a particle found in front of the conjunctive and absolute pronouns, emphasizing the following verb or imparting the idea of necessity;

this kind of emphasis may also be expressed by tonal means only, e.g. ɔgb-ɔɛ̃ [ ˥ (4-1) ] is equivalent to t-ɔgb-ɔɛ̃;

t-uxiã ɽa [ ˥ (4-1) ˩ ] are you going?

ɔɣagb-ɔɛ̃ ɽa [ ˩ ˥ (4-1) ˩ ] will he write it?

t-ɔgb-ɔɛ̃ [ ˥ (4-1) ] he must write it, and also: he is writing it (with stress on the verb).

Instead of t-, rh- may be used before singular pronouns, or possibly only before the 2nd and 3rd pers. sgl.

(1) to speak;

to say;

to tell;

ɔt-en-ɛʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˩ \ ˩ ] he is telling the (already mentioned) story;

ɔta ʋ-eriɔ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ / ] he said so.

ta [ ˥ ] ma [ / ] to tell somebody.

t-ohoɣe [ ˩ \ ˩ ] to tell a lie;

to lie;

ɔt-ohoɣe [ ˩ ˥ (4-1) ˩ ] he lied;

ohoɣ-ɔta [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] “it is a lie he is telling”.

t-ɔta [ ˩ ˥ ] to tell something;

ɔt-ɔta ʋ̃ɛ ma‿ɽ̃ɛ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ / ˩ ] he talked to him of me.

(2) to guess a riddle;

used without an object only, in the request: ta [ ˥ ] guess!

(with iro [ ˥ ˩ ] “riddle”, the verb mu [ ˥ ] is used).

The same meaning “to guess” is perhaps underlying the following two combinations verb ＋ object: t-isɛ [ ˥ ˩ ] to play the isɛ [ ˥ ˩ ] game, and t-ile [ ˥ ˩ ] to bet.

Iterat.: talɔ [ ˩ ˥ ] to talk much: to jabber (a more respectful term is guã [ / ]);

talɔ does, however, also mean “to report”, probably because this entails a somewhat lengthy talk.

(1) to spread.

(2) to hang.

tã [ ˥ ] yi [ ˥ ]: (a) to spread in..;

t-ũkpɔ̃ y-ovɛ̃ [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] spread the cloth in the sun!

(b) to hang on..;

tã‿ɛ̃ y-egb-ekɛ̃ [ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] hang it on the wall!

atã‿ɛ̃ y-egb-ekɛ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] it hangs on the wall.

tã [ ˥ ] gu [ ˥ ]: t-ũkpɔ̃ gu‿etebuɽu [ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] spread the cloth on the table!

tã [ ˥ ] lele [ ˩ ˥ ] would be used if a cloth were to be spread on several tables.

t-ĩri [ ˩ ˥ ] to put up a rope (as a clothes llne);

ɔt-ĩri y-ovɛ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ ˩ ] he fixed a clothes line in the sun.

t-õkũ [ ˥ ˩ ] to measure by means of a line (mostly in timber work);

t-õkũ y-ɔ [ ˥ ˩ \ ] measure it!

(lit. “stretch a rope to it!”);

cf. tã 2 [ ˥ ](?).

to be tall (of human beings);

ɔʋ̃a na taɛ̃ [ ˩ / ˩ \ ] this man is tall;

cf. tã 1 [ ˥ ](?).

(1) to imitate;

ɣɛtaa ʋ̃ɛ [ ˥ ˩ \ ] don’t imitate me!

(2) to compare;

ɣɛya‿e taa ʋ̃ɛ [ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˩ \ ] don’t compare him with me!

in idiom.: tab-ɛɽ-ɛʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ] what is the matter?

what is wrong?

(lit. “or is it not the matter”, viz. “is there anything the matter or is it not?”);

w-ɔɽ-u‿ɛe ɽa tab-ɛɽ-uwɛ [ / ˦ (4-1) ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ ] are you the one who did it, or was it not you?

cf. Yor. tabi [ ˩ / ].

to interfere;

to meddle in other people’s affairs;

utafia gbe [ ˩ ˩ \ ˥ ] you interfere too much!

cf. Engl. interfere;

v. mi-arale [ ˩ ˥ / ˩ ].

describes the smell of corpses and of dog-blood (the ĩ is not short here);

cf. tãtaãtã 2 [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

(to be stretched) straight and long;

used with the verb niɛ [ / ];

v. Texts: Uke keʋe arhuaɽo;

cf. tã 1 [ ˥ ].

(1) salty;

ɔfiã ( “it cuts”) tãtaãtã [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ] it is salty.

(2) sharp (of smells, e.g. of urine);

cf. taĩtaĩ [ ˩ ˩ ].

an auxiliary verb indicating (1) that something was going on or was in a certain state in the past but implying that the end of the action was not attained, or that the state referred to is no longer existing;

ɔtema [ ˩ ˥ / ] it was good (but it is no longer so);

itewu [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ] I was dying, viz. ʋ-uhuʋ̃u ni amu ʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˩ / ˩ / ˩ ˥ ] “(always) when that illness attacked me”.

This leads to the meanings “nearly”, e.g. in itewu [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] I nearly died, and “mistakenly”: utew-ɛr-eʋa-nwa (re [ ˥ ], enwa [ ˩ \ ]) [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˦ ˩ \ ] “you were mistaken in saying: he is not there now”.

(2) that the action of the verb to which it is linked follows another action (“before”);

imi-ɔɛ̃, (ʋ-)ɔtekpaɔ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ \ / ] I saw him before he had left;

imi-ɔ̃‿ɛ̃dɛgbegbe, (ʋ-) ɔteɣaxiã [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˥ ] I see him every day before he leaves.

to decorate;

t-ɛɽe [ / ˩ ] decorate it!

ɔt(e)‿owa [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] he is decorating the house;

ɔt-egbe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] he is decorating himself (“the body”).

cf. tɔ̃ 4 [ ˥ ].

imitates the beating of pulses (generally with fear);

in the case of the tortoise, leilei [ ˦ ˦ ] is used (in stories) (the i is long);

v. afĩama [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

to save, to be economical with something;

tet-ɛe [ ˩ \ ] save it!

Ozo, tet-inya n-iviɔ nwɛ ni n-ɔmi-eke nay-usɛ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ / / / ˦ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] Ojo, be economical with the yams I brought you so that they will last ( “get a chance to last”) for five days!

to be contemptible;

“to be useless”;

utɛ nɛ ʋ-en-uye na [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] you are already “useless” in (the state in) which you are now!

to urge somebody on (to do something, by flattering him, or by acclamations);

ɣɛtɛ ʋ̃ɛ ɽu‿ɛe [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˦ (4-1) ] don’t urge me on to do it!

(e.g. for I shall be overtired).

(1) to put in a file (or row?);

tɛ̃-biɛka na n-iɽ̃ã ya y-uviɛ̃-sɛse [ ˩ / ˥ ˩ ˥ / ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] arrange these children so that they may be properly in a single file!

(e.g. may be said by a teacher).

(2) to claim as one’s relative (ɔtɛ̃ [ ˩ \ ]).

(Perhaps this should be a separate item).

cf. tɔ̃ 4 [ ˥ ].

to be famous (but usually this is titi [ ˩ ˥ ]).

to be fat;

ɛwe na fɛko ti [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ / ˥ ] this goat is (gradually) becoming fat.

to boil;

amɛ ti [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] the water is beginning to boil;

amɛ ti [ ˩ ˩ \ ] the water boils;

cf. ti [ / ].

to fly;

ahĩaʋ̃ɛ tĩ [ ˥ ˦ ˩ \ ] the bird flew.

in t-ĩhĩ [ ˩ \ ] to sneeze;

ɔt-ĩhĩ [ ˩ ˥ (4-1) ] he sneezed;

v. zɛ 1 [ ˥ ].

(1) to warm up liquid food (soups);

unwɔʋ̃ɛ n-atiɽi [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ / ˩ ] a warmed-up soup.

(2) to weld broken iron together;

ti‿ematɔ̃ na mɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˥ ] weld this iron for me!

to flatter;

ɣɛɣitiã ʋ̃ɛ [ ˥ ˩ ˩ \ ] don’t flatter me any longer!

v. tɛ [ / ].

to call;

ɔtie ʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] he called me.

ti-ebe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] to read;

ɔti-ɛɽe [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ] he read it.

ti-ɛbɔ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] to “curse juju” (in the meaning of “to curse”, but v. vɛ̃ [ ˥ ]);

this is not the worst way of cursing a man (which is done with an exwae [ ˥ ˩ ]).

ti-ihɛ̃ (long i) [ ˩ \ ] na [ ˥ ] to curse (not very seriously);

ɔt-ihɛ̃ mɛ [ ˩ / ˦ ˧ ] he cursed me;

also ɔt-ihɛ̃ nɛ [ ˩ / (4-1) \ ] he swore at him (same as ti-ɛbɔ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ]);

v. xa‿ɛʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ], mu‿ɛbɔ gbe [ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ].

t-iko [ ˩ ˥ ] to call a meeting.

tie [ / ] ɛzɔ [ ˥ ˥ ] “to call to a lawsuit”: to summon;

n-ati-ɛɽ-ɛzɔ [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˦ ] “who is called to a lawsuit”: defendant (same as n-agugwi [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ] (v. gwi [ ˥ ]); ɔxuɛ̃niɛzɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ]);

n-ɔti-ɔʋ̃a‿ɛzɔ [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˥ ] “he who has called a man to a lawsuit”: plaintiff;

v. ɔtiɔʋ̃aɛzɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ], n-ɔgu‿ɔʋ̃a gwi [ ˩ ˩ ˩ / ˥ ], n-ɔgwi [ ˩ ˥ ] (v. gwi [ ˥ ]).

(1) to twist;

ɔtiɣi‿ɛe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ / ] he twisted it.

(2) to become, be twisted;

ɔtiɣi [ ˩ ˩ \ ] it is twisted;

cf. tiɣitiɣitiɣi [ ˦ ˦ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ], tiɣitiɣi [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ], otiɣiɽi [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ].

(also tiɣitiɣitiɣi [ ˦ ˦ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ]) twisted;

oɽu na ye tiɣitiɣi [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ] this thread is twisted.

The word also describes matter congealed over a wound, v. iku [ ˩ ˩ ];

cf. tiɣi [ ˩ ˥ ].

cf. tie [ / ].

cf. tĩ 2 [ ˥ ].

powerfull;

harmonious, of a unanimous shout of applause;

used with the verb we [ / ].

imitates the sound produced by the big em-ɛdo [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] drum;

used with kpe [ / ] or ɽu [ ˥ ];

v. titititititi [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ ].

cf. tie [ / ].

to despise;

ɔtila ʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] he despises me.

cf. ta [ ˥ ].

very small;

tiny, of babies and things;

a higher degree than xerhe [ ˦ ˦ ];

ɔye tinɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˦ ] it is tiny.

cf. tã 1 [ ˥ ].

cf. ta [ ˥ ].

to be famous;

ɔtetiti gbe ʋ-ɔye xerhe [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˦ ] he was (formerly) very famous when he was young;

v. ti 1 [ ˥ ].

noise made by Borassus palms in the wind;

used with the verb kpe [ / ];

v. uɽua [ ˩ ˩ ].

(This item has been contested by A. who wanted to substitute dididididi [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ] for it.)

fat, stout, and at the same time short.

imitates the sound produced by the small uke [ ˩ ˥ ] drum;

used with the verbs kpe [ / ] and ɽu [ ˥ ];

ɔkp-ɛɽe t. [ ˩ / ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ ] “he is beating it t.”;

v. tiidigbɛ̃ỹ [ ˦ ˦ ˩ ].

(1) to be hot (of pepper).

(2) to burn high (of burning farm land).

(3) to be “active”, of an ɛbɔ or ihɛ̃, i.e. quick in complying with prayers and curses.

in toba [ ˩ ˥ ] mu [ ˥ ] to stick to.

gumming together (occurs in a magical formula only);

cf. toba [ ˩ ˥ ].

added to the personal pronouns and, at the same time, followed by the possessive, it conveys the idea of “self”;

mɛ t-obɔ ʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] l myself;

wɛ t-obɔ‿ɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] you yourself (or, in commands: t-obɔ ɽuɛ [ ˩ ˩ / ]: t-obɔ ɽuɛ ɽu‿ɛe [ ˩ ˩ / ˦ (4-1) ] do it yourself!);

ɽ̃ɛ̃ t-obɔ-ɽe [ ˩ ˩ / ˩ ] he himself;

ma t-ob-ima [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] we ourselves;

wa t-ob-uwa [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] you yourselves;

iɽ̃ã t-ob-iɽ̃ã [ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] they themselves;

iɽ̃ã t-ob-iɽ̃ã‿ɔɽu‿ɛe [ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ / ˥ ˥ / ] they did it themselves;

cf. obɔ [ ˩ ˥ ] (?).

an interjection asking for the truth: “is it true? really? indeed”.

The answer is isɛ [ ˩ ˥ ].

to pity;

it-ohã-ɽ̃ɛ̃ [ ˩ ˩ / ˩ ] I pity him;

cf. itohã [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

cf. ta [ ˥ ].

cf. tã 1 [ ˥ ].

to sit down;

to sit.

cf. tɔ̃ 2 [ ˥ ].

to live long;

ɔt-utɔʋ̃ɛ n-ɔma [ ˩ ˥ \ ˩ ˩ / ] he lived a long good life;

uɽatɔ [ ˥ ˦ ˦ ] may you live long!

uɣatɔ kpɛɽe [ ˩ ˩ ˥ / ˩ ] “if you live, may it be long (?)”: may you live long!

(a mode of address to the Ɔba of Benin, and to chiefs).

to fell a tree;

v. gbɔ [ ˥ ] (special term referring to felling trees on the site chosen for a farm).

Iterat.: tɔ̃nɔ [ ˩ ˥ ]: tɔn-iku‿erhã ni gb-otɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ˧ ˨ ˩ ] cut those shrubs down!

(with a matchet).

to dig into the ground (e.g. pots, poles, etc.);

t-õtɔ [ ˥ ˩ ] to dig (into) the ground (the õ is only nasalised in the beginning).

Iterat.: tɔnɔ [ ˩ ˥ ];

tɔ̃n-ɔɛ diʋ̃i ɛsɛse n-am-ukeɽu y-ɔ [ ˩ \ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ ˩ ˥ ˦ (3-1) ] “dig them (i.e. holes) deep and well so that we can put the yam poles in!” cf. utɔ̃yotɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ];

v. gwa 2 [ ˥ ] (to dig something out).

(1) to be hot (not of taste, or the weather, but of liquids, or metal);

ʋ̃-ɛ̃nwaɛ̃, ɔtɔ̃ gbe [ / ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] be careful (“have sense”), it is very hot!

(2) to roast;

ut-ĩnya ni nɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ (2-1) ] have you roasted that yam already?

inya n-atɔɛ̃ [ ˩ ˩ ˥ \ ] roasted yam;

cf. inyatɔ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ];

v. ti 3 [ ˥ ], rã [ / ], ʋ̃ɛ [ / ], ʋiɛʋiɛ [ ˩ ˥ ], ɽ̃aʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˥ ], le [ ˥ ], tue 3 [ / ].

in tɔ̃ [ ˥ ] mu [ ˥ ] (1) to lift up;

(2) to increase;

tɛ̃-ʋ̃i na mu [ ˩ / ˩ ˥ ] lift this thing up!

t-ẽgbe mu [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ] “to lift body”: to be proud;

ɔt-ẽgbe mu [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ ] he is proud;

cf. itẽgbemu [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ].

t-ɛ̃zɔ mu [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ] to reopen a lawsuit (by appeal, e.g.);

ɔt-ɛ̃zɔ mu [ ˩ ˥ \ ˥ ] he reopened the lawsuit.

(1) to itch;

obɔ tɔlɔ ʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] “my hand is itching me”.

(2) to scratch;

tɔl-ɔe [ ˩ \ ] scratch it!

(3) to cough;

in tɔl-ohuɛ̃ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ].

cf. ta [ ˥ ].

(1) to shout.

(2) to cry (for something, as a complaint);

uɣazɛtu, deɣ-uɣakw-ɛtĩ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˨ ] lit. “if you cry continuously, (I hope) you will stop!” (an angry word in response to such a form of discontent).

(3) to strike (of the clock);

ɛgog-isɛ̃ mahetu [ ˥ ˥ \ ˥ ˥ ˥ \ ] five o’clock has not yet struck.

to spit;

ɣɛtu‿asɛ̃ ku-ɔʋ̃ɛ [ ˥ ˦ ˦ ˩ ˩ ˩ \ ] don’t spit on me!

(“splash me”, i.e. by accident; but v. gie [ / ]);

cf. tue 1? [ / ].

to pull strongly together (things which are tied together);

tua‿eʋ̃i n-ugbae ni n-ɔɣɛrhã [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ˧ (3-1) / ] pull those things you have tied strongly together so that they do not get loose!

ɔtua‿ihɛ ni [ ˩ / ˥ ˦ / ] he tied that load tightly.

to be loud (of human voice and drum, stronger than la 2 [ ˥ ]; when referring to the voice, it is used with ukpɛ [ ˩ ˥ ] “beak”);

tua-kpɛ [ ˩ ˥ ], e.g. ɔtua (u)kpɛ rhãrhaãrhã [ ˩ / ˦ ˧ ˧ ˧ ] he spoke loudly (v. gboɽogboɽo [ ˦ ˦ ˦ ˦ ]).

to swell (of corpse).

(1) to hasten;

to hurry;

ɣɛtua‿inwina na [ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ / ˩ ] don’t hurry this work!

(2) to be hurried (of work, etc.; not “to be in a hurry”);

inwina na tua gbe [ ˩ ˩ / ˩ / ˦ ] this work is too much hurried (i.e. and therefore hard).

(3) to be serious.

(A. Biogr.) “To take serious” is expressed by mu [ ˥ ] gogoogo [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ] gbe [ ˥ ] “to take too high”.

(1) to ooze out;

to bleed;

esagiɛ̃ yetue ʋ-ɛnwɛ na [ ˩ \ ˩ / ˩ ˩ / ˩ ] the blood is still oozing out of this wound;

esagiɛ̃ tue ʋ-egbe ʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ \ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] I am bleeding ( “blood is coming out of my body”).

(2) to squeeze out (viz. the contents of the bowels of game);

tu-ibi-aɽ̃aʋ̃ɛ ni ɛsɛse [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˩ / ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] squeeze the bowels of this animal well out!

(3) to pour out (if the liquid is kept in a vessel with a narrow mouth, v. rhurhɛ [ ˩ ˥ ]);

ɔtu-amɛ ʋ-uko [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ] he is pouring water out of a calabash.

to dress one’s hair (of women);

oxuo na ɣatu-eto [ ˩ / ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] this woman is dressing (her) hair.

to prepare “medicine” over a fire, i.e. to “fry” it in a pan, but without oil or lard;

ɽ̃aʋ̃-uxuʋ̃u [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ] is nowadays used by the young people, but it is not correct, v. Ɔxwahɛ text;

v. le [ ˥ ], ɽ̃aʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ ˥ ], tɔ̃ 3 [ ˥ ].

(1) to visit (a certain place).

(2) to peet;

to salute;

koyɔ! idotu-ɔ [ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˥ ˩ / ] koyɔ I have come to salute you!

cf. otuɛ [ ˩ ˥ ].

to stir up;

to disturb;

utuɣ-amɛ na [ ˩ ˩ ˥ / ˩ ] you have disturbed this water (by stirring up the dirt);

cf. l-uɽu [ ˩ ˥ ];

z-uɣu [ ˩ ˥ ].

to start running;

ɔt-ulɛ mu [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˧ ] he has started running;

v. rh-ulɛ [ ˩ ˥ ].

to descend;

to come down;

ɔtuo re nɛ ʋ-ɛɣɛ ʋ-igbera [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ \ / ] he had (already) come down by the time I passed by;

tuo re ʋ-od-uxuʋ̃u [ ˩ ˩ ˩ \ ˩ ˩ ] come down (from above)!

to have sexual intercourse with (used with direct object; not decent);

v. gu [ ˥ ] ʋiɛ [ / ], gu [ ˥ ] ku [ / ], ho [ / ].