, iɣalɛ nɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ (4-1) ˥ ˩ ˩ \ ] “had I seen him (once), I should have run”;
cf. akpawɛ [ ˩ ˥ (4-1) ];
ɔkpare, ɔɣami-eʋ-ɔho [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ / ] “in case he would have come, he would have received what he wants” (viz. a thrashing).
kpa 2 [ ˥ ]
in kpa [ ˩ ] odĩ [ ˥ ˥ ] to surprise;
eʋ̃i n-uɽu na kpa ʋ̃-odĩ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ] what (the thing) you are doing now surprises me.
kpa 3 [ ˥ ]
(1) to vomit;
cf. ekpa [ ˩ ˥ ].
(2) to burst into fruit (of bananas and plantain trees).
kpa [ ˥ ] ma [ / ]
(1) to be good (in the sense of “convenient”);
used impersonally;
ɔkpa ma-ɣ-irherhe re [ ˩ ˥ / ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] it is good that I have come in time;
iɣaiɣidoʋa ɽuɛ [ ˥ / ˥ ˥ ˩ / ] I should not have managed (lit. “come”) to meet you.
(2) to be clear, plain;
ɔkpa ma yi-ɣ-ɔna ɣiɽ-okieke ʋ-use n-ima mu (ɽe [ ˥ ]) [ ˩ ˥ / ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] “it is quite clear that (iɣe [ ˥ ˩ ]) this is the last among the helping parties (use [ ˩ ˥ ]) which we are having (mu [ ˥ ])” (this may be used as an exasperated comment of one who thinks that he is exploited by the man for whom the helpers are working).
kpa [ / ]
(1) to lift up;
kpa-ɽe ɣe deɣ-uɣas-ɛtĩ mu‿ɛ̃ [ / ˩ / ˦ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˦ (4-1) ] lift it up and look whether you will be able to carry it!
kpa [ / ] mu [ ˥ ] dia [ ˥ ] to put something in an upright position, e.g. a log, in order to test its length.
kpa egbe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] “to lift body”: to leave, depart;
ɔkpa‿egbe nɛ ʋ-en-ɛʋo [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˩ \ ˩ ] he has already left the town;
v. kpaɔ [ / ].
kpa‿obɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] to raise one’s hand;
same as tɔ̃‿obɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] mu [ ˥ ];
ɔkpa‿obɔ n-ɔfi ʋ̃-eʋ̃i, eɽ-inalɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ˧ ˩ ˩ \ ˩ ˥ \ / ] “he raised (his) hand in order to strike me (a thing), then (lit. ‘it was’) I ran away”.
(2) to help somebody carry a load;
ikpa-ɽe ʋ-odɛ n-ima nay-enyaɛ [ ˩ / ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ / ˥ ˦ ˩ ] “I helped him on the way by which we went to Enyaɛ”;
cf. kpaɔ [ / ].
kpaa [ ˩ ]
describes report of a European double-barrel or rifle.
kpaɛ̃ [ / ]
(1) to pull out, e.g. the blade of an axe from the handle.
(2) to tear, break off branches or leaves, or fruit that is picked from the stem of a plant, e.g. cocoa;
kpã-ebe ni mɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ ] tear these leaves off for me!
(3) to fall out;
to break off (intrans.);
v. kɔlɔ [ ˩ ˥ ] (to pick a fruit from the branches), biã [ / ], xuɔ̃ [ / ].
kpãkãkpãkãkpãkã [ ˦ ˦ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ]
gravelly (of soil);
so as to hurt one’s feet;
otɔe na ye kpãkãkpãkãkpãkã [ ˩ / ˩ ˥ ˦ ˦ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ] this soil is gravelly.
kpako [ ˩ ˩ ]
(1) denoting big size of tooth or (reduplicated) teeth;
ɔye kpako [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] it (the tooth) is big.
(2) also used of young bursting plants to denote their being short and thick, ca. 2 or 3 days after they have come out of the ground;
pl. by reduplication;
ɔzɔɽe kpako [ ˩ / ˩ ˩ ˩ ] it has sprouted and is a big seed.
kpalɔ [ ˩ ˥ ]
to peel (eatable things);
kpal-igaɽi na [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] peel this cassava!
kpãnɔkpãnɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ]
rough;
erhã na ye kpãnɔkpãnɔ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ] this plank (“wood”) is rough;
erhã ne kpãnɔkpãnɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ] a rough plank (same as erhã n-ɔmariɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ ])+.
kpa(ɔ) [ / ]
(1) to get up;
ɔkpa(ɔ) ʋ-aga [ ˩ \ ˥ ˥ ] he got up from the chair.
kpaɔ [ / ] mu [ ˥ ] dia [ ˥ ] to get up (and stand).
(2) to leave, depart (used with following ʋ-);
ɔkpaɔ ʋ-en-ɛʋo [ ˩ \ ˩ \ ˩ ] he left the town (or, country).
kpa(ɔ) [ / ] re [ ˥ ] to get out;
kpa-ʋa re [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] get out there!
kpãɽãɽãɽãɽãɽã [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ]
describes the noise of thunder.
kpataki [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ]
main, principal;
cf. Yor. kpataki [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].
kpatakpata [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ]
describes the patter of heavy rain;
ɔrhɔ kp. [ ˩ / ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ] or ɔde kp. [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ] it is raining heavily.
kpatalɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ]
an expression used by the tortoise in a story;
same as nɛ [ ˥ ] to defaecate.
kpe [ ˥ ]
(1) to wash (things), also parts of the body (but “to wash oneself” is xuɛ [ / ]).
(2) with personal objects: to wash with charms, in order to transfer their strength to the person washed.
It can also be used for “washing hunters’ dogs with charms,” but “to wash things with charms”+ is rhua [ / ].
(3) to cure by washing (a wound);
cf. ukp-akɔ̃ [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ].
kpe [ ˥ ] fũ [ ˥ ]
to die out;
ɛʋo ni hɛko kpe fũ [ ˩ / / ˩ / ˥ ˥ ] that town is gradually dying out.
kpe 1 [ / ]
kp-akpata [ / ˥ ˥ ] to play the akpata [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ] harp, or, a European guitar.
kp-ema [ / ˩ ] to play a drum.
kp-obɔ [ ˩ ˥ ] to clap hands;
to applaude.
kp-orhu [ ˩ ˥ ] to blow a horn or akɔ̃hɛ̃ [ ˩ ˩ \ ];
cf. orhu [ ˩ ˥ ].
kp-orhu [ / ˩ ] (a) to shout in falsetto voice, ii, or, uu, in order to call one another at a distance, as done by hunters, trappers, or farmers when they have lost their way;
(b) to shout words at a great distance, as e.g. done by public criers;
(c) to preach;
cf. urhu [ ˩ ˩ ].
kp-oxa [ ˩ ˥ ] to call antelopes, birds, or squirrels, with the help of leaves, or through the nose, as hunters do.
kp-oxa [ / ˩ ] to play the oxa [ ˩ ˩ ] drum;
cf. kpei [ / ].
kpe 2 [ / ]
to blame, reproach in public;
ɣɛɣikpe ʋ̃ɛ [ ˥ ˩ ˩ \ ] don’t reproach me in public!
cf. kpei [ / ], kpe 1 [ / ].
kpei [ / ]
to shout;
ɔkpei t-iɽ̃ã (tie [ / ]) [ ˩ / ˦ ˩ ] he is shouting for them;
cf. kpe 1 and 2 [ / ].
(e)kpekukpeku [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ ]
a kind of seed, used as rat poison.
kpɛ̃ [ ˥ ]
(1) to dig yams and cut their “heads” off which are used as seed-yam;
the yams are then put back into the ground until the eru [ ˩ ˥ ] is built;
also kp-ẽma, km-ema [ ˥ ˩ ] and kp-ĩnya, km-inya [ ˩ ˥ ].
Of these, the former seems to be the more correct expression while the latter is used by the younger generation;
cf. ikpẽma [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].
(2) to cut oneself (or somebody else) in shaving.
kpɛe [ / ]
to last, to be a long time ago;
idiom.: ʋ-ɔmakpɛ-eva [ ˥ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˥ ] “when it has not lasted two”: after a short time.
kpɛe [ / ] fua [ ˥ ] to pass away (time).
kpɛ-eri [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] to be under size;
of persons and animals only.
kpɛɣɛɛ [ ˩ ˩ ]
describes a high degree of smoothness;
ɔye [ ˩ ˥ ], or, ɔriɛe kpɛɣɛɛ [ ˩ \ ˩ ˩ ] it is very smooth (not slippery): erhã ne kpɛɣɛɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ], same as erhã n-ari-ɔɽe (riɛ [ / ]) [ ˩ ˩ ˥ / ˩ ] a smoothed plank.
kpɛtɛsi [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ]
upper storey (or, house with two storeys?);
cf. Yor. kpɛtɛsi [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ];
v. egedege [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ].
kpii [ ˩ ]
describes a unanimous shout of applause;
used with the verb we [ / ].
kpo [ / ] fua [ ˥ ]
to slip away;
e.g. of poles tied together at the top (used in roofing a house) which become undone while the lower ends are being fixed;
erhã na kpo fua [ ˩ ˥ ˩ / / ] these poles have slipped out.
kp-oɣo [ ˩ ˥ ]
(1) to rinse a vessel;
cf. s-oɣo [ ˩ ˥ ].
(2) to bake (only applied to akasã [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ]);
kpolo [ ˩ ˥ ]
to sweep;
idiom.: kpol-ɛbu [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ] “to sweep the sweepings”: to do the last part of some work;
to conclude a thing;
v. xwi‿ɛɽ-ohiʋ̃i [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ].
kpoo 1 [ ˩ ]
describes a bright, but not flaming, fire;
ɔnya kpoo [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] it burns brightly;
with ba [ / ]: aɽu‿ɛɽe ba kpoo [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ / ˩ ] “his eye is very red”: (a) his eye is very much inflamed;
(b) he is very angry.
kpoo 2 [ ˩ ]
describes report of a native gun, which was not well loaded.
kp-orhu [ ˩ ˥ ], [ / ˩ ];
kpɔ [ ˥ ]
to be numerous, plentiful;
ɛkpɔ [ / \ ] they are not many;
cf. Yor. kpɔ [ ˩ ].
kpɔkpɔɔkpɔ [ ˦ ˦ ˦ ]
quite silent;
used with the verb hũ [ ˥ ] nwa [ ˥ ];
ɔhũ nwa kpɔkpɔɔkpɔ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ ˧ ˧ ] he was quite silent.
kpɔlɔ [ ˩ ˥ ]
to be big;
n-ufiã nɛ kpɔlɔ gbe [ ˥ ˥ (4-1) ˩ ˥ ˦ ] what you have cut for him is too big.
Idiom.: ɔkpɔlɔe ʋ-urhu [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] “it is big on his neck”: he is in great trouble.
kpɔ̃ɽ̃ɔ̃kpɔ̃ɽ̃ɔ̃ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ]
protruding;
ɔye kpɔ̃ɽ̃ɔ̃kp. [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ] it is protruding (an eye-ball);
ɔɽu‿ikpãɽo kp. [ ˩ ˥ ˥ \ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ] he has protruding eye-balls.
kpu [ ˩ ]
(short u) describes the fall of something round and heavy;
ɔde kpu [ ˩ \ ˩ ] it fell, e.g. of a coco-nut, mango-fruit, orange, izɛ [ ˥ ˩ ] or the like.
kpuku(ɽu), also kpɛkuɽu [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ]
short;
okpia na ye kpuku [ ˩ / ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] this man is short.
kpukpuukpu [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ]
cowering, e.g. in: ɔki re kp. [ ˩ / ˦ ˩ ˩ ˩ ] he cowered (in cold weather, with arms crossed and hands on one’s shoulders);
also used with si [ ˥ ] kuɛ̃ [ / ].