... ..

'

NIGERIAN NAMES
A Daystar Series

The series is planned (0 include studies of the personal names characteristic

of the peoples of Nigeria - Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, Efik, Edo, Itshekiri and
so on.
This book, the first in the series, gives an idea of what will be achieved
through the series which we hope will be pleasing to all cultured Nigerians
and others interested in Nigerian culture.

I
\~

l~ )

,YORlJBA
I
NAMES.·

Their Structure

and their meanings!

MODUPJ;<: ODUYQYE

Ibadan

Daystar Press

1972

OHiO UNIVt~h:S1r(
I ...~ RA 0,1,
L lOr. 1:., '.1·

. ~.
 \':7

, &" '.

DAYSTAR PRESS, P. O. BOX 1261, lBADAN, NIGERIA.

PREFACE
First Published 1972
This is not a dictionary of Yoruba names. If, therefore, you turn
r{) ModuN Oduyr,>ye 1972
the pages eagerly to find your own name or the names of your friends
and relations and they are not here, you should not be disappointed:
it is a dictionary of Yoruba names which should list all the items.
The subject of this book is the structure of Yoruba names. The idea
of such a book came into my mind in the course of teaching the Yoruba
language to adult non-native speakers for the Department of Extra­
Mural Studies of the University of Ibadan and the U.S. Peace Corps.
I found a distinct handicap in that the students invariably returned from
the class sessions to live and work innon-Yoruba speaking environments.
They therefore lacked opportunity for practice in real life situations,
which is the one thing that might have helped them perfect what they
had learnt in class and remember them.

To This book, then, is conceived as a language learning aid: whether

you have to speak Yoruba or not, you are likely to know some Yoruba
MAMA names and to meet them daily in the newspapers or hear them on the
radio or in the streets. If you know the structure of these names and
5.15.11.15
remember their meanings, you already have a basis for building the struc­
ture of Yoruba speech. For Yoruba names are structured like Yoruba
phrases and sentences; and they almost invariably have extant meanings.
This, then, is a minimum grammar of the Yoruba language. I
have been interested in the fact that one could write an almost complete
grammar of the Yoruba language using nothing but names for illustra­
tions. For teaching the language to non-native speakers, this has one
advantage: Yoruba names, whether phrases or complete sentences, are
written as single words. The names, therefore, mirror exactly the stream­
of-utterance situations. Instead of Olu r~ m[ l' fkun as the sentence would

Printed by Abiodlilz Printing Works Limited Ibadan 3835/971 3

7~ '$8 ';,~ii01i:'''-''C~''';O "

 l .,1
(j>

be written, the name is written as Oltlrfl11flfkim - which gives a better of text books: I record my gratitude to the Christian Literature fund of
guide for pronunciation and for conversation. For one does not pause the World Council of Churches for the scholarship which made the
after each word in speech: the sentence consists of five words, but it is study leave possible; and to Mr. A. J. Loveridge of the Department for
one utterance. In learning to speak a language, one should be learning Education in Tropical Areas who was tutor for the course.
utterances, not isolated words. Here is the value of the approach in this
book. Ibadan, 1971 Modupy OduY9ye
All this apart, the subject of Yoruba names is itself of sufficient
interest to warrant treatment. Evidence of this is provided in the fact
that at least four books on the subject were being prepared for publication
during 1969. Non-Yorubas will find it interesting to read of a culture in
which virtually every name has an extant meaning and to compare the
sentiments contained in the names with similar sentiments in their own
culture.
The reader will have noticed that I inscrt the word "virtually"
whenever I speak of every Yoruba name having a meaning. Actually,
every Yoruba name has a meaning, but the meanings of some of them
are getting lost* just as many of the names arc disappearing with changed
social and religious situations, which are the factors that produced the
sentimcnts which the names were meant to commemorate in the first place.
As often happens when a culture migrates, older Yoruba names
such as KonigbdgbC and Ojul11irf can be found now among the Creoles
in Freetown, Sierra Leone, who have kcpt up an unbroken tradition of
giving their children appropriate Yoruba namcs, even though the ability
to choose thc names is 110 longer widesprcad, but has become the job of
consultants -- sometimes the older men and women in the community.
There is no doubt tl;;.at personal and place-names are some of the
oldest elements in the Yoruba language, and a study of them will reveal
much about the past history of the language and the people.
I should like to express my thanks to Miss Kay Williamson of the
Department of Linguistics and Nigerian Languages, University of Ibadan,
who read the manuscript at an early stage and to Dr. A. AwobulLlyi of
the same DepaItment who read the final draft. Both Dr. F~mi KujQr~
of the University of Ibadan and Dr. Alfred Opubor of the University of
Lagos gave valuable editorial advice. The book was put into
final shape during the session 1969-70 which I spent in the Insti­
tute of Education, University of London, on a course in the provision

.. Most of the (1l11litrlrulliva names, for instance, whose meanings can only be found
through etymological research.

4 5

...i.e 7 A
.,:~c'1&, c"".' ,,~'::' :"e;-,'",~,·, ::..,,,::~' ..
~........- - - - ­
'1, ')

CONTENTS
Page
Preface ..
3

PART ONE: STRUCTURAL, CLASSIFICATION

1. The Noun Phrase- Juxtaposition of Nouns 11

II. The Simple Sentence: 13

(a) The Verb TO DE --I', n', l1i.

The Verb TO BECOME ~ d', di.
(b) Transitive Verbs
Doubly Transitive Verbs
HI. Emphasis 19

Ii

(0) Inversion for Emphasis :1

IV.
(b) The Conditional Clause
Compound Verbs and Splitting Verbs 22
(
II

V. Initial /i-/ dialects and Initial /u-/ dialects 24

VI. Short Forms ~ Subject and Predicate 26

VII. The High Tone Before the Finite Verb ~ Subject and i

Predicate .. 28 I,

VIII. Stative Verbs .. 32

II

IX. Titles: "To have" and "To Own" .. 35 Ii:

II

X. Verbs of Motion: "Go home"/"Go to the house" 37

XL The Noun Forming Prefixes /a-/ and /a-/ 39
II

XII. Grammatical Particles:!',fi; t', Ii; M, etc. 43 I

XUl. The First Person Singular Pronoun 46

XIV. Preverbs: tun, jUn1fJ, j(J, fub(j, etc . 49

XV. Nega tive Particles: I1UI, !co, ee, if, ti 50

XVI. Diphtongization: ayO>ai; awO>au. 54

XVH. Oriki .. 57

i:
Ii,
II

7
Iii

I:'
II

~ T ..
" L .f"

II

PART TWO: CULTURAL CLASSIFICATION I

What's in a name? .
61
II.

Muslim and Christian Names among the Yoruba 65

Olu, Ohiwa, ~)IQnm - God .. 68

Od~a, Ori -- Patron saints, special deities; head 69

lUi - Augury .. 69

Awo- Secret Cult

71

Od" -- Oracular Utterance 71

Ot;;o-Seer 72

Ogun - God of fire, patron of smiths .. 72

\)d~ -- H linters ..
73

Akal1- Valiant Warriors

73

74

Ogun- War
Om\ - Artis tic Gen ius ..
75
I

II,

AYlnJlJl -- The Sound of Drums ..

75

Oy~, {)$lUJ., Omi --' Rivers ..

75

<)ILl1i, ]):fml! ....- Fertility and Plenty 76

1 II

I'
I'
Qm9 -. Children .. 77
I
78
I

Qj¢, Eegiilll --- The Dead Come back to Life ..

Ii
XIII. 'Tunde -Reincarnation 78

Abikii- tnfant Mortality 7S

]J:idm, AYQ - Weeping, Joy 79

ii

Ade·- Crown, Royalty .. 80

81
Ii'
Oye -- Tille, Chieftaincy ii'
II
Iii
Q$l.n -- Chief .. 82

83

Ilil'l
Ohi - High Estate i,ll,
!I!!
I
!III

Amiiil)funwa - Names brought from heaven 85

"

PART THREE

Exercises 89

'I
I'ii
i!
Iii
,Iii
I:I
I

8
01

=··~;;;:O·-::"""'-~;;;m"lP"~"<W",_,,_{ijf'"_~ ."'_ _"" _ ;!.{,U!:=';'­

 l ... J

I:

TIlE NOUN PHRASE

The simplest structure in Yoruba names is A B, where A is a noun

and B another nOLln juxtaposed to it. In this construction, noun B
qualifies noun A: ~
i
,

II:
A B
~ I
1. 1.

AM Ohi - AdeQhi "Crown of high estate"

I1~
Ola Olll ~ Qlaohl "The high estate of God"
ifi
Ola Ifa ~ Olaifa "The high estate of the oracle"

OP¢ Olu ~ Qp~ohl "Thanks to God" (Gratitude to God)

'Iii:
ik~ 0]([ ~ lk~oh'i "The care of God"
11'1

lf~ 01([ -- lf~olu "The love of God"

Iii,
Iyi Qla -- IyiQhi "The prestige of high status"

Odll Ohi ~ OdiiQla "The oracular utterance concerning

iii
honour"
II
i,!

AY9 QJ~i ~ AYQQla "The joy of high status"

0];1 Oye - Qlaoye "The high estate of a title"

AM Oye ~ Adeoye "The crown of a title"

.f;m i Qlci ~ ~miQla "Spirit of honour"

1

Oyin Qhi - OyinQla "The honey (sweetness) of honourable

111
'1,1
11\
estate"
Akin 01<i - AkinQhi 'The valour of high status" I
<)k~ <)k~ow6
I1I
Ow6 - "Bag of money" !d
Ad6 lye ~ Adeiye "Crown of salvation" !Ii
Ill:
Aantl Olu - Aanuohi "The mercy of God"
F,:ni !tan - ~niitlm "A person (about whose birth there is) W
a story iii:
III
11
l!
:,ii
~
!"
_...... 7 .. .,lc..L .._, - ';,iiilW1h· .... ,~,;.,
 1- "t
I
i
Qdllll
Agbo
Ad6
han
Qla
-
- AgboQhl
Agbo- Adcagbo
Qduntan "A year (famed in) story"
"Circle of honour"
"Crown of (family) circle"

I I,

Ad6 O~Lm - AdcQ$un "The crown of 9,~un"

Qla Opa - QhiQpa "The glory of plentiful harvest"

II
Qla Iya -- Qlaiya "The glorious influence of mothers"
Popo Qhi - PopoQhi "The highway of honour"
THE SIMPLE SENTENCE (a)
Ayt) Ad6 - AYQade "The joy of a crown"

lbllkltn Qla - Ibuk(mQhi "An increased allotment of honour"

(i) Below is the structure of sentences like A is B:

.eblll1 QIQrun- tbim "Gift of God"
Qr y OIClwa - Qr y "Gift of Goel" Baba l' Qla - BabalQhi "Father is (the source of) honour"
I
Wura Qbi - WiidH,IIa "Gold of honour" Oyin I' Qla - OyinlQhi "Fame is (sweet as) honey"
I
QdLIll Ewu - Odlmcwu "A year of danger" Jf<i I' Qlct - FalQhi "ljd is (the source of) honour"
OgLm Ad6 -- Og(made "The Ogun of royalty" Jfci l' uyi - Faluyi "fjit is (a thing of) prestige'" I,
Aeirin Qhi - AarinQhi "The centre of honour" OgLlIl I' adc - Ogunlade "Ogzin is (our) crown"
Okltn Qlei - OkllnQla "Beads of honour" (Corel of honour) 101 cf. Ogun ade
Ok lJl1 Ade-- Okimade "Beaded cord of a crown" Ad6 I' oye - Adeloye "A crown is (the essence) of a title" Ii
cf. Ade oye III

I;:
Ifet l' QP~ - FaIQP~ "ljel is (a reason for) thanksgiving" I il

QmQ l' ani - QmQlani "Children are (next of) kin"

II
QmQ I' ¢YY - QmQI¢yy "Children are (sources of) prestige"­
Nmm Phrases adorn men1.
il
x y II'
I'
QITIQ l' olu - QmQlolu "Children are the summit of achieve­
(The) love (of) God - IfyolLI ment" -­ lords.
I'
[~~ L"Of" _~_ (The)
(The)
house (of) God - JIe QIQrun
mother (of) O~Q- Iya O~¢
QmQ n'iyi
1'i 'wa l' ad6
- OmQJl1iyi
- Tiwaladc
"Children are (sources of) prestige"
"Ours is the crown"
II'
il
I Ade I Qla (The) hoe (of) the King - Qk¢ Qba il
1" OILII' QP~ - ToliilQP~ "To God belongs the than ks" I'
)!
I ori
Qhi _I
J OILI
oye
(The) foot (prints) (of) a thief-
f,ls¢ ole
(The) brink (of) the river - Eti odo (ii)
Titi )' Qlet -- THilQhl '''Endless is (our) honour"

Below is the structure of sentences like A becomes B: II

l____ -- ----I
OgUl1 d' eji - Og{mdeji "Ogun becomes two" I
Oglll1 d'iran - Ogiimliran "Og11n becomes hereditary"
Ade d'iran -- Adediran "Crowns become hereditary" )1
Ade d' oyin - Adedoyin "The crown becomes honey" (sweet) ji
I
Ade d' okul1- Adedokun "The crown becomes a sea"
This is the simplest grammatical construction in Yoruba speech:
Ade d' Qja - AdedQja "The crown becomes a market" I;
the nOl.m qualifier follows the main noun. II
I'
Adt5 el' ¢tUI1 -- Adedi,llnn "The crown becomes new" !,
ii
IIi
12
13
II
I
I'

II
 l 1 ,

IV) The 1st person pronoun is an indirect object in the fall owing:

OIu bim mi - Ohlbimmi "God gave me"

Qde( mbun mi - Qd~bimmi "The hunter gave me"

Hi blm mi - 'Fabimmi "lfa gave me"

Baba abun mi - BaMbimmi "Father gave me"

III
(v) There are a few doubly transitive verbs in Y oruba - verbs which
take two objects: a direct object and an indirect object. The verb is EMPHASIS
immediately followed by the indirect object as above. Next comes the
direct object preceded by the particle la/mil: The structure of the sentence Where the verb TO BE was used to
indicate identity resolves into X I' Y, where X is a noun and Y is another
Olll flm n IIfll aye) - Oh'ifunhiyi) "God gave me joy" noun. The names below show constructions where Y is a clause with a
Odiulfulln 09 ade --- OdufUnlJade "The oracle gave me a crown" subject and a finite verb:
- AkQmQIM~ "One who teaches children fop­
~i
A- k¢ 'm<;> IIliJ af~
pishness" X I' Y
~ Ow6 r a bi - Owolabi "It is money we gave birth to"
'1
Ow6 nn. "It is money"

Akin I' a bi -- Akinlabi "It is a brave man we gave birth to"

Akin ni.
"He is a brave man"
OJ¢ I' a bi - OWabi "It is an ON we gave birth to"
Trallslalc inlo Yuruba: OJ¢ nL "He is an ON"

Ote) I' 6 rin -- Qti)lOdn "It's a different route he walked"

r----\--- ----- -------­ I

I Doubly
Father gave me
Mother gave me
a drum
a cap

Qt() oi
"It's a different one"

Sub-\Tran- 111- Direct Teacher gave us books

The inversion frorll A bi OW!J to Owc5 I' a bi elTccts emphasis by

putting the object first: object, copula, subject, linite verb.

-.--
ject sitive direct object II
1)1 case, give liS children

verbs object God, give us peace

Give me money
Note that when followed by the continuous particle 1M or the habitual
--'-~~~ ~;---J Give him his shoes particle IfI, the mid-tone pronouns become low-tone. The mid-tone
pronouns are A40"1", 0 "You", A "We", 1;; "You":
1 k0 I
____ I YU_ _J.~lm .__ O~6 l'
O~6
a n k~* - ~olillikf
[Ii.
"It is a seer we are taking care of"

"It is a seer"

FUll wa 11.1 Olll1jy a

Ad6 l' r\. wa':' -- Adellulw:i
"It is a crown we are looking [or"
Je)w(oJ, f(1ll mi nil t' em i a
AM t~i "It is a crown"
Aye r a i gb6 -- AyeHigbe "The world is the place where people

normally live"

Aye IIi. "It is the world"

18
19

3'· n,. *
,. f m c , " .. on YeL]!,;.,,\',· ,
 )
'" • I'

Yi ... kli "to turn" "to coil round"

Q1<i yi n ka - Qlliyinkli "Honour surrounds me"
Ade yi n ka - Adeyinkli "Crowns surround me"
1\

IV ,I mQ ... ka "to know" ... "to coil round"

Ihl ml} (> ka - iIumQ9ka "The city knows him all round" (The
l;",I
" whole city knows him)
'I
COMPOUND VERBS AND SPLITTING VERBS I Each of the compound verbs is a root verb in its own right. They
are used together with the object in between, thus expressing ideas which
are too complex for each of them to express alone.
K6 ... de "to collect" ... "to arrive"
K6 're d6 - Korede "Gather good things in" Some disyllabic root verbs are erroneously thought to be a fusion
KJiI ayi) de - KaYQde "Bring joy in" of monosyllabic compound verbs. They are, therefore, sometimes
Klil 91<\ de - KQladC "Bring honour home" split into two parts, like compound verbs. These verbs have therefore
KiBI 9la W9 '16 - Kqh\wqle "Bring honour into the house" ,been called splitting verbs:
KII ~hin de - K~hinde "Bring up the rear"
pa ...dit < padit l "to convert" < "to go back"
Tq ... wi. "to pluck" . .. "to look at"
Ifa p'ohun da - 'Fapohiinda "Ifd altered its voice"
Tci aye wo - Taiwo "Taste the world (I1rst)"
< dur6 2 "to detain" < "to stay, stop"
da ... ro
Mil ... de "to take" ... "to arrive"
Ifa da .yi r6 - 'Fadair6 "lia keeps this one waiting"
Mill Akin de - Makinde "Bring homc the valiant man" Qdyllda .yi r6 - Od~dairo "This hunter keeps this one back"
Mii ~bun de - M~biIdC "Bring a gift home"
dit ...PQ < dapQ 3 "mixed together"
Mu ... wa "to take" '" "to cOlne"
Miil Akin W,t - M:ikinwa "Bring the valiant man"
D' 9Ia pi) - 'DqlapQ "Mix high class together" (in an alliance)
01<:1 daP9 - OladapQ "Honours are mixed together"
Mu iSyi wa - Muyiwli "Brought this one" Ad6 dap9 - Adedapv "Crowns are mixed together"
, , ,4
Qla ~uP9 - Ola~uPQ "Honours cluster together"
Gbe ... de "to carry" ... "to arrive"
GM 9Ia de - GbQhidC "Bronght honour" bi. ..ni 'nu < binu5 "to annoy" < "to be angry"
Gb6 ... h~lI1 "to carry" '" "It shows, it is visible" Qla m bi wQn ni 'nu "Our status is annoying them"
GbH 91<:i han Gb(lhihan "Exhibit honour"
Gte ... bi) "to carry" . .. "to return"
GbiJ ade bi) GMdebV "Bring back the crown" 1 cf. Hebrew padah "to ransom", Le., "to buy back"
2 cf. Hebrew hadal "to desist"
3 cf. Arabic 'idafa "addition"
4 cf. Hebrew 'asaf" to gather"
5 cf. Ancient Egyptian b'n "evil", Coptic bon "anger"

22 23

/'
 l l )
~
'\\9

~,-;~ r.; ?~ ,:
Tile /'>/ (1. i (- . c;;:
~r\- c~j ~~(.
,>

v ,)
)
:' \l_.
INiTJ!AL li-/ mALECTS 'L/"''-,,,­
!i"UTliAL lu,l DiALECTS \,' ".

In Yoruba noulls of the structure VCY, where the initial vowel is

Ii-!in the QY9/1badan dialects, it is lu-I in the Ondo-Ekiti/ljybu dialects,
'\
Initial Ii-I and initial Ill-I in Yoruba are therefore dialectal alternatives.
The Ii-I of the QY91lbadan dialects now prevail in the common \ ,,,0!­
dialect. But Yoruba names alTer evidence of the prevalence of the lu-I
alternative:
F'ah,yi
11{~f$HiY ]
< Ha l' uyi
<.:: i1~1 ~' uyl
(\f<l n' iyi)
(ira ~c iyl)
"ria is dignity"

"Ilfl confess dignity"

r"
J{aghi~jia / 1m gb' lllll (If:] gba ri'Jilll) "lie! takes the city"
J
jMh.'h:~!;l,"~ Acl6 l' llgb~ (Ade mJ! 19bb.) "The crown is the
(:
DcllJiifHQ < Ad6 l' t:m0 (Ade ni!l1l11¢) "The crown is knowledge"

\:)}'7"
Adenliiga < Ad6 I1fJ tlgu. (A.de niiJ 19a) "The crown has a palace"

OY~1iloJga .< Oyi;c§n~1 ttg:l (Oycrimt21 iga) "Titles have palaces"

'~;
'\

Itisi'F"- A-hi ~;{~ l!g2l (A-hi srh igu) "One born into a palace"

/
- c.)'

F{ib\fiiu.i~ <.:: W :t':c b 'i.iJ.ll .i'~ (I fa 0 lIa ~lllj¢) "Ha does not ruin a city"
Arlcb'~sliyi / Ad6 bll S(, uyi (Ade btl si£l iyi) "The crown adds todignity"
Aki!JllliJijd Akin l' uyi (Akin n' iyi) "Valour is dignity" U"lIi.' LEI [<I [s l
.. ~ ~j ',-;,
. ,,:.,'. ,~t/ k,;\ "1i'1(~'.i,;"
f'
01;llm'ilii ~ ();Jli'\mtJ 1:11{1 ((hlttm~ lI(l) "The chief has a city" L!l f~<i I>] ["J - ~J,~i. ~~ ~l "~ If!"C ,~
./
Ewchlg;)j <Ewe tilli llg2l. (Ewe to 'gil) "Leaves are as important
as a palace"
'\ ' • , < Ol',Ull
OglJltulga
'." ,'"
t~! uga (Ogun to 'ga
') ,,'
Ggun,. .. 1
IS as big as a pa ace"
The syllable [nlt] betrays the names in which they occur to be Ij9 bu The Ii-! and ILI-j dialect distinction coincides wilh a shibollethl
names. All other dialects have II only before Iii, substituting III before sibokth dialect distinction: wherever the speakcrs of the Ii-! dialects say
other vowels. In the same way, thc syllable [li] betrays the name Aw6liyi the shibilantsh, the speakers of the Ill--I dialects say the sibilant s, and vice
as ~gb,l: all other dialects have 11 before /i/. versa. The common dialect has drawn its features from both groups: it
Can you tell from what parts of Yoruba land the following namcs has the /i-I and not the lu-/. But it chooses its sibilant and shibilant
come ? according to the practice of the lu-I dialect group. Examp!es arc:
Sonui!i:e $onMki or,dinQr~n1 Odumliya $o[lQhi O~lmim~ Oyi)/Ibadan Ondo-Ekiti/ijQb(ljj¢~a

Adei1~I{ln[l I,ijl\dil Odunh~ "yallls" isu u~u

Up~de I.ir:;ilihi U'!tiin

"work" js~ u~~

(cL Adei~y~, Ohil~y~)

II
24 25

II
I),.,
, it
I
....... ..• rttm'! T"""','·'

 l .. ,
il
III
l1'1
(i)
IIii
I

Lord

The Lord enters the house

Valour appeals to me

VII
Crown (I like bravery)

The crown fits me

THii;HIGH. TONE BEfOlim U'lE :FJfNHE VERJEl Father

Honour Father comes again
In aFl1rmative sentences in Yoruba, there is a high tone before the Honour appeals to me Father saw me and ran away
finite verb.* It results in the follovving changes of tone in the subject: (I like honour)
Honour returns from overseas Mother
ii iii rvrother comes again
Seer Mother has cOl11e to look for me
ffi'~ [f~ &£ [] rim r:l~
A seer enters the house
E0il [i] [] r{ij [it]
!:t] !:ffJ A seer appeals to me
(I 'like a visioner)
il1Jh'i ()m.,
tf)m<i~{iy(; [Ay~cJt(tnde] - Ay~ti~m;c
OiiJ;w'I'lc Divination

()1'lIq,ltimdc [Ayc)()d6]{;] - AY\ldleRc

Divination befits me

Adc (1lli:l(iwilJl!1lmi.
([}h',~
AllcY9mn .'
Awo [Oyi:;!Ssfnil] - Oye:;;i",,) (iii)

,
OJa Awal~,f~l (; (ii)
()~~lt '~
(N,lwimmi Children Joy

Q)iIiJt(p!{,mb0 Awbf:i1i:;\ [Odlujyoye] -- O,hiyqyc i A child is enough for joy Joy comes again

II
A child comes again Joy arrives in the house

O~{i Akiil ()ml.

A child appeals to me

}>l.k nl~sd}E~ya [(/ni\;.(b6Ill] ,-,. Qm1bOIII

'~}6\~v ([?~C "tl (I like children) A title

'r:;l6wimJl1i AldJQv,'[mml ,~,

A title opens the way

]jf{j
'K<',ly,\,mi
l~~ba
Habintimllic
i The
The
The
cult

cult has respect

cult avenges wrong

Oracular utterance

Oracular utterance rejoices at a title

naMdnsll. The man of secret arts draws a. linc

Art

lye The valiant man

Art fits God

'YclillmIc The valiant man repays an injury

'Ycw:imic

" The verb TO DE is it copula, Q lillk between two nouns. It is not a [mite verb. iIII
29
28

'i
---:~~:~,-=-2:1."Jil"~ d- •. -.;. ·@S~·,",_ . .-
....- _..._­
~:'EJ1i~i~1;1~;, ,If"
 l ..

IV v VI vii
(iv) The sea
1111 1111 1111 ••• The sea becomes a lagoon
1111 II. II. • ••• The patron of iron workers
(The worship of) Ogun befits me
Ogun O~un Qj~ Oluwa
Birth (vi)
Ogunyymi O~11llt6kun Oj~dele Oluwmisanmi­
Birth confers dignity on me
Oluwasanmi
Children fill the house The dead come back to life
1M Okun Qt~
lbiyymi OkundQsa Ot~sanya
The family pets (it) together ON arrives home
lbikunle
IbijQk~ Oke ~ki Civil strife
~ki did a thing of honour Civil strife repays a wrong
bke~ina
J::ki
The deceased The hill
t:ki~Qla
The dead settle a quarrel (The divinity of) the hill opens the
Oku way
Okulaja Plenty
Plentiful supply fills the house
Opa
OpaklLl1le (vii)
(V)
O~un The Lord
The O~un River is (as big) as the sea The Lord is good - has done
well- with me.

i
,

30
31

".,"5 • . ,~", ,,",_, ,_~"'

~ ••
~.l '
I' ,
'i

I
I,

016 - It rises up
0169 kan - It rises up (in number) by one
01<i 16 kan - Qhilekan - - Status goes up by one rung
a wQn - It is expensive
VIII OmQ rlwQn -QrnQwQn - Children are dear (not easy to come
by)
STATIVE VERBS a t6 - It is enough, sufficient
a t6 oklln - It is as (big) as the sea'
III
Stative verbs describe the state of a thing', not an action, not "what
O~un .. t6 .kun - O~untokun - (The) O~un (River) is as big as the sea! I
a noun or pronoun does". Yoruba, like the Semitic languages, uses
Odu II t6 Qla - OdutQhi - Oracular utterance (divination) is I

stative verbs immediately after the subject where English would use
sufficient to confer status
adjectives after the verb TO BE: 2
Akin' t6 Qla - AkintQhi .- Valour is enough for honour
Baba • t6 QI<i --- BabatQhi - Fathers are enough to hoast about
a P9 a
-- It is plenty ( plenty)
Ogun t6 oyinb6 - OguntoyinbO - Ogun is enough to match the
a jil -- It is larger, bigger, older
(strength of) white men!
6 P9 ju --- It is too much
Ad6 t6 Qlci - AdetQhi - A crown is enough to boast about
Ad6 P9 jil -AdCpQju - Crowns arc too many (in our family!)
T' emiilt6 aY9 - TemitaYQ - Mine (my affairs) is sufficient (cause)
a dim - It is sweet (a sweet)

T' emiilt6 9P¢ - TernitQP~ -

for joy
Mine (my affairs) is sufticient (cause)
Ibi dun -Ibidim - Childbirth is sweet

a dimju - It is too sweet

[or thanks/gratitude
a ju aye - It is greater than titles

Sometimes an active verb is used after a stative verb. In this structure,

6 dim j' aye - It is sweeter than titles

a particle - high tone i-occurs between the stative and the active verb:
Ola dim j' aye -~ Qhidimjoyc - An honourable state is sweeter than

titles
Ad6 t6 i wun - Adetowun "The crown is enough to elate one"?

6 yllll -- It is sweet (Ij'tbll)

-l~poyim
Olll t6 i yin - Olutoyin "God is enough to praise"

Epa I'iI yun -- Oil is sweet

Olu t6 i sin - OIMosin "God is enough to worship" I

6 jin - It is far (afar) Ifa t6 i ki - Flitoki "lfd is enough to salute" I

Omi i.J jin - Omijin -- (The) way is far O~un .t6 i ki - O~untoki "O$un River is enough to salute"

a
tutll-­ - It is cold/wet/soothing If<-i ~e i sin - Fli~esin "lId is possible to worship"

Ad6 tutu -- AdetllltiI -- The crown is comfortable Ola ~e i ni - QIa~eni "Fame and honour can be possessed"

a taro -- It is clear (a clear) like water when Ow6 ~e i ni 2 - Owo~eni "Money is possible to own"

Ola dim i ni - Qllidt'mni '~High status is sweet to have"

the sediments have settled I!I

Ad6 taro -AdetOro _. The crown is well ordered and at peace QmQlldun i bi - QmQdimbi "Children are sweet to have"
Ow6 dun i ni - Owodimni "Money is sweet to have"

1 Hence they are called "descriptive verbs" in E.C. Rowlands, Tel/ch Yourself YO­ I Contrast OIl! t6 'yc "God is as valuable as a title"
RUBA (English Universities Press, 1969) Note how the verb jtl is used to express OIl! t6 i sin" God is enough to worship"
the ideas of" ... than" and of the superlative degree. ',' "It is impossible" - It cannot be done -- is Ka ,~e i -,I'e (ko ,~ee ,~e).
:z Hence they are also called "predicative adjectives."
II
32 33
 ~ ~

Ko t6 i y~(;J - KOt6y~ "It is not enough to sneer about(?)

In speech, the particle i is assimilated to the preceding vowel:
'T66yfn, 'T66sfn. t66kf, ~eesin, '$eenf, dununni, dununbi.

IX

TITLES: "MASTER OF ... I LORD OF... "

Owu
Ol6wu - Lord ofOwu
Ak6
Alake - Lord of Ake
Mtfin - "palace"
AIMtfinl Lord of the palace (at 9n?)"
Ek6 - Lagos
Eleko - Lord of Ek6
OWQ
QIQwQ - Lord of 9wp
Ikija
Akija
Alakija - Lord of ltdja
ebftte - harbour
Elebute ,- Harbour master
Qrun - heaven
QIQrun Lord of heaven: God
Edumare
*Odumare
OIOditmare - Lord of splendour, full of glory: God
The one whose glory spans the skies like a rainbow
ade - "crown"
Alade - the crowned one.
To form a noun meaning "the owner of. .. ", use as a prefix to the
noun the initial vowel of the noun plus 11/, the initial vowel of the noun
being raised to a high tone. When the initial vowel of the noun
is / i-I, the consonant III is realised as n. In this case, the prefix vowel is
10/. For nouns which begin with a consonant, use as prefiX on£-.

Icf. Old/in < rJin, with the same meaning as Alddjin < ddlin

34 35

;~.",
~\ , . '1\
Ii:
1\ :
'I '\

The following names are composed of a subject which is a noun of ii,

Il i
ownership, e.g. onfpif, and a predicate, e.g. the verbs de "to arrive", Y9
"to rejoice".

alit'!'
ahHa
"white" (white cloth as emblem of Obclfalci)
"the one in white"
x
AI:iHide
"Here comes the one in white" VERBS OF MOTION: "Go home" I "Go to the house';
oro
"the bull roarer"
0161'0
"the terrible one"
"go" "com(~/return"
Olorode "Here comes the terrible one"
Ayan "The sound of drums" - the patron saint of drummers
Ahiyan " Drummer"
IQ "go" wa "COllie"
Alayande "Here comes the master drummer"
re "go" be) "come, n,'turn"

<;ma "artistic genius"

QIQnil "the artist" yCm "go" (1j~btl & Ekiti) d6 "arrive, return, reach"

t9 "~o after"

OI~ll1ade "Here comes the master artist"

Wi "The Yorllbci divination system"
Onif<l "The diviner"
Onifade "Here comes the diviner"
iP9 "consolation"
Adenrele - Ad6 11 re '16 iyabi) -lya:6 b<)
onip9 "the consoler"
Irele - I-re-ile llabMiinde - Baba:6 tiIll de
Onip~dc "Here comes the consoler"
Akinrelc - Akil1llre '16 Yctunde - lye:6 tCm de
ibi "birth"
Odiiyungb6 -- Odll-ee ytIll 'gb6 QIMunde - Qla ttm de
onibl "one who has given birth"
Meyungh~ - ee yun 'gbi; OIayide - Ql<i yi de
On1Myl) "One who has given birth rejoices"
MalQm{l - M,1 1<;> 1119 QI:ihl)dc - QIa bQ de
QI{l "elevated state"
Ollihi)Qpo - Qla b<) sl 'po
QI(>1<i
01 {lllidC
"a man of high estate"
"Here comes the honourable one"
J;:nilQ
Obinrewaju
- Bni IQ I' 6 b<)
- Qla 11 re 'WajCl D~hinbl) - QmQl:d~hin b<) Ii
AkinlQhin - AkinmlQ tan D¢hillde - Ql,i d~hin de
iyi
oniyi
"dignity"
"the mall of dignity" AdCwale - Ad6 wa ']6 Qhi s~hin de il
Oniyide "Here comes the dignified one" Ollidele - Q1<1 d6 '16 K¢hillde - K¢hin de i[Iil
Olawale - Qla wa '16 M¢bUde - M' ~blm d6 ,il
- QmQ:6 de 'Ie M::ikinde - M' akin de ill
Om{ldCJe
AYQdelc - Ay<):6 de '16 Makinwa - M' akin wa II!I
AdebQ -- Ade b<) Korede - K6 're de
AdebQw:ile - Ade b<) wa '16 K{llawQle - K' QIa WQ '16
Adebajo - Ad6 b' ajo Akintl)mide - Akin:6 t9 mi de
AdebQgun -- Ade b<;> ogun
*cf. jim/un hila" pure white".

36 37

·",,-f.Il:'ii;w ­
 (y) •

Note the non-obligatory role of the preposition Isil "towards". It is

idiomatic to omit it after wu "come", bp "return", re "go", etc.

It is like English Go home (in contrast to Gu to the house) and Come

home (in conrast to Come to the house). Latin had domum, an accusative
without a preposition, after verbs of going to mean "homewards". In XI
Yoruba,
wei
THE NOUN FORMING PREFIXES: (A-I and IA-;
'Ie "Come home"

6 wa 'bi "He came here"

(i) The low-tone prefix (A-I forms abstract nouns from verbs or
6 de 'Ie "He got home"
verb phrases. In the names below, it means "A thing which .... ",
6 de 'bi "He got here"
"A person whom .... ".
But AjQk~ AjQ kf Someone whom we are all to pet* together

Ab~k~ A b~ k¢ Someone who has to be begged so that we

6 de si 'bi "He lodged here"

may pet him

Wa ill 'bi
Arik~ A ri k¢ Someone who only needs to be seen to be

"Come here" (an instruction)

Mcla b¢ ill 'bi

"Come on here" (an invitation) petted
Abik~ A bik¢ Someone born to be petted
A- bi s. ogun .- Abisogun Ajik~ Ajik¢ Someone whom one pets daily on waking up
"One born in a situation of war"

A- bi SD llga - Bisiiga
Aduk~ A du k¢ Someone whom people scramble to pet
"One born into a palace"
Al':labi A ,ya bi Someone chosen to be born
But A~ak~ A:ja k¢ Someone chosen for petting
AYQkli A y¢ hi Someone surrounded with joy
A- bi • QdLIll - Abi~diin Aghek~ A gbe k¢ Someone to be carried and petted
"One horn during a festival"
A- bi • ¢s~ - Abi~s~ "One born on the Sabhath" AriYQ A ri y¢ Someone whom men rejoice to see
A- bi Iir Qlci - Abi~la "One born into fame" Adimni A dun ni Something sweet to have
A- bi. oye - AMoye "One born into a chieftaincy title"
Akanni A kan ni A child conceived with a touch(?)
A- bi Iir ¢na - Abi~1Il1 "One born on the road" Akanbi A kin bi A child born with a touch(?)
Ajani Aja ni Someone possessed through struggle
Ajilkaye Aja ka aye (A war) fought all round the world
When the preposWon sf is omitted, the high tone is retained ~
transferred to the following syllable: Mo ti 1(J • 'Ie "I am going home" (ii) The mid-tone prefix lal means "the person who ... ". The full
Mo n 1(J iii Ek6 "I am going to Lagos". form is eni ti 6.
bal ... verb
I;:ni ti 6 ba Qd Lm rin - AbQdiinrin - One who walks in with a
festival
A b. Qd y rin - AbQd~rin - One who walks with a
hunter I
" "to pet", Le., to spoil (of a child) with affection.
',I
38
39
l
1,1
II'

if
II
'.~
(/:,j'j l .. )

i"
I

A bM 6rl 7a de - AbOdi;mde - One who arrives with the A gbe aje gun or! it~ - Agbaje - One who carries prosperity
orisa on to the thronc
A biiilQya de - Ab"yade - One who arrives with the AnI ml ni aje - Anifahije - One who has Ifa and has
Oya River (Niger) prosperity
A biW <)s~ de -. Ab"s~de - One who arrives on the day A ji M ik¢ - Ajibik~ - One who wakes up to find
of rest (Sabbath) care I
A bll eeglm de - Abegunde - One who arrives with the Aji M OWCl - JibOwu - One who wakes up to meet
masquerade an anvil
A bil Jf<l rin - Abiflirin - One who walks with Ifa A jf d' agbit - Ajidagba - One who becomes an elder
l;':ni ti 6 dara m(l Qlel - Adaramqla - One who is good ­ whose right from youth
goodness goes together with A ji 7' af~ - Aji~af~ - One who wakes up and
honour proceeds to set the pace
A delra m,l ja -- Adaramajil - One who is so good that he of fashion "I
i
does not quarrel
"t
A ri ibi sci lit - AribisaIil - One who finds a place to Elimination of the Mid-tone Prefix jA-j
run to for safety
A k() QD1Q ]' af¢ - AkqmQI:if~ - One who teaches young 'B"diinrin < Ab¢dunrin 'JibOye < Ajib6ye
men neatness and dandy 'B"s~de < Ab¢s~de 'JibOwlj < AjiMwll
ways 'Bisiiga < Abfsuga 'Jibik~ < Ajibik~
Aji 7e af¢ - Ajii;iaf¢ - One who wakes up and 'Biqla < Abi(Jlci 'FQlabi < AfQlelbi
begins to fop around 'Bi(idiin < Abi¢dClll 'FQhik~ < Af<;Jhik¢
J,<:ni ti a bi si 'nll <;JdCm - Abi"dCm - One who is born into the 'Bioyc < Abi6ye 'Foluk¢ -< Afolllk~
midst of a festival 'J ib(illi < Ajfh(Jl<i
A bi si 'nCI oyc' ~- Abioyc - One who is born into a
chieftaincy title
A bi si ~)nil -- AbiQDll - One who is born on the 'BQs~

wayside M verb
~ni ti 6 dll bi If,i -- Adubiifa - One who is black like Ifa ----,----1 1-----1 Give the Yo ruba namcs for the ii
II'
A glill bl ade -- AgCmbiadc - One who is erect like a ifa following: i.

crown Qd y rin A child who walked in with the IIII

A kere d' Olll - Akeredolu - One who in spite of being A b. Qdlll1 festival
small becomes master A child who arrived with the
A kere Ie - AkerClc - One who in spite of being <)s~ masquerade
small is strong and tough eegun de A child who came with the Sabbath

[' I ~~~a

A ri ogUI1 de ade
1 See also Abf.\'(jye
- Arogundade - One who on seeing a battle Onc who walks with the hunter
puts on the crown _ One who walks with the oracle
- ..--._. _._-------~I- One who arrived with the goddess
of the River Niger.

40 41

__ • t rmt , . rl ---­
l'
• •

'BQla

~-i----'IJ
ject ba 91<i ni 1 ile
Translate into Yoruba:
1 met honour in the house
- - - _ --1-- 1 met father at home
Ade We met teacher in school
XII
Qm 9 >
Akin>
Qm¢ I b. 9 lci I nIill 'Ie wei met him
I met Jide
I on
in
the way
(this place) GRAMMATICAL PARTICLES
I Akinl J __,__ -- --- ------ - -----
(i) The Instrumental Particle fi / f' "with" II,

f' ... 1 verb I

f' 9lci bi - AfQllibi "(A child) born with high status"

f' 91a k~ - AdefQhik~ "The crown pets (him) with honour"
f' Olu k~ - Aderoluk~ "The crown cared for this child with
the help of God"
f' 91a mi - FQhimi "Breathe with honour"
f' ade k~ - OIUfadek~ "God used a crown to pet this child" II:I
I
f' 91a gb' ade - FQhigbade , "Receive a crown with glory"
f' 9lci rin - AdefQhirin "The crown walked with honour"
f' Olu ~¢ - Folu~Q "Watch over the child with the help of
God"

f' 9lci yan - AfQhiyan "One who struts around with fame"

f' ija bi - Fijabi "Born with strife"

f' 91a han - $6fQhihan "The seer exhibits fame"

f' ara sin - AdHarasin "The crown is hidden away"

f' owo ra - O~ifowora "O~i bought with money"

- Fafowora "If{f bought with mane¥,'

- KOfoworQla "She did not purchase distinction with
money"

f'QI¢run ~¢ - MofQIQrun~Q "I put under the protection of God"

f' ade re 'ra - Faderera "adorn the body with a crown"
f' 9Ia ~' ade - FQla~ade "Make a crown out of honour"
fi mi han - Olafimihan "Fame pointed me out"

42 43

I
 • ..
I

e I
Sec the following:
(iii) Association: the particle bci ...
f' iwa ~' aye - Fiwa~ayc "Conduct life with good character"

·1
ba ... 1verb \

1" ~~Q j' aye "Enjoy life without haste"

- Qhiblinji "Fame woke up with me"

ba n ji
f' QrQ l' agba "consult elders about a problem"

banM - Adeblink~ "The crown helped me to pet" :1

1" t;j(J SLl11 "make a report"

bj qla ji - MobQlaji "1 woke up with honour"

f' iya jy ~ "plInish hi m"

bj oye jq - AdebOyej/) "A crown fitly associates with a title"

ba n de 'Ie - Bandele "Get home with me" I

'$adc F' ikll ~'cri"PIay with death" "Help me to set down the Ira board"
,II
ba n t¢ 'fa - Bant~fa II
F' iwa ~'aiy(; "Go through life with
-r~~~l-l-~I noun verb . good condl1ct"
ba n kQ 'Ie - BankQle
BamgbO~e
"Help me to build a house" I
'1,
ba m gbj o~c -- "Help me fetch the double-axe"
mental or and Fi pen k(J'we "Write with a pen"
particle pronoun noun Fi fork )\?UIl "Eat with a· fork"
Ta 1'0 f' qw(J kim mi? "Who tou­ Predicate Banj/)
Pi qhi 5e-!-ad; ched me?" Bank~
I
~~---r---Qhl ~' lade
Qnafqw(Jkan(Qnalilf'qw(J kan) "The
Artist's touch"
Subj,ct raJ m~ ~"b' Banji

¢sQ
gb'
oye
F'¢hin ti ogiri "Lean on a wall" Ade> Ade I 1 jq
k¢
Get home with us "Ba wa de '16"
Sit with them "B,i w(Jn j6'k6"
Wa bq wa jyun, OILl'wa "Come eat
'---------··~--!---------'----'---i
Olu > Olu I b'l I n with us, Lord"

I
(ij) The Preposition lilt' "from ... " Qla> Qla B,i mi j6ko "Sit with me"
l' ... I~~erb-I 0~6 > '~6 ji Ra mi de 'Ie "Get home with me"
l' okun b0 -- Adetokunbr)
Oku I I I de Ma j6ko I' asan "Don't sit idle"
"The crown returns from overseas"
l' lIgb6 b() -- TugbObr) "Returned from the bush" I
t' ilc w,i
t' inll k¢
- Motihlwa "I came fro111 a home" i
I'e j
- Atimlk¢ "A child petted from the womb" { :

Predicate I'
i,*'

Subject I----------1--_·__
kiti I
······'~
----1 'Toknnbr)

'TinuM

Ni 'gba ti mo t' Ek6 de

Prepo- Name I AmutQrunwa (A mu t'Qrun wit)

sition of Verb ,I A t'Qrun b(J wa j'aiye

"from" place . Mo 11 t' Ode b()

1----1----'­ _J Mo 11 t' qja b0

Ade I l' I ~klln I bQ

When I arrived from Lagos

QI,i I Qy(J I wa That which is brought from heaven

,----
. Mo

I
L
A
t'

t'
~
1---1--­
ile

intI
I---.--I
M
Coming from heaven to enjoy life

I am coming from an outing

I am coming from the market

44 45
11

In
I

I) 1/'1
.
 I,
•t

OIUwasanmi - Oluwa Ii san m! - God is good to (ffor) me

Ilcsanmi - He san mi - Home is all right for me
OIUf~mi - Olu f~ mi - God loves me
Adey~mi - Ade yy mi - The crown fits me
XII
Fagbemi - Ifi gbe mi -- Divination rallied round to
my support

(i)
THE FIRST PERSON SINGULAR PRONOUN

Subject Mo:
Oluf6nmihiYQ
OIubimmi
-
Diu fun mi
-
Diu bim mil
aY9 I.
Predicative milmi as Indirect Object
­
-
God gave me joy
God gave me
Modup~ - Mo dLlp~J -
1 give thanks Fabimmi Wi bUn mi
- - lfd gave me
MojisQla - Mo ji si Qla -
I woke up into high state Bababunmi Baba" bun mi
- - Father gave me
MonilQla -- Mo ni 1Ii1 Qli I have a part in honour Qd~bimmi Qdy iii bun 111i
- - The hunter gave me
MosunmQla -- Mo sun mQ Qlci - I move near high achievement J;:bUn - Gift
MorakiIIYQ - Mo rI akin Y9 - I saw a valiant man and Olurfmil~kun -- DIu r~ mi I.. ykun - God consoles me in my
rejoiced weeping
Mor~nik~ -- Mo ri yni k¢ - I (have) found a person to pet
(iii) Possessive mi «emi"I") "my"
Moradeun - Mo ri ade hun 2 - 1 found a crown to boast
about Olumide - Olu .mi III de - My Lord arrives
MorohunfQhi -- Mo ri ohun fun QI,i I found something to give to Aramide - Ara limi .. de - Here comes my kith and kin
honour Ojumiri - Oju "mi .. d - My eyes saw (trouble)
Morohundiya - Mo ri ohun di iya
I found something to com­ (iv) In non utterance-final positions, the first person pronoun tends
pensate for suffering to be articulated as a mere syllabic nasal; [m] when followed by a
MorohunmubQ- Mo ri ohun mLI bQ
I found something to bring bilabial consonant (b,p,m,kp,gb), [IJl when followed by a velar
back consonant (k,g,w), and [11] when followed by any of the other con­
T<iml,lri - Mo tQ QJ11Q ri J nursed a child once sonants:
Mo~ebQlatan - Mo :;;ebi Qla tcin I thought attainments had Abimb<ila - A bi m b. Qla - I was born with high state2
ceased $owande - 0:;;6 wi n de - The seer came here to look
Motilewa - Mo t' i!c wa -
r came from (a) home for me
MobQlaji -- Mo M 91,iji -- I woke up with high status Yewandc - lye .. wei n de - Mother came here to look for
Mofl,llQruil~Q - Mo f' QI¢run :;;(> - J guard (and protect this child) me
with (the help of) God $angowanwa - ~ang6 wa n wa -- Sango came here to look for
me
(ii) Predicative m! (after mid tone and low tone words) $obande - 0:;;6 hi n d6 - The seer arrived with me
m! (after high tone words)3
Fasanmi - If,i san mi - Divination has done me good 1 The verb bim "give" takes mid tone mi after it, although it is a low tone word. This
is an exception, a result perhaps of the fact that bim is an alternative reflex of fun,
., I
I
which has a high tone.
2 Yoruba has no passive voice. Whcre English and other languages which have a I
I Thank you, in Yoruba, is A dlipri"We give thanks"

2 hUIl/wun: h followed by --u > WIl.

passive voice use the passive construction with the agent unstated, Yoruba makes

3 Often the direct object. See page

an active voice statement using as an hypothetical agent the plural pronouns A

"We" and Wpn "They" as indefinite pronouns.

46 47

.. '."'- . ,.'~"'. -----_.

II:!
'I
 I, ,I
~

Adeblink~ - Ade ba n k~ -- The crown helped me to pet

(this child)
Qhibanji - Qlel ba nji - High status woke up with me
(in the morning of my life)
Ohifunmilayi) - OILl fUn n 1M ay¢ -- God gave me joy XIV'

Adebimpe - Ade bi m pe -- The crown gave me my birth,

and did a :finished job of it. PREVERBS
Qhibimhin - Qlei bi In tan Honourable people gave me
my birth, and they did a A preverb is a particle which normally occurs immediately before a verb.
perfect job All the particles cited below are adverbs: they say something about
.Fabanwij - If,i b'l n WD 6 - l/d helped me to look after it the manner of the action of the verb.
BandeIe - Ba n de 'Ie - Get home with me
tim del ,- Qhitunde "Honour comes again"

OIUfunk~ - Olu Hill n ~9 - God gave me to guard

Oliifulli;li) - OILL fLll1 n k¢ - God gave me to pet - QInQtiinM "The child comes again"

OhifUntQ - Olu fim n t9 - God gave me to guide (bring - YCtunde "Mother comes again"

up)
- BabMunde "Father comes again"

AdebanjQ - Ade b,i n j<;> - The crown fits me (matches

me) tim j i - QJiitunji "Honour is revived"

Qdimmbaku - QdLll1 I'h beL hi - The year I would have died - Adetunji "The crown has got up again"

Babarinsa -- Baba II ri n Sci - Father saw me and ran away "Crowns assembled to give birth to this child"

jilm<) bi - AdCjumi)bi
(died at my birth)
AdCgbenro - Ade gbe n 1'6 - The crown lifted me upright jlun<) k¢ -- Ade.il)mi)k~ "Crowns assembled to give birth to this child"

Fagbenle - ]f,i gbe n Ie !(Ii lifted me aloft - QhijillnQk~ "Fame gathered to pet this child"

Adekanmbi -- Ade bn III bi? Does the crown come to my

- IbijQk~ "The family pets together"

jq k¢
turn?
j<;> bi - OgimjQbi "Ogzin gave birth to us jointly"

-- Qd~jQbi "Hunters gave birth to us all"

t6b<) sun - QIMubi)sun "Honour advances further"

-1 See, however, Aj6 tun 'n19 bi - Ajetunll1Qbi,

A - ttln 'wa ~y -- Atunwa~y

48
49
, L .0

(iv) The Negative: ... t1. (See 6 ti "No")

a k~d. "He read it"

ad "No"
xv
a ka a ti "He tried in vain to read it"

NEGATIVE PARTICLES
a ~' Qrim "He tackled a matter"
a ~' Qran ti "He tried to solve a problem, but failed"
(I) Ko / 0 in indicative sentences: Ee ~' Qran ti "He never failed in an attempt to solve a problem"

Ka slil 9kQ - KosQkQ "There is no hoe"

!fa: ee ~' Qran ti "lfa doesn't try to solve a problem without succeed­
Ka ku mQ - KokurnQ "He no longer dies"
ing"
Ka f' owo r' 91a - KOfow6rQhi "She did not buy high estate with
a kli "He died"
money" 6 kli ti "He couldn't die" < Kuti
Ka to i y~ - KOt6y~ "It is not enough to .... "
Ade a ti -. Adeoti "The crown does not fade"
Qla 0 ~e 'bi kan - Qlao~ebikan "Honour does not dwell (ex­
clusively) in one place"
Bi a ba kli - Biobliku "If he does not die, ... "
(v) The Oildo/ij~bU Negative Particle (also Ekiti and Ije~a)
(ii) Ki i/i i-negative particle ki/i plus habitual particle i:
Qla i i tan - Qlaiitan "Achievements of honour never
ee before high tone
finish" er. before mid and low tones
Aje i i gbe - Ajeiigbe "Prosperity never perish"
Akin - 0 ku gbe
(iii) Mad before high tone words [Akinr.kugbe] Akinkligbe "Brave men don't die in
Akin - ee ku gbe
Mar. before other words in prohibitions - "Don't. .. ": vain"
Mar. 19 mQ - MalQrnQ "Don't go (away) any more"
Mar. S9 mi nu - MasQrninu "Don't throw me away" Akin - 6 bQ 'hun
Mar. b' oagim j¢ - Mabogunj~ "Don't ruin a medicine" Akin - ee bQ hun [Akinr.bQhim] AkinbQhun "Brave men don't lose
Mar. da 'ri kim - Madarikan "Don't turn round to meet (me)" heart"
Mar.j~ klilo dun mi - Maj~k6dunrni "Don't let it pain me"
Akin - 0 t¢ mi
Mail f~ y - Maf~ "Don't marry him/her" [Akinr.t¢mi] Akint~rni "The brave man does not
Mar. ti ilu kura - MatiJuko "Don't leave the town" Akin - ee t¢ mi
let me down"
The subjunctive particle ki after .it Maj~
Awo - 6 ~'ika
Mar. j¢ k'o dim wa - Don't let it
D~~l-I grieve us.

~~~-I~ 0 d~n [~~ Mar. j¢ k'o dim wt5n - Don't let it

pain them.

50 51
 !

All these names illustrate the importance of the assimilated low tone
Awo - eR ~'ika [Aw6"~ika] Aw6~ika* "The cult does not do any
(marked Ii). As it is never indicated in the orthography, the names
wicked thing"
marked* have suffered mispronunciation by speakers whose dialects
Ifa - 6 ~' Qran ti

Ifa - elil ~' Qran ti have, instead of the Oild6/Ij~bli negative particle ee/er., the QYQ/ibadan
[Fa.~Qrantl] Fa~Qdmti*
"flit never attempts a pro­ negative particle k% (which now prevails in the common dialect).
blem and fail"
Because the 0I1d6/Ij~bU ee/e. has an effect similar to that of the
I
Ifa - 6 b' Lilli j~

high tone before the finite verb, many people have missed the negative III
Ifa - ell! b' Lilli j~ [F<iBblJluj~] Fabiduj~*
"Ifadoes not ruin the city"
in these names. They have misconstrued Awof2$ika as Aw6~ika "AlVo
Ow6 - 6 tlil QmQ did a wicked thing" and they pronounce Fitia$pranti as Fit,5pranti "Ifa
Ow6 - ee tNiI QmQ [Ow6i11tQmQ] OwOti}IllQ "Money is not as valuable attempts a project and fails". In both cases, the results are the
------- as children" opposite of the meaning intended.! !II
The same tendency has been extended even to the QYQ/ibadan
QmQ - 6 hir aYQle
QmQ - ce 1m aYQlc [QmQliIlaYQlc] QmQJaYQJe "There is no cause for joy negative particle:
ill
I'i
, '
in children" (except with Qi<i - ko ~e 'bi .kan
those who receive burial Qla 0 ~e 'bi .kal1- Qlao~eblkan "Honour doesn't dwcll (exclusively) in
from their children) anyone place"
Ifa - 6 jm uyl tan This is the name of the author of Lcarning Yorubit (O.U.P.) It appears
If,i - ce jril uyi t,ln [Faliljuylt<in] FajuYltan "!lit does not let (our)
\1
as La$cbikan. The negative particle is lost, and the way is open for con­ I,
glory end" struing the name as "Honour dwelis (exclusively) in one place." I
I
Q1<i - 6 ni ip~kun

Qla - ee nlll ip~kun

- Qhlnip¢kull "Elevation has no limit"
'l

Akin - 6 ni 19bagbe

Akin - ee ni 19M9be
- Akinn'igbagbe "Brave men are exempt
from the possibility of

Oglll1 - 6 yin akin nL!

oblivion"
II'

Ii,
6 glin - ee y'akin nL! - OgunYlmkin "OgLII1 does not leave a

Urun - ee ~e lwc*
brave man in the lurch" il
- RUIl~ewe "Something did not hap­
pen to this one (Nothing
happened to tl1is one)

II
II:
'" fwd is Ijt;bu dialect for" this one"
Urun is Ijt;bu dialect for "thing" 1 This perhaps fortifies AYQ Bamgbo~e's suggestion that the assimilated low tone be
marked in Yorubil orthography. He suggests a dot on the line: Aw6.~lka. See his
I

Yoruba Orthography. II
52 53 :1\, .
I) .
I
,i),;
 J.
I 'I.

7. Ajayi - Iyl a consonant)

[a-ja-yf] (3 syllables;
Iyl a semi-vowel;
[a-ja 9]' (2 syllables;
Iii dropped)
8. DawOdu - [da-wo-du] (3 syllables; Iwl a consonant)
XVI - [dei w-duf (2 syllables; Iwl a semi-vowel;
101 dropped)
DIPHTHONGIZATION: ay(V»ai; aw(V»au
Diphthongization is accompanied by the loss of a syllable - a
There may be disagreement on the question whether there are diph­
result of the ambivalent interpretation of the glides IyI and IwI when they
thongs in Y oruba. The point does not seem to me worth arguing about,
occur between vowels. They can be taken as semi-consonants, in which
for it is a matter of terminology. Readers who do not like the term
case they form a syllable with the following vowel. They can be taken
"diphthongization" are free to give a different name to the phenomena
alternatively as semi-vowels, in which case they form a diphthong with
which we study below:
the preceeding vowel. 3
1. T¢ aye wo Ihl behaves in the same way:4
Tlit aye wo [tei-ye-wo] (3 syllables; IyI a consonant) K6 ~hin de
,

,il
Taiwo' [t,i y -wo] (2 syllables; IyI a semi-vowel; K. ~hin de [k~-hin-de] (3 syllables; Ihl a consonant)

lei lost) K~hinde [k~h-in-de] (3 syllables; Ihl has lost whatever con­

2. 01<i yi we) 'lei [Q-hi-yi-wQ-lei] (5 syllables; /yl a consonant) sonantal value it had)
QJaiwQhi [Q-lei y -wQ-lei] (4 syllables; Iyl a semi-vowel; [k~-in-de] Uhl lost)
LaiwQJ:i2 IfI dropped) [k~in -de] (2 syllables)

3. Olei yi de - [Q-Ia-yi-de] (4 syllables; Iyl a consonant) The same process is followed by the following: I
QJaide - [Q-lei y -de] (3 syllables; Iyl a semi-vowel; Ola s' ~hin de - Qlas~inde ,

Laide IfI dropped) Oku s' ~hin de - Okiis~inde r

Ola d' ~hin de ­ Qlad~indC II
4' Dei eyi ni O~6 d' ~hln de ­ 1;)od¢inde
!I
Dei Byi nl [da-Yl-ni] (3 syllables; jyl a consonant) F' ~hin l' Qlei ­ F~hintQla (3 syllables)

I,

Daini [dei Yl-ni] (2 syllables?; Iyl a semi-consonant; II

,
!If attenuated) Akin. gb' ~hin - Akingb~in (3 syllables)

5. Dei eyi r6 Dei 'hun sf i 5 - Dahunsi

Dei Ryf r6 [dei-YI-r6] (3 syllables; Iyl a consonant) Mo ri ohun 6 fun Qlei

Dairo [dei YI-r6] (2 syllables?; IyI a semi-consonant; Mo r. ohun f. e)lei - MorounfQJa (4 syllables)

/lj attenuated)
6. Dei eyi sf
1 Hence the nineteenth century spelling of the name of Bishop Adjai Crowther. II
III
Da liIyi si - [dei-yl-si] (3 syllables; Iyl a consonant)
2 The same name as came to Yoruba land later through Islam as Dauda, through
Da isi
[dei yl-sf] (2 syllables; Iyl a semi-consonant; the Bible as David.
3 The diphthong is often initiated by a high tone. I (I
/II attenuated) 4 ¢hin = ((yin in the speech of some people.
I If
,I
5 The 3rd person pronoun object after high tone monosyllabic verbs show this change I II
in the common dialect: ge e ( > ge) "cut it"; mu u ( > mu) "take it"; j6 0 ( > jo)
1 Shortened to Tai in the first name of Tai Solarin. "burn it". Two syllables (high, mid) become one (mid tone). II
,I

6 See onj(( -- ol1nj(( < ohun jij(( "food < edible thing"
"

2 Shortened to Lai in the name of Lai Tailoring Service. i

54 55 )11

I,

1
1
111,
 .~

Mo ri ohun mil bl)

I I
Mo re ohun mil b¢ - MorounmiIbQ (4 syllables) II I

Ad6 nil ohun k~ - 'R6nk~ I,

11

I
Ad6 1'0 ohun mll - Aderounmu \

Ii
Olll nil ohun bi - Olurounbi
Ki a nu ohun wi - Karunwi XVII
Each of the following namcs has three syllables: Alilo, Aklm6, ORIKI*
Adi6, Aja6, AmQo, Ab~o. I cannot give any meanings for them. They
originate in little orfki, and names of endearing. See next chapter. It will be seen that AIdb, Akdna [aIda], Adib, etc all have the tone
pattern Iil 9 III ­ the same tone pattern as most of the names in the two
tables on page 39; Ab~bi, Ab~k~, etc. All these are oriki "pet names"
as Samuel Johnson calls them on page 85 of The History of the Yon/bas:

This is an attributive name, expressing what the child is, or what he

or she is hoped to become. If a male, it is always expressive of some­
thing heroic, brave, or strong; if a female, it is a term of endearment
or of praise. In either case it is intended to have a stimulating efTect
on the individual ...

The lise of the attributive name is so common that many children

'II
Ii'
arc better known by it than by their real names. Some do not even
I
know their own real names when the attributive is popular. But i
lhere is a method in the use of it; as a ruIe, only children are addressed I
by their oriki by their elders, especially when they wish to express a I
feeling of endearment for the child. It is considered impertinent I'
'\
for a younger person to call an elder by his Oriki or pet name.
[III
I

I \

'l'It is uul easy to find a name for this in English because the Llsage does nol exist
among the English peop!c\ "Oriki ... is a little more than the "cognomen" among
t1~e ancient Romans. The nearest I have found to it are the invocative recitals of
Virgil in his Aineids. In these books Virgil describes his heroes and his principal
actors and actresses by giving their genealogy treeS and re-counting the heroic
deeds of their deified ancestors.
Tn Yorubaland two categories of odk! are easily distinguishable. There is a per­
sonal or!k! and the family or ancestral orfk!." Ogunleye Agunbiade-Bamishe,
Know The Yorubas (lbadan, 1968) pp. 32-33. Ii
56 57
I,!
,I
 •
f
, i

These one-word oriki must be distinguished from the longer literary

genre of the same name: to the little orfki may be applied the term "praise
I
I
I

name", to the longer oriki should bc applied the term "praise poem". .1
I
This latter will not concern us in this study; it is a literary-historical
genre in itself: every great man, every family, every town has its oriki;
every animal worth celebrating in verse has its own: so does every divinity.
They are treated at length in books such as Oridc(J Yoruba by C. L.
Adeoye (1969) AW911 Oriki Oril? by Adeboye Babalola (Collins, 1967).
The first chapter of Rogelio A. Martinez Furc's Spanish anthology,
Poesia Yoruba is on Oriki "la poesia de los dioses y los hombres". See
I
also Oriki by Bakare Gbadam9si.

A Yoruba person's full name (before the post 1840 "Christian ,\I'll.
names" and "surname" innovation) had three elements: 1 2 I'
1

OrukQ Oriki Oril~ ')'

III
(name) (pet name) (totem)
TIe I' a i WO, k' a to 89 'm9 I' oruk9
AbiQdun AIM Erin :\1
Ajibik~ Ab~ni Qkin !
AdcjiJmQ Ajamli Ogun
Fagbcmi Akan6 Qg9
:1
The items in the third column are known as Oril~: ;,11
"The term OriN denotes foundation or origin, and is of an immense 1,1

importance in the tracing of a pedigree. Each one denotes a parent

stock. The Oril& is not a name, it denotes the family origin or Totem.
The real meaning of this is lost in obscurity. Some say they were
descended from the object named, which must be a myth; others
that the object was the ancient god of the family.
The Totem represents every conceivable object e.g. Erin (the elephant),
Ogun (the god of war), Op6 (post), Agbo (a ram), etc. The number
of totems of course is large, representing as each does a distinct
i
:1
famill

Ii
1 It must be obscrvcd that this system was most at home among the Northern Yoruba­
the i-dialect group. In fact, the -0 oriki are rare among Southern groups like the
ljc;bu. I I
2 Samuel Johnson, The History of the Yorllbas, pp. 85-86. For a list of the orile and
the families they signify, see p. 86. Also page 195 of J. O. Lucas, The Religion of
the Yorllbas and pp. 6-12 of C. L. Adeoye, Orllkr Yoruba. I
II
58
L j

d
Ii
 I

Ii

! WHAT'S IN A NAME?
f
A lot. The Hebrew for "name" is shem, the Arabic is 'ism. Both
are cognate with Arabic wasama "to brand, to mark". A name, then, is
a mark, a wasm, "a mark, a brand". To be nameless is to be without
identity. A name identifies the person.
Yoruba has the root wsm/,sm: we say sam! "to put a mark on ... ".
You can trust Yoruba to break that CVCV verb into a "verb-nominal
collocation": from sam! we have back-formed the YCY noun am! "a
mark, a sign". Only s- is left; we do not know what to do with it alone.!

Ortik9

Sam! has now been restricted to the branding of non-human beings: ,II!
we mark things and brand cows, but we name people. Our word for a
name is oruler. What is its origin?
Let us begin with the Yoruba for "to mention":
Yoruba tk/rukr "to mention" (d-r-k-)
Arabic qakara "to mention" (<.i-!c-r-)
Assyrian zilearu "to mention, to name" (z-k-r-)
So, here we have an Afro-Asiatic triconsonantal verbal root d-r-k-/d-k-r-: 2
Semitic keeps that intact; but Yoruba "analyses" it-- looses it up into a
"verb-nominal collocation": driruk\} "to mention" (>&i 'ruler "to mention
the name of..."). -ruler "name" was then restructured and given legitimate
lexical status as a VCVCV noun by the usual noun-forming process of
vowel prefixing: -rttkr>orukr. Here is an illustration of the statement of
Ferdinand de Saussure that "the vast majority of words are, in one way

1 For if srJmi is a verb plus noun, and dmi is the nonn, wl1a! is the verb? This is not
a case of ellision from sa dmi. The Hausa reflex of the root is s/,Ina "name".
2 Metathesis often takes place where /r/ is one of the consonants See Yoruba eri'tp?,
Hebrew 'apar "dust". Robert Lord says on page 92 of Teach Yourse!( Comparative
Linguistics that "consonants (I) and (r) are the most frequently melathesised conso­
nants".

61

or another, new combinations of phonetic elements torn from older
forms."l
Yaruba orukr "name" was back-formed from dimikr "to mcntion,
to mention the name".2 They go back to the root ~-r-k-/d-k-r- whose
basic meaning is found in Hebrew zakar "remember". Orukr "name"
is something to remember a man by - not a mark, not a branding, but
a linguistic symbol, a name. "The modern notion of 'remembering,
psychologically viewed as the act of an individual mind, is quite alien
to the Hebrew conception, which is in the first place communal, and
closely related to the idea of the namt:.,,3
This relationship between the concept of a name and the idea of
remembering can be illustrated from another branch of the Hamito ­
Semitic family: Middle Egyptian rn (Coptic ran) is glossed as "name".
There is no such root in Yoruba with the meaning "name". But it occurs
with the meanillg "to remember":
run mi 1. eti 4 "remind me"
marriage. He perpetuated the memory of the ancestor. He was a zeker
rUIl 'tf "remember"
"a memorial" - rkimrin "male", zikkaron. 2
ni mi ni 'ran "remind me" (Ijybu dialect)
flf'ran 5 "remembcr" (Ijybu dialect)
Orfki
I Course in General Lill/?lIistics (New York, Philosophical Library, 1959) p. 169.
2 It is unfortunate that E. C. Rowlands mentions ddYlik(J when speaking of "a number
of 'verbs' of two or more syllables which are acruaJly compounds of a verb plus
a noun." (Sce page 136 of his Teach Yourself Yoruba). da- in d6nikp which he
assumes to be the verb he glosscs as "make". Would ddnik(J then mean" to make a
name"? The truth is that no meaning can be assigned to dd- in ddruk(J by itself,
not even on the principle enunciated on page 132 of E. C. Rowland's book - that
"the mcanings of monosyllabic verbs are dependcnt on that of accompanyi;1g
words". Whenever one is tempted to apply such a principle, one should suspect
that onc is dcaling with "homophonous verb roots" (See Kay Williamson on page
88 of lBADAN. No. 26.) Each of them has a different etymology.
3 A. G. Herbert,'" Memory, Memorial, Remember, Remembrance" in Alan Richard­
son, ed., A Theological Word Book of tire Bible (S.C.M. Press, 1950) p. 142.
4 As with most of such causative constructions in Yomba, the significant word­
often an archaic word whose ability to stand by itself is no longer appreciated ­
is amplified with words specifying the part of the body which comes into the action.
Thus:
rim mE l' (JW(J "lend me a ha.nd" (help me)
rim mE 1'fru "help me with the load"
rim is cognate with Arabic rabma" mercy", Hebrew rabamim "assistance, help".
rwr is cognate with Middle Egyptian' wy "hands"; fru is cognate with Middle Egy­
ptian hry "under, carrying".
5 Hence "a generation" is Iran, which illustrates lexically the connection between
memory and history, between the reca!! of king lists (genealogy) and folk history.
62
_..."_._:Mi
,
i
We can pursue the root further. When in Genesis 2, it is said: I \
"Male and female created he them", the Hebrew word translated as
"male" is zakar. Now, what has zakar "male" to do with zakar "to re­
mcmber"? Brown, Driver and Briggs say on page 271 of A Hebrew
II
i
and English Lexicon of the Old Testament that the relation of zakar
"male" to the z-k-r- "remember" root is obscure. Yoruba would seem
to share this obscurity: the Yoruba for "man" (male) is rldmrin bkilri],
the same consonantal root as orLik(J with metathesis. t
Yoruba darukr is cognate with Arabic clakara; Yoruba or/tkr was
back-formed from Yoruba darukr; Yoruba rki'mrin bkilrI] is related
to Hebrew zikkaron "a souvenh". They all go back to the idea of re­
membering. A name is what we remember a person by: a male child is
that one that keeps the name of the father from lapsing into oblivion.
This is the relation between z-k-r- "to remember" and z-k-r- "male".
The Afro-Asiatic society was a society that valued a male child speci­
fically because he stayed on in the family and was not given away in
I
,:III
Let us start by warning the reader not to play the folk etymological
game by back-forming orf "head" from the word oriki. Not so soon after
I
,I,
d
I.
we have just been talking about orukr. Orrik(J and orfki have the same
consonantal root: -r-k-. Orukr is the linguistic symbol by which you Ii
remember an individual; oriki is the literary form by which you remem­ I
,I
ber him within the history of his family, clan and tribt:. Hence the genea­
logical content of orikl. 3 I
\
The nasalization in pkimrill began from the final consonan t, like the Inl in Hebrew I
I
zlkkaroll, and spread through assimilation: [Qkurin] > [Qkunrin] The ,i
process is still going on in obirill "woman" (d. Arabic' imra' "woman" Agni II
Ivory Coast bla "woman", Beri obla "woman") more frequently spelt
obinrill. I differ from Archdeacon J. O. Lucas, Religioll of fhe Yorubas, pages 92-3.
What Archdeacon Lucas calls" nasal n" in the footnote is the orthographic device
in Yoruba for showing that the preceding vowel is nasalized. i
2 zlkkaron has the word-formative sumx I-ani, found in Lebanon ( <I,z/xf/l "white"),
Jordan (<yarad"to descend").
3 See S. A. BabalQla, Th(' Content and Form of Yorubu ljala (O.D.P. 1966) pp. 23-4
and AW(J1l Orfki Orflf (CoIlins, 1967) p. II. See also E. Bolaji Idowu, Olodllmare,
God in Yoruba Beliefpp. 9-10 and Ogunl~y~ Agunbiade-Bamishe, KnolV the Yorubas
(Sketch Publishing Co., Ibadan, 1968) pp. 32-4.
63
I
;,lr1WMll" i., ·,,\·";iJr*'j,:;0:\;j;i
 "It is thought that the recital of the orfki arouses in the child a
strong feeling of solidarity with its blood relations ... " l For the oriki
finds a secure place for the restless child in the midst of a host of ancestors.
The oriki invokes a host of ancestry, and the child is made to experience
"the communion of saints". "There are widely publicised stories of
many a mentally ill person who has been cured through the repeated
performance, in his hearing, of the oriki of his lineage.,,2 It is a way of
tracing a man to his roots, to his genesis ­ a way of integrating him into
a closely-knit web of family relationships and thus rescuing him from
marginality.
The Jews had a liturgical or sacrificial inemorial, the zikkaroll
or azkarah, "translated in the Septuagint by the word mnemosunOI1,
synonym of anamnesis, the word used at the Last Supper.,,3 Thus
at the service of Holy Eucharist Christians recite the oriki of
God: "Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Maker of aU
things, Judge of all men." We praise him, we bless him, we worship
him, we glorify him .... We chant the oriki of Jesus: "the only begotten
Son, Jesus Christ, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, that takest away
the sins of the world,.... that sittest at the right hand of God the Father."
We say a creed different from the Apostle's Creed, because the Eucharist
is a service of Memorial and we want to be able to recite the oriki of Jesus:
"the only begotten Son of God. Begotten of his Father before all worlds,
God of God, light of light, Very God of very God, Begotten, not made,
Being of one substance with the Father. By whom all things were made... "
This is not ranting but praise: it is oriki. "And God remembers"4.
.T ust as among the Yorubas, "it is traditionally believed that the correct
performance of oriki in honour of a progenitor gladdens that progenitor
in the world of the spirits and induces him to shower blessings on his
offspring on earth."s
1 S. A. BabalQla, The Content and Form, p. 25.
2 ibid.
3 Max Thurian, The Eucharistic Memorial (John Knox Press, Richmond Virginia,
1960) pp. 23-25ff. "The term zeker, .. has, unlike zikkaron and azkarah, no primary
liturgical importance; it signifies the memory of a reality in thought or word and
hence often the name of a person".
4 ibid p.24.
5 S. A. BabalQla, The Content and Form, p. 24.
64
MUSLIM AND CHRISTIAN NAMES AMONG THE YORUBA
Christianity came into Yorubaland in 1842, Islam a century or two
earlier. With these two religions came the adoption of Semitic names by
Yoruba converts, converts to Christianity taking Biblical (Hebrew and
I Greek) names-like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Theophilus, Stephen­
I! converts to Islam taking the Arabic forms of the names: Ibrahim, Isiaka,
Yakubu, Yusuf. These names are not Yoruba names, and Yoruba persons
" who have such names usually have indigenous Yoruba names in addition.
They are likely to be called by the Yoruba names at home.
It is not easy for the Christian called Abraham to see that he has the
same name as the Muslim called Bimiimp; few people know that Isaac
[AisiikiJ = isiakd, that Jacob [Jeek9Qblt] = Ydlolbil, Joseph [J06s~~fu]
= Yeslifit, David [Deefiidi] = Daudd, Moses [M66siisi] = Musa,
Gabriel [Geebliri~li] = Jibrila, etc. l Even less easy is it for most people
to realise that many of the Hebrew and Arabic words in these Semitic
names have indigenous cognates in the Yoruba language antedating the
coming of Islam to Yorubaland or the planting of Christianity in Yoruba­
land.
Thus DIu "God" had been in Yoruba land before Arabic 'al-lah
"the (one and only) God", or the Hebrew' El "God" (in Gabri-el, Dani-el,
Micha-el, Beth-el) was known to the Yoruba. And danu "mercy" had
been a Yoruba word before Hebrew /.zanun "merciful" came with the
Biblical name Yoha1:zun (John) "Yo (Yahweh=Jehovah) is merciful".
Moses (Mus~i), the name of the greatest of the prophets of Israel, was
given to him in Egypt where he was born. It is the ancient Egyptian
word msi "to give birth", mslV "to be born" which is found in the ancient
Egyptian names Tuthmoses "begotten of Thoth", Rameses "begotten of
Ra". Moses, Tuthmoses and Rameses have been popularised in their
Greek form with the Greek -esj-s noun ending.
Egyptian msi occurs indigenously in Yoruba misi found in 9Y9 !nisi,
the title of the kingmakers at QY9, kingmakers by virtue of their being
"begotten at QY9", being descended from sons of the soil. It occurs in
1 The Isaaki, Jak(Jbu, Jos(!/lI, Dajidi, ]v[ose in the Yomba Bible do not reflect the actual
phonetic modification of the Biblical names in the speech of Yombas. The names
themselves have travened to Yombaland by a round-about route, via the Septuagint
and the Greek New Testament, the Latin Vulgate, and the English Bible from
where they were transliterated into the Yoruba Bible, where the Epistle of James is
caned the Epistle of Jak(Jbu even though the Yoruba Christian with the name
James is caned Jeemiisi. The Jak(Jbll for the James of the English Bible is a carry­
over from the usage of the Greek New Testament.
65
Yoruba mesi found in Afesi Ogp, the nick-name of the people of lbadan,
"begotten of the hill", a reference to the devotion of the Ibadan people
to Oke 'badan "the lbadan hill" which, according to legend, ofTered
refuge to Lagelu, the founder of the city. I
The first generation converts tended to throwaway everything in
the indigenous culture as pagan; only subsequently did it begin to dawn
on people that God in sundry times and places has revealed himself in
diverse forms. Bishop James Johnson, it is said, refused to christen babies
with Bible names which their parents desired in preference to the "pagan"
Yoruba names which were available to express the same sentiments ex­
pressed in the Bible names. It was the semantic parallels which impressed
the bishop; he could hardly have known that the Yoruba language itself
was related to Hebrew or to Arabic. 2
England: every Smith was close to the smithy; every Mason came from
a family of builders; every Carpenter was connected with that trade.
Today, a Mr. Mason may be a fisherman or a lawyer, a Mr. Fisher may
be a smith, and a Mr. Fowler may not have hunted for game in his life. I
The Yoruba believe that a person's name affects his behaviour:
they say, Onikr fJ f'{} 6, -- his name is having a psycological effect on his
behaviour. Whether one understands how this happens or not, the
responsibility for choosing a meaningful name for one's child or grand­
child should still be a solemn undertaking. For the name one gives to
one's child is the name the world will call him throughout life.

Christianity and Islam have had at least one effect on Yoruba names:
by persuading the Yoruba converts to reduce the number of divinities
they worshipped to only one, they have had the effect of reducing the Ii
number of theophoric prefixes in the Yoruba names chosen for children
from Christian and Muslim homes-no more Ogllll-bL'mmi, Fa-Mnmi,
i)pa-Yfmi, If.fun-Iqiya or Ori'~'afunk(:; only Olzi-bL'mmi, Olu~run:jd, Olu-/qiya,
Ohi~runk(:. The ancient variety of Yoruba names and Yoruba worship is
preserved now in the names which have become fixed as "surnames" ­
family names. Thus the OS{lnyln in the surname of the late Bishop
OS{ll1yln indicates nothing of the religion of the bishop himself; it merely
shows the ancestral belief of his forefathers.
In ancient times every male Altiytillde would know how to play the
drums, every male Oneib6M would be skilled in some art, every male
i)jflabi would be initiated into the cult of ancestral masks: religions and
professions ran in families. This made the babaldwo's question - "What
is your name?" - meaningful. "What is your name? What is the name of
your father? What is the name of your mother?" And a lot of background
information would have fallen into his hands. It was as it used to be in Williams, Moore, Syngle, Lucas, Fisher, Smith, Fowler are only a few of the English
surnames which can be found as surnames among the Yoruba. The explanation is to
be found in the history of the Yoruba contact with British missionaries first in
Freetown, Sierra Leone, and subsequently in Abyokuta. The incidence of such
names is lherefore highest in these two places. Similarly, Portuguese surnames like
1 L6gelrl itself, like other mythological names, is symbolically given: it breaks inio Branco, Perreira, Jacintha, da Rocha were actually brought back from Brazil­
L6-gelti. The first is the particle of ownership - of a thing or a quality. The second reminders of the trans-Atlantic slave trade to South America and the return of the
palt is cognate with Hebrew gal "mound, hill" in Gal Ed. L6gehi means something exiles after the abolition of slavery. Most such names can be traced back to the
like" mountain nymph" - the one on the hill. "Brazilian quarters" in Lagos. There is nothing funny about these "foreign" names;
2 See Modupv OduY9ye, "Yoruba and Semitic Languages: Linguistic Relationship" they are a true reflection of significant events in the history of the bearers. Nor is
in the Nigeria Magazine, No. 99, Dec. 1968. there anything funny about Mr Wood or Mr Stone: the reader may consult J. W.
Freeman's book, Discovering Surnames, or such manualS for their explanation.

66
67

~ ......,..
'enf. 'M;i.
. tt ...
 )

Diu "God" (Lord, Master) Ori~a "Patron saints, divinities"

\,
Oluf~mi - Olu f~ mi "God loves me" Ori~awayi

Oluszmya - Olu san iya "God avenges punishment"

Ori~agbemi - Ori~a II gbe 111i "Ori\~a supported me"

Oh'ijinmi - Olu jin mi "God gave me"

Oluk~mi - Olu k~ mi "God pets me"

Orl*
0lllY9mi - Oill Y9 mi "God rescues me"

Oluy¢misi - Olu y~ mi si "God honours me"

"The Orf has foreknowledge of
Orimol6ye - Od mil 016ye
OIUfunmiM - Olu fun mi k~ "God gave me to pet"
the person destined to be chief"
OIUr~mil~kll11 - Olu r~ mi I.. ykiln "God consoles me in my weeping"

Orimal<id6 - Od mil aliide "Ori knows who is destined to be

011Il«ly¢d6 - Olu kit ay¢ de "God brought joy"
crowned"
OIll~~gun -- Olu ~¢ ogun "God won a victory"

OriYllmi - Ori YII 1111 "Orf delivered me"

OIMunn~¢ -- Olu fUn mi ~() "God gave me to watch"

Olll~¢Y<; - 01L1 ~e ¢Yl( "God wrought a thing of dignity"

OIMelanu -- Olu 1. aanu "God has mercy"

E~i1
OlublIs(l!a - Oill bit sa 9lei "God replenishes status"

OlubUkul1<,JIa - OIu bU klm 91<i "God fills honour to the brim"

F,~l]biyi - E~u .. bi eYl "E~u gave birth to this one"

Olllk¢ya - Olu k(,l lyil "God rebuJTs insults"

E~ugbayi - E~u .. gba byi "E~u saved this one"

Oilideire -- OIu del are "God exonorates"

Olltw¢mim¢ - OIll w¢ ml 1110. "God washes me clean"

0lllt6yc - Olii t6 aye

Ira "Augury, divination"
"God is as valuable as a title"

OIll~eyi -- Olll ~e eyi "God did this"

Filllia Ifa l' <;>hi "Ijit is elevating"

Ollunid6 -- Olll 15mi Ii de "My Lord comes"

"lId is a cause of gratitude"

Fal(,lp~ - Ifa I' IIP~

OIlunby - Olii In by "God exists"
"Ijd is a cause of our dignity"

Faluyi - Ifa I' uyi

Olllb~tjo - Olil b' ajo "God returns (from) a journey"

Fala~y - Ifci l' a~1( "lId is the word of authority"

OlllpltZlJ1 - Olu p' Han "God tells a tale"

"lId is equivalent to children"

Falllm(,l - Ita l' IIIDII

Olu~\)ga - Olu :;>' <)gel "God makes masters"

Fei~lIhi - Ifa ~e
lila "lId works elevation"
Fa~ade - Ifa ~e ad6 "lId makes a crown"

Olowa "Lord, Master" (God) "Ijd produces dignity"

Fa~uyi - Ifa ~e uyi

Olliwasanmi Oillwa" san JIll "The Lord is beneficial to me"
Fa~lIrQ - Ita ~e IIr¢ "Ija makes wealth"

Fa~anu - Ifa ~e aanu "!fa acts mercifully"

Olliwatosin -- Oillwa II to i sin "The Lord is (big) enough to "lId has ears" (to hear)

FaleO - Ifa ni eO
worship"

QlQrun "Owner of heaven, - God"

FagbUlil
Fa~ina
- Ifa gba ulil
- Ifa ~i ¢na
"lId saves a city"

"Ijd opens the way" I

QI¢runniillby - QI¢run ni • ill by "It is God who lives (for ever 7)"

QI¢runf~ll1i - QI¢run" f¢ mi "God loves me"

* Ori is "head". The Yoruba do not worship their own head. Circumstances of i
linguistic symbolism, however, brought it about that the gods (and God) being
Mof91¢run~¢ - Mo f' QI¢run ~II "I watch with the help of God"
high and lofty, are called bywords related to words for" head": ori,\'(ilrosh; o/liwaloruwo; III
hence Ollilori_ The most easily visible and palpable of these concepts is the human II
head. Ii
68 69
II
"[I,r r
, ,
..--:el~____ _ _
 Jj

i
Fcidip~ - Ifa di ip~ i
"lflt substitutes a ransom" I \ lId names are commonest among thc Ij<;$a. Ncxt come the Ondo.
Fagbeml - Ira gbe mi "lId supported my causc" (
FciJana ~here these_ have lIlt names, the Ijvbu tend to have Odi'l and Awo, tl1e
- Ira la Qna "lIlt cut a path" :e:~ba o.}'6. Qsanyin is from Ekiti.
Feiy~ml - Ifa y~ mi "(The worship of) lId suits me"
FagllDwa - Ifei g1111 iwa "lId straightens character"
Fayiga - Ifa yi iga Awo "Secret cult"
"/fd marks out a royal courtyard"
Fatogun - If,1 to oogun "lfli is sufficient for a medicine"
Faj[lna - Ifa j;;i Ql1a AwodeJc5 - Awo III de illS
"Jfu crosses the path" "The master of the cult arrives
FcibiJl1mi - Ha bim mi "l(d gave me" home"
F,ifunwa - Ira flm mi wi "1ja gave me" Awoyinfa - Awo" yin Ifa "The diviner praises lIlt"
FagbCnlc5 - 1m gM mi le "ljii carricd me aloft" AwOfala - Awo' fa ila "The diviner draws lines"
Fcik6redc5 - WI k6 ire de "ljii brings in good things" AwojQbi - Awo IiIjQ bi "We are all children of the cult"
FagbamiIA -- Ita gM mi la "lId saved me" AwolQwQ - Awo" ni QWQ "The cult deserves respect"
F;;idarr6 - Wi da eyi 1'0 ''If(i kept this one waiting" AwokQya - Awo iii k9 iya "The cult rebuffs an insult"
F;;ij¢mb(>la - Ifei j¢ (lei) n b:i 91~1 "lIlt made it possible for me to Awolilja - Awo IiJ la ija "Divination settles a quarrel"
cncounter wealth" AwodQla - Awo iii di Q1<1 "Divination becomes a thing 0
Fa$csll1 l[ci $C i sin "lid is auspicious to worship" honour"
F;;ij¢misin - Ira j¢ l11i 1 sin Awosanml - Awo iii san mi "Membership of the cult has
"f(d is propitious for me to wor­
ship" bencfitted me"
F;;lgadc5 - If,i gun ade "lI(i got on a crown" Awoyyfa - Awo .. yr; Ifa "A cult is suitable for l.fa"
F,ttolei - Ifa to i ki "lid is enough to salute" Awo~ika - Awo:ee ~e ika "The cult did not clo any wicked
Fasanm[ -- If;;i san 1111 "l(d is good to me" thing"
FMiad6 -- Ini fi i (flw) ad6 "lid gave him to the crown"
Fcitllloti -- Irei t6 1r6-ti "l(ii is reliable enough to stand Odit "Oracular utterance"
by"
F;;ld,ihunsi - 1fti c1cihlll1 sl i "l[d gave a response to it" Odusanya - Odli .. san iya "The oracle avenges an injury"
FakciYQd6 - If;;1 ko aYQ de "l(d brought in joy" Odusanwo -- Odli .. san owo "The oracle pays money"
F,imoriYQ - Ifa (ni) 1110 ri YQ "It's lId I saw that I rejoice"
F,lrinm;;idc5 OdllYQye - Odli iii YQ oye "The oracle rejoices at a title"
- Wi rin I11Q ad6 "l(d walks with the crown" OdutQhi - Odil" t6 Qla "The oracle is enough for honour"
Ad6Y yf;;i - Ade YV Ifei "A crown befits ljd" OduwQle - Odtl .. WQ ile "The oracle enters the house"
Adubifa - A- dtldll bi If,i "One who is black as lId" Odu~Qt~ - Odtl" ~e Qt~ "The diviner is engaged in a plot"
Abifadn - A- b:i Ifa rin "One who walks with Jf(i" Odujinrin - Odu .. jln rin 'nti "God is long-suffering"
Ql;;lifa -­ Ql;;IIfa "Thanks to lfci" Odudemur~n - Odli iii eli emllr~n "The oracular utterance becomes
Fei$\)ranti - Wi :ee $e Qran ti "1.f(i does not fail to solve a something else"
problem" Odunaiya - Odli iii ni aya
F,ibuluj~ "The oracle is bold"
- If;;i :ee ba ulll j~ "lId does not ruin a city" Odub~la - Odu .. by ~la
FasehUn "The oracle pleads with the Lord
- Ifa :6c se ohlin "1.[a does not refuse an utterance" of being"
Fajilyi -- Wi :c5e j¢ (ki) uyi gbc5 "lId does not let glory die" Awob6du - Awolil M Oelil "The diviner and the oracle fit"
$ofodtl - 0$6 fQ Odll "The seer announces the word of
the oracle"
70
71
 ,

Odu names are almost all from Ij~bu province. Ogun~Qla - Ogun~' Qla "Ogun brought elevation"
Oguntade - Ogun t6 ade "Ogun is as valuable as a crown"
o~o "Seer, wizard" OgunjQbi - OgunjQ bi "Ogun gave birth to all of us"
Ogunk~yy - Ogun k6 ~yy "Ogun brought dignity"
$6Ulllk~ - O~6 ni an M "It is the seer we are petting"
Ogunlade - Ogun I' ade "Ogun is crown"
$6k¢ya - O~6 kQ iya "The seer champions the cause of
OgunmQIa - Ogun mQ Qla "Ogun with honour"
the suIfering"
Ogundip~ - Ogun di ip~ "Ogun substitutes for a ransom"
$6wQle - O~6 WQ ile "The seer enters the house"
Ogunt6yinb6 Ogun t6 oyinb6 "Ogun is as strong as the white
$6yinkii - O~6 yi mi kii "Seers surround me"
nlen"
$6bande - O~6 ba mi de "A seer came with me"
Ogun~ina Ogun ~i ¢na "Ogun lifted (opened) the gate"
$6weinde - O~6 wei mi de "A seer came to look for me"
Oguntim~hin - Ogun ti mi (I.) ~hin "Ogun backed me up"
$6wunmi - O~6 wun mi "1 like visioners"
Ogunnuga - Ogun ni uga "Ogun has a palace"
$6m¢Qrin ~ O~6 m¢ Q rin "The seer knows how to pick his
Ogungbe - Ogun gbe mi "Ogun is propitiolls to me"
time"
Ogunrinde - Ogun rin de "Ogun walked here"
$6tunde - O~6 tun de "The seer comes again"
Ogunbiyl - Ogun bi eyi "Ogun gave birth to this one"
$6sanya - O~6 san iya "The seer repays an injury"
Ogunba - Ogun ba "Ogun lives"
$6liirin - O~6 la aarin "The seer passes through the
Ogl1l1mQdyde - Ogun mu Qdy de "Ogun makes the hunter arrive
middle"
safe"
$6mlde ~ O~6.mi.de "Here comes my seer"
$6litja - O~6 la ija "The seer stopped the fighting"
Qd y "Hunter"
$6ya11l1wo - O~6 yan mi wo "The seer chose me on trial"
$6riyan - O~6 ri yan "The seer found something to
Qd~biyl - Qd y " bi eyi "A hunter gave birth to this one"
choose"
Qd~rinde -- Qd y " rin de "The hunter walked to this place"
$6diimLl -­ O~6 di i mLl "The seer held him"
Qd~ku - Qd y • ku "There are hunters left"
$6dip~ - O~6 di ip~ "The seer substitutes with a plea"
Qd~yale - Qdy • ya ile "The hunter called in the house"
$or~m~kun - O~6 r~ mi (I.) ykun "The seer consoles me in my
Qd~tQla - Qdy • t6 Qla "Hunting is enough for status"
weeping"
Qd~bunmi - Qd y • bim mi "The hunter gave me"
JQlao~6 - J y QIci 0~6 "Benefit from the status of the
QdNina - Qdy • di ¢na "The hunter blocked the way"
seer"
Qd~gbaroye - Qd y • gbQ aroye "The hunter listened to com­
KQleo~6 - KQ iIe 0~6 "Build the house of a seer"
plaints"
$6tikar~ ~ O~6 l' ika r~ "The seer himself"
AbQdyrin - A- ba 9dy rin "Someone who walks with hun­
Most O~6 names are ~gbci. They are also found in Ij~bu R~mQ area. ters"

Ogun* Akin "Valiant warrior"

Ogunlesi Ogun I' esi "Ogun is our defence"
AkinYyIe - Akin. yy ile "A valiant man lends glory to a
Ogun~~yy Ogun ~' ~yy "Ogun wrought glory"
house"
Akingbade - Akin. gba ade "The valiant man takes the crown"
* Ogl/It is the god of iron, the patron of all who work with iron ­ e.g. smiths ­ the Akinwunmi - Akin. wun mi "I like valiant men"
god of war and the patron of hunters. Akintunde -- Akin. tun de "The valiant man comes again"

72 73

"'mar -e;m......_..,... ~~-=-~. __... ---._._.__.__._.. _--~-_ ..

 J
\1

I'

Akinrin(>hi - Akin .. rin (j) Qla "The valiant man walks in honour"
lkllll10gunniyi - lkll mll ogun nl iyi "Death gives importance to war­
Akint(>hi - Akin. to 91a "Valour is enough for honour"
fare"
Akinsanya - Akin .. san iya "Valiant men avenge insults"
Ba16gun - Iba ni ogun "Leader in war"
Akinlade - Akin .Ia de "The valiant man arrives safe"
I
I'

Akinniyi - Akin .. ni iyi "Valour has dignity"

Qua "Artistic Genius" I,

I,
Akinl~yy - Akin II I. ~yy "Valour has glory"

Akinjide - Akin iii ji de "The valiant man has come early"

QnMQw(lkil11 - Qna .. f'9W(> kim "The artist creates with the hand"

AkinY'Ymi - Akin!fJ yet 1111 "Valour befits me"

Qnab61l1 - Qna II ba Olll "Art befits lords"

Akfntciy¢ - Akin .. t6 ay¢ "Valour is enough matter for joy"

Qniif¢k¢ - Qna .. f¢ ~kQ "Art needs learning"

Akintoye - Akin .. to aye "Valour is enough for a title"

Qnayetmi - Qna .. YiY mi "The profession of artist suits me"

Akinluyi - Akin I' Ilyi "Valour is dignity"

QnaJaja - Qna .. la ijil "Art settles the quarrel"

AklnbQgun - Akinilb¢ OMi) ogun "The valian t man is back [rom

OnaMmir6 - Ona .. M mi r6 "Art stays with me"

war" Qn{l~i16 - Qna II ~i He "The artist opens a house"

Akinp~llI - Akin .. p~lu "The valiant man was one of Qnabajo - Qna .. b¢ (lilti) iljO "The artist returns from a journey"

them" Qnadip~ - Qna. di ip~ "Art puts in a plea with a ransom"

Akint¢l11ide - Akin .. t¢ mi de 'The valiant man came after me" QnaMnk~ - Qna .. ba mi k¢ "Art helps me to pet (this child)"

Akinsanm i -- Akin .. san l11i "Valour is good for me" Onagoruwa - Qna .. gun od uwa "Art is the cream of existence"

Aldnrele - Akin .. re ']C r~ "The valiant man went to his Qnakomaya - Qna 'ko mi 0') aya "Art emboldens me"

house" Adeb¢niljQ - Ade ba Qna jQ "A crown goes very well with art"

AkinmUSlllJrU --- A1<in .. mu sllllrll "The bold one exercises patience"

Aldnkunmi - Akin .. kllI1 111i "The valiant man Ayi'm "The sound of drums"
Akindele -- Akin .. de ile "The valiant man got home"
Akfn~~t~ - Akin .. ~e ~t~ "The valiant man did Ayand61e - Ayan" de ile "The drummer reaches home"
Akfnb(>li --­ Akin B bii Qlii "Valour goes very well with Ayiint¢hi - Ayan ail t6 Qla "Drumming is enough for honour"
honour" Ayiintllga -- Ayan .. t6 llga "Drumming is as good as a
AkinQlii -. Akin Q/;i "Valour of honour"
palace"
Akinkligbe - Akin:ee kll gbe "Valiant men do not die in vain"
Ayanbad6jQ - Ayan n bel ad6 jQ "Drumming goes very well with
Akinb¢l1Un - Akin:ee b¢ ohilD "A valiant man does not give up"
royalty"
Akfnt¢mf - Akin:ee t¢ 111i "Valour never let me down"
Aliiyiind6 - Alayan" de "Here comes the master of drums"
AkinnigbagM -- Akin :ee ni igbagbe "Valiant deeds have no oblivion"

Ogunmakind6 - Oglll1 mll akin de "Ogun brought the warrior back"

Qya' "Mother Niger"
Ogunnuikinw~-i- Oglm ml\ akin w~i "Oglll1 brought the warrior here"

QyawQye - Qya WQ oye "The Niger assumes a title"

Most Akin names are Ondo and Ijy~a. No girl is given an Akin name. - A- ba Qya de
Ab¢yade "One who arrives with the Niger"

Ogull "War"

AdebQgun - AdiS b<) (latl) ogun "The crown returns from war" 1 The River Niger being to the north of Yoruba land, Qya names are found among
the Northern Yorubil, in Qfa for instance.
Ohl?~gun ~-. Olu ?¢ ogun "God is victorious"
Abisogun - A- bi si ogun "Born in war"

74 75

,
"""";;;':'<ittttt $ .1jjF~'f'
 ,I!
(>~unl "The O,~un River" Qpad¢tun - Qpa d' ¢tun "Plentiful harvest becomes new"
Qla Opa Qla Opa "The elevated status concomitant
0$Llllkunl6 O$un .. kun il6 "O$un fills the house"
with plentiful harvest"
0$unt6ki O$un .. t6 i kf "The O~'un is enough to salute"
QI(Jpad6 QI(Jpa de "Here comes the devotee of the

0$(\11 t6kun - O$un • t6 ohm "The O,~un River is as big as the god of plenty"

sea !"
O$unniyi O$un .. ni iyi "The O$un has dignity" ~fun - Guardian of the fields
O$Lll1k¢ya O$Ull • k9 iya "The O.yun champions the cause

of the suffering"
J;:fUnyymi -J;:fun • yy mi "Worship of the god of the farms

O$unbimmi O$un • bUn mi "The O$un gave me" suits me"

J;:fUnk¢ya - J;:fun. k9 iya "The god of the farms rebuffs

Orni "Water" indignity"

$6k~fun - 0$6 kIr yfun "The seer greets the god of the
Omikunl6 Omi" kun il6 "Water fills the house" farm" (?)
Omit(Jla - Omi. t6 91<i "Water is enough for a thing of Ogunm~fun - Ogun mQ J;:fu11 "Ogun with the god of the fields"
honour"
Omf$ad6 - Omi. $e ad6 "Water made a crown" QrnQ "Children"*
Omf$oore Omi • $e oore "Water did a kind deed"

Oke* "The hill"

Qm9wunmi
QmQtQ$<)
-
- Qm 9.
Qm9. wun mi
t6 9$9
"Children appeal to me" (I like ... )
"Children are sufficient for an
adornment"
Ok6~fn~L OkC. $i Qna "The hill opens a way" QrnQtay¢ - Qn19 • t6 ay¢ "Children are sufficient cause for
Okcdijf - Okc. d' iji "The hill becomes a place of joy"
refuge" Q m 9 lan\ -- Qm9 I' ara "Children are one's kith and kin"
Ad6gokc - Ad6 gun oke "The crown ascends a hill" Qm9 niyi - Qn19 11' iyi "Children are the glory (of their
Qlc\g()kc -- Qlci gun okc "Status ascends" parents)
QmQd616 Qm9 d6 ilc "The child arrives home"
(lIla "Plenty" QmQI~yy Q n19 l' ~yt; "Children are the real status
symbols"
Opc\kunl6
Opal~yy
Opayymf
Opa I.
Opa kUll il6
~yy
Opei yt; mi
"Plentifulness fills the house"
"Plentiful harvest confers dignity"
"Worship of plenty suits me"
Qm910lu - Qm9 I' OILI "Children are the copestone of
one's aspirations" (?)

* In the days before the conlact wilh Brilain, the Yoruba had no surnames, as we
1 Osun Division, of course, is the centre around which Osun names occur mpst fre­
quently. But the names follow the course of the Osun River through 0sogbo,
:ed~, Ibadim districts and the Eastern parts of Ij~bil land.
* Oke names are found in the hilly areas whose beginnings are conne.cted with the
flight of refugees to safety on mountain tops or in mountain caves: Ekiti, Ibildan,
Hence Mr. Id6wu; even Mr. Bal6gun.
Abeokilta, etc.
now know them. The method of connecting a person with his family was to call him
A the child of B - 9lnP LagbrijJ, pmr T¢m¢du - a system best preserved in the
Semitic system extant in Hebrew (ben Gurian "the son of Gurion") and in Arabic
(' ibn Musa" the son of Musa").
The surnames of Yoruba today were the personal names of the parents of the
children whose names were registered soon after the contact with Britain in the
nineteenth century: the names of their fathers were interpreted as "surnames".

76 77
I ,

Ii_
 .f

Q1116b¢hi ~ Q m9 II bel 91ci nl il6 "The child meets honour at home" Banj6ko ~ Ba mij6ko "Sit down with me"
Qm¢parf9I,i ~ Q m 9 11 pari 9la "Children complete one's high Bank¢le ~ Ba mi kQ ile "Help me build the house"
state" Qm 9IaMk¢ ~ Qm9 ni aiM k¢ "It's a child we would have petted"
Kik¢19 111 9 Kik¢ l' 9m9 "Children are for petting" Kuj9r¢ ~ Ikuj¢wQ r¢ "Death spared him"
Kuyinnu ~ lku yin in nil "Death left him alone"
<)j~ "The living one" KU$aanu ~ IkLl $e aanu "Death was merciful"
KU$or6 ~ lku $e or6 "Death wrought a painful thing"
OJ¢dele ~ OJ¢ II de ile ''OJ¢ arrives home" Kurunmi ~ lku run mi "Death ruined me"
OJ¢diran ~ OJ¢ Iii d' iran ''OJ¢ becomes hereditary" KUforiji - lkLl foriji "Death pardoned"
OJ¢dokun ~ OJ¢'' d' ohm ''OJ¢ becomes the sea" Kuk9yi - lku k9 eyi "Death refused this one"
K(l~im¢ - lku $i i m!) "Death could not recognise him"
Eeglm "Ritual masks, ancestral masks" Kuy¢bi ~ lku yy ¢bi "Death removed the guilt"
I
~iw¢kil ~ ~i 'wQ iIeu "Take (your) hands off dying"
(stop dying) II
Eegllllj9bi - E6gllll j9 bi "Eegu/1 gave birth to al1 of us"
Abegunde ~ A- ba eegun de "One who comes with the eegu/1"
E6gunyc;mi ~ Eegun yC; mi "Eegzl/1 fits me"
Aye) "Joy"
'Tunde ~ Reincarnation
AY9d6le ~ AY9" de il6 "Joy reaches (our) home"
Babatunde ~ Baba" tun de "Father comes a second time"
AY9 deji ~ AY9 II d' eji "Joy becomes two"
Yetund6 ~ lye II tun d6 "Mother comes a second time"
AY9 rIn de ~ Ay¢ II rin de "Joy walks in"
ly,ibe) ~ Iya be) "Mother returns"
Ql11¢t,iye) ~ Qn19 II t6 aY9 "Children are enough cause for

Babatunji ~ Baba II tlm ji "Father wakes up again"

joy"
Babajid6 ~ Baba IIji de "Father is awake and is here"
Temit,iY9 ~ Ti emi II t6 ay<) "Mine is enough cause for joy"

Qm<)deind6 ~ Qn19 III d¢hin de "The child comes back"

TitilaY9 ~ Titi l' ay¢ "Endless is (my) joy"

Qm¢d¢inb<) ~ Qm9 II d¢hin be) "The child comes back"
J;kLll1daY9 ~ J;:kun d' aY9 "Weeping becomes joy"
J;: nfl 9 -- J;:ni (tl) 6 19 "It's the person who went away "The joy of a crown"
AY9 ade ~ AY9 ad6
l' 6 be) who has come back" "Joy of elevation"
AY¢9 Ia -- Ay¢ 9la
QdunaY9 ~ Qdun aY9 "A year of joy"
Orukq Abikii ~ Infant mortality

Mal9m¢ ~ Ma 19 111¢ "Don't go any more"

Kokum¢ ~ Ko ku m¢ "He does not die any more" .J::kun "Weeping"

Kos¢k¢ ~ Ko si 9k¢ "There is no hoe" (to dig a grave)

I
R6timi - R6 ti mi "Stand by me" J;:kundaY9 ~ J;:kun d' aY9 "Weeping becomes joy"

Dur6sinmi ~ Dur6 sin mi "Stay to bury me" (don't die pre­ J;:kundare ~ J;:kun da are "Weeping vindicates"
maturely) Olur¢mil¢kLm ~ Olll r¢ mi ni ykun "God consoles me in my weeping"
Dllr6jay6 ~ Dur6 j' aye "Stay and enjoy life" ~6r¢m¢kLm ~ 0$6 r¢ mi ( , ) ykLm "The seer consoles me in my
Kal¢jaye ~ Kal¢ j'aye "Sit down and enjoy life'.' weeping"

78 79

I
I
!
i. I ' ~
 )

Ad6niyi - Ad6 ni iyi "A crown has dignity"

Ade "Crown"
Adeniji - Ad6 ni iji "A crown has refuge" (for the
oppressed)
Adetunji - Ad6 tunji "The crown is resuscitated"
Ad61abU - Adela iM "The crown crossed deep waters"
Ad6dap¢ - Ad6 dap¢ "Crowns affiliate"
Adebajo - Ad6 b¢ (Wi) ajo "The crown returns from a jour­
Ad6bay¢ - Ad6 ba ayo
Ad6weil6 ney"
- Ad6 wei il6 'The crown comes home"
Ad6iye - Ade iye "A crown of salvation"
Ad6klm16 - Ad6 kun ile "Crowns fill the house"
Ad6nrel6 - Ad6 n re '16 "The crown is going home"
Ad6goke - Ad6 gun oke "Crowns ascend a hill"
Ad6deji - Ad6 di eji "The crowns become two"
Adegor6ye - Ade gun ori oye "The crown ascends to a title"
Ad6bUs6ye - Ad6 btl si oye "A crown adds to a title"
Ad6s9ji - Ade S9 ji "The crown is revived"
Ad6gb91ci - Ad6 gba 91ei "The crown takes status"
Ad6r~mi - Ad6 r~ mi (1111 ykllll) "The crown consoles me"
Ad6ribigbe - AM Ii ibi gbe "The crown finds a place to live"
Ad6f~mi - Ad6 f¢ mi "The crown loves me"
Ad6gb6yega - Ad6 gbe oye ga "A crown raises a chieftaincy
Ad6~[na - Ade ~i ¢na "The crown lifts the barrier on
the way" high"
Ad6dam¢lei Ad6b6yej9 -­ Ad6 ba oye j9 "A crown well complements a
- Ad6 da m¢ 91ei "The crown is mixed with status"
Ad6m¢la - Ad6 m¢ 91a "A crown and honourable estate" title"
Ad6beink¢ Ad6b(maj9 - Ad6 ba 9na j9 "A crown fits in well with art"
- Ade ba mi k¢ "The crown helps me to pet"
Ad6bllk¢nlei v'<71ci~adc - F' 91ci ~e ade "Make a crown out of honour"
- Ad6 bU kun 91ei "The crown completes status"
Ad6bisi - Ade bi si "The crown gives birth to more"
Adebimp6 -­ Ad6 bi 111i p6 "The crown begat me whole"
Ad6peju - Ad6 pe oju "The crown is full value" Iga/uga "courtyard, palace"
Ad6j9k¢ - Adej9 k¢ "Crowns join in petting"
Ad6doyin - Ade di oyin Ademlga - Ad6 nllluga "A crown has a palace"
"Crowns become honey (sweet)"
Adeloro - Ad6 taro ayenuga - aye II nil ug~t "A title has a palace"
"The crown is peaceful"
Ad691ei - Ad691ei Bisuga - A- bi si uga "Born in a palace"
"The crown of honour"
Adeyc,:mi - Ad6 yc,: mi Leid6ga - Qla d6 iga "Status reaches a palace"
"The crown befits me"
Ad6yinkei Hyiga - Ifa yf iga "Ifa builds a (round) courtyard"
- Ad6 yi mi k:i "Crowns surround me"
Adepojll - Ad6poju "There are too many crowns"
Ad6111(J1~gun - Ade mu i1~ glm "The Crown makes the land
stable" Oba "King"
Ad6kanmbi - Ad6 kin mi bi? "Is it my turn to the crown ?"(?)
AMgbit¢ - Ad6 gba it¢ Qbaf¢mi - Qba II f¢ l11i "The king loves me"
"The crown takes a throne"
Ad6k¢ya - - Ade k9 iya "The crown rebuffs insults"
Ad6day¢ - Ad6 di ay¢ "The crown becomes joy" Oyc "titled posts"
Ad6muwagun - Ade mu iwa gun "The crown makes character
straight" - aye II kan mi "It is my turn to the title"
ayekan
Adeyym9 - Ade yy 9m9 "A crown befits a child" "A title has come again"
ayetund6 - aye .. tun d6
Ad60ye - Ad60ye "A crown of title" (titular) "The title has been with me since
ayebanji - aye III ba mi j i
Adeniran - Ad6 ni iran "Crowns have pedigree" my waking up"

80 81
Oyekunle Q~ib6dil - Q~i" ba odu "Chieftaincy fits the oracle"
- Oye .. kun ile "Titles fill the house"
OyeyipQ Q~iyaJe
- Q~i" ya ile "The chief called in the house"
- Oye .. yi p¢ "Titles roll together"
Oye~ina Q~ibQwale - Q~i" b¢ wa 'Ie "The chief returned home"

- Oye .. ~i Qna "A title opens the way"

Oyenuga Q~ikomaiya - Q~i" k6 mi 0") aya "The chief enboldened me"

- Oye .. ni uga "Titles have palaces"

Oyel~sy Q~rb~ril - Q~i II b~ru 'The chief fears"
- Oye .. Iii ySy "Titles have rank and hierarchy"
Oyeniran Q~ikanlu - Q~i" kan Ollt "Chieftaincy appertains to divi­
- Oye .. ni iran "Titles have pedigree"
Oyeniyi - Oye .. ni iyi nity"
"Titles have dignity"
Oyediran Q~naja - Q~i "la ija "The chief settles the quarrel"
- Oye .. di iran "The titles becomes hereditary"
Oyemade Q~ifQdlJ]1fin - Q~i .. f' Qdun rin "The chief selected the time of
-- Oye II m¢ ade "The title conjoins with a crown"
Oyenam~
the festival to take a trip"
- Oye II ni am~1 "Titles have symbols"
Oyeb¢de - Oye .. bQ de "The title has come round again"
OyeYymi O~in names are almost all Ijybu. In that dialect, an attenuation of
- Oye iii Yv mi "The title fits me"
Oyesilllya - Oye .. san iya nasalization is incipient: hence O~i.1
"The title avenges suffering"
Oyegoke -- Oye .. gun 6U "The title ascends a hill"
Oyeb¢la - Oye .. ba <;>lci CiQ) "A title agrees well with status"? Qili "Elevated status, fame, honourable estate"
Oyebolll - Oye Iii ba Olu (jQ) "A title fits God"
Oyel¢wQ - Oye .. I.. QWQ "Titles have respect" - Qhi ~e i ni "Fame is not unachievable"
Qla~eni
Qlcidunjoye -- Qla dLll1 ju aye "Status is sweeter than chieftaincy Qladunni - Q!<i dun i nr "High status is sweet to have"
titles" Qladimeji - Qla di meji "Fame becomes two"
Ogunt6ye - Ogll11 t6 aye "Og(1Il is enough for a title" QladipQ - Qla di P1IPQ "Fame becomes many"
OlMoye - 0111 t6 aye "God is sufficient for titles" - Qla 11 re 'wajll"Status is progressing forward"
Qlanrewajll
Adeloye - Ade l' aye "A crown is the mark of chief­ - QM bQ (si) ipo "Status returns to its pristine
Qlab(>p6
taincy" place"
Adegboyega -

Adeoye -
Ade gbe aye ga

Ad6 aye
"The crown raises the status of a
chieftaincy" 1
Qliidap¢
Qlagoke
- Qla da PQ
- Ql3. gun 6ke
"Fame is leagued together"
"Status goes up"
"The crown of chieftaincy" QladeI6 - Qla de ile "Fame reaches home"
QhlOyC - Qla aye "The high status of chieftaincy" QlaiwQhi - Qla yi WQ QM "Fame is intertwined with fame"

Abioye - A- bi (si) aye "Born into a title" Qlawunmi - Qla wun mi "I like high status"
Qlaitan - Qhi i i tan "Honour never gets used up"
O~in "Chief" Qlayinka - Qla yi mi kit "Honour surrounds me"
QlaniYQnu - Qla ni iYQnu "Fame has its troubles"
Qr;;ifow6ra - Q~i" f' owo ra "The chief bought with money" I QlaiibiwQnnu - Qla ill bi wQn ni inu "(Our) success is annoying them"
Qla6~ebikan -- Qla 6 ~e ibi kan
Q~rdele - Q~i" de ile "The chief kept the house" I "Honour does not dwell exclu­
Q~rYymi
Q~rkQya
-
-
Q~i" Yv mi
Q~i" kQ iya
"Chieftaincy suits me" i sively in one place"

Q~isanya - Q~i II san iya

"The chief avenges punishment"

"The chief repays punishment" l~ ----------­

lOne hears in Ijybu ogu [or ogun "war", f!fu for ffim, a circumstance which now makes
f it difficult to know whether the first elemenl of the names Okusimyil, OkuliljiL,
t Okubadek), etc, is okun" thread" or bkti"the dead". The context helps one to choose

I
in okubcidlfj(J "threaded beads match a crown".
1 Ijt;:bu dialect fOf dmi "sign".

82 83

''',~,;._,_ .;,,~£' ,A.

 ,t

QIal6kan - Qla Ie kan "Fame goes up by one" OfukQ AmutQfunwa

Ql<inlyan - QM ni [yan "Status has its boasts"
Qhfglmju - Qla gun oju 1. Talabi is one of the amutfmmwa names in Yorubci; that is, it is
"Fame sets the face straight"
Q!<iolu - QM Olu determined by the circumstances of the birth of the child. Any (female)
"The grace of God"
Qlatund6 - Qla tun de child who is "born with the head and body covered with the caul, or
"Fame comes again" ruptured membranes" is automatically called TaJdbi, whatever other
Abi¢Ia - A- bi (s1) QM "Born into fame" Abis!) names it may acquire at its naming ceremony on the eight day.
Gbemis¢l:i - Gb6 mi Sl Qla "Put me into honour" Like most of the other amutrrunwa names, we do not try to translate
FQJa~ade - F' Qlci ~e ade "Make honour a crown" them as we instinctively do with the Abis!) names. We still know the
Daram¢l:i - A- dara mQ QI::f correct usage of the amutrrt'mwa names, but their etymologies are in
"One who is good with high state"
Ql:idunjoye - Qlci dun ju oye most part now obscure. I have not arrived at the etymology of SdJdlq5,1
"High status is more delightful
than a chieftaincy title"
Ajayi, Ige etc.
B¢lanl6
- QmQlilba Qlci ni il6 But TflUtbi has the consonantal root t-I-b. This, I suggest, is the
"The child met fame in the family" same consonantal root as we find in TombOlo. 2 The connection between
AjibQlci
- A- ji ba <;>Ja
"One who wakes up to find TdJdbi and TombOJo is this:
honour" TambO/a: a man clothed like an eegungun masquerade, pretending to
Mob¢lciji
- Mo ba QI<I ji
the role of eegllngun but really acquiring no more than the
"f woke up with honour"

Qlabisi
- Qla bi si
abuse of bush eegungun, eegun ara aka ...
"Fame increases"

KOf6
- Ko f' ow6 ra Qlci
TaJab[: "a child born with the head and body covered with caul"
"He did not buy status with

money"
draped like a masquerade!
AfQ1cibi - A- f' Qlci bi The two Yoruba words are related to Arabic labisa, Hebrew (mit)
"Born with fame"

OIubUkQnhi - Olu bu kun Qlci labish "dressed, clothed" (l-b-sh):

"God fills up high status"
t - I - b - Talabi
OlubUsQla - Olu btl SI Qlef "God amplifies status"
t - b - I - Tambala
Ad6bUk<,'mlci - AM bU kll11 Qlci I - b - s "clothed, dressed"
"The crown fills up high status"
QJanrp~kun - Qhi:ee ni ipo ~kun "Elevation does not have a ceiling" It is this idea that is expressed in the Hausa name Mairiga for a
(limits) child born with its placenta intact: Hausa riga is "clothes".
QI::ibintan - Qlei bi mi tiln 2. Any baby whose incessant crying at birth seems to suggest that it
"Famous men gave birth to me
without blemish" is in some distress or the other is Oni. The name has nothing to do with
TitilQla - Tit! l' Qlci its homophone, oni "today". It is cognate with Arabic 'ana "distress",
"On and on is (our) elevation" Hebrew 'anah "to be afflicted", as in the Biblical name Ben Oni, "the
<)r~dQM - <)r~ d' Qla "Friendship becomes fame" son of my affliction", Hebrew 'awft "affliction, iniquity".
~ijuwQlci - ~i oju wo QIei
"Lift up (your) eyes to look on 3. Any baby who comes from the womb feet first is 1ge.
high status" 4. Any baby born face to the ground is Ajayi.
5. Oj6 and Aina are the names for children born with their umbilical

1 Sdldk(5 is given to boys born in the same circumstances as TdMb[ - which is properly
for girls.
2 The-m- in tambala is a syllabic nasal; syllabic nasals do not count as radicals in the
roots underlying Yoruba words.

84

85
cord twined around their neck. Of the two names, the Ijybu use only Aina;
for it is proverbial that IjfbU ki fit oj6, "Ijybus never bear the name Dj6."
6. Children whose hair are knotted together around the crown of the
head are called Dada. The hair must be left like that until ceremonially
cut.
7. IIQri is the name of children conceived soon after a previous birth,
before resumption of menstruation.
8. Qk~ - which means "sack" - is the name of a child born wrapped
up in a thin membrane - the amniotil sac.
9. The following names mentioned before are determined by the
circumstances of the birth of the child: AbfPdun, Ab(5dl'inrin, Abfpl1a,
AbfrSf, AbpsMe.
10. The first of twins to "taste of the world" is Taiwo; the one who
"comes last" is K~hinde.
11. The third of triplets is !:;ta oko, but the child is not generally called
by this "title". f:;ta is "three"; for oko, see Hausa ukil "three".
3
12. Counting Tafwo as one, Kt!hinde as two, the child born after a set Exercises

of twins is Idowu if a boy, Idogbe if a girl. For reasons of sound symbc­

lism, Idogbe is so unpopular that I have not known a girl called by this

name: Idi)wu, therefore, serves for boys and girls born after a set of twins.

13. The child born after Idilwu counts as the fourth: He (or she) is
Ah\ba, a cognate of Hebrew rabica, Arabic 'arbaca "four".
14. If, as it happens once in a blue moon, a child is born with an extra
digit showing the beginnings of a sixth finger, he is Oh'igbOdi - but, of
course, this name is not advertised.
15. A child born with the umbilical cord wound round his wrist is
Erinl~.

Almost everyone of these amutrmmwa names arc connected with

unusual circumstances of birth, often difficult circumstances which
make it necessary to prescribe special taboos for the care of the baby.
They indicate something of the midwifery lore of the Yoruba. These
names can be named as soon as the baby is born by anybody who can
match names with circumstances. For the dbis(J names, in contrast, one has
to wait until the naming ceremony to hear what name the father has been
keeping in his inside, depending upon the ruminations and reflections he
has been making about life in general and the life of his own family
and of himself in particular.

86

It
I
 ~

The Noun Phrase (to follow Chapter I)

The qualifier may be (i) another noun, (ii) a possessive pronoun,

(iii) a verbal noun, or (iv) an adjective: I

(i) (ii) (iii) (iv)

ow6 iliP ow6 mi fSf gfgim ori fz!a

"house rent" "my money" "long legs" "big head"

ite ewe ite + wa

3
omi didim $fle kan
"thatched house" "our house" "sweet water" "one shilling"

i.)·(! alf i$f + yfn eniyan pup(J k(Jbr mfta

"night duty" "your work" "many people" "three pennies,'

i.yf (Jw(J (Jm(J f ftni mfm(J ok?!l?! bamba

"hand work" "your child" "holy spirit" "large morsel"

ow60rf (Jm(J f (Jtn(J kekere apata ganga

"capitation tax" "her child" "little child" "lofty rock"
"his son"

etf inu a$(J w(Jn omi gbUgb6na ikim randu

"inner ears" "their clothes" "hot water" "rotund belly"

Real adjectives are rare)n Yoruba: the gap ;s filled by the lJse of verbal nouns formed

from stative verbs - 0 gun: gigun "It (is) long/long"; 0 dun: didun "It is sweet/

sweet". The number names with m-prefix count as adjectives. There are also adjectival

ideophones formed by infixing a syllabic nasal within a root, e.g. Rausa baba "big",

Yoruba biimba.

Compare gdngii and ogongo "ostritch" with ga "to be high" and the triplicated

ideophone giigiiga.

2 The following place-names are in this group: Ij~bU Ode, Ij~bU 19bO, INbli +
R¢mr, Ij?hU /N$ii, Ipetu IN$d, lie-Iff, Im~si lie, Adi OY9, Ado Ekltl, I;;sii Oke, 19biirii
Oke, ado Ogbo/ii, Oke Add, lsiil~ Ekd, Ab¢ Oklita, Ifllin 19b~tI, EbUti Era, etc.
3 The symbol / + / is not used in normal writing. It indicates the presence of a mid
tone juncture when noun B begins with a consonant: ile + wa is to be pronounced
ilee wa.

89

~~.

'I
 't

The Simple Sentence (to follow chapter IJ)

Predicate 'Deji
The verb TO BE is the copula 'Dayi,l
---!comPle- , 'Doyin
fli before consonants and before a pause
11' before vowel i
Sub­
ject
Verb
"beco­
I ment
of '
'Di,ltun ­ 0 di tuntun "It became
new"
I' before other vowels
mes" verb Salt became water "Iy¢ 9 d' omi"
Afternoon turned into night "Osan I
Ade = lAde I eji d' oru"
di (pU)P9 White became black "Funfun di
Qla IQ1a ¢tun dlidu"
Oye > Oye I d' meji'
~jQ
It is eggs which bec0111e cocks
".e:yin ni i d' akilk</"
'LQlli

------,- -r---­
A

Copula Comple-
Sub- / verb ment
B
At9w(llogun -- At9w¢ I'ogun
"(The) palm of the hands are
one's true inheritance"
l;klm

Ogun
= Il;kun

= IOgt'in
1----­
I I
I Han
ay¢
igba
~yill
You will become old (live long)
"Wa ::i d' agba"
He became rich (a rich person)
"0 d' 016w6"
Till morning "6 d' aar¢" (greetings)
ject I "to be", of At'iiwQ rani "(The)
Till (I) return "6 d'ab¢" (greetings)
ni i verb palm of the hands are one's true
relations"
n' I iyi Aye I' Qja "(The) world is the
market place"
ad6 Orun oi ile "Heaven is home"
QP9 lwa l' ywa "(Good) character is
QmQ = 1QmQ iyi (true) beauty"
uyi Ow6l'owo "Money is (the essence) Predicate
mi 'F,i l' ani of commerce"
CSI --~---
Ek6 0' ile "Lagos is home"
j~~1 verb
Sub- Direct
Og~1I1 = IOg~1Il
Akm = Akll1
I; 9yt;
~~t; A,ir¢ r </ja "Morning is market
(time)"
object
'$aanii
I ~a_'
I-----,----.-­ N.B. There is no high tone before
the "VERB TO BE".

"
:::-r 1
Olll
Ogun
-,
l
::

I
aanll

ainu
~yy
Qla
'
'$cyt;
'$1)1l1
Olu~aanu -­ God does mercy
Olt'lwa, ~'aanll flm wa ­ God, have
mercy upon us.

90 91

.~~,:j'; ':'ji1:~",,:;~m
i
fI1 & -hr-....-. ••,=-----,·,"----.-'..-··...;.-·
1
 "

Predicate
'WQle
Predicate
A policeman entered. "QIQpa W9
gun bke Sub­ 'Ie"
Sub- - - -----
,Goke ject w9 ile Come in, gentleman! "W9 'Ie,
ject verb object
_I Qgb~ni"

l
Translate into Yoruba:

016 01"--1 1 A thief came in. "Ole kan W9

Ade AM I climbed a hill.

I can climb up.

Ade - Ade w9 'Ie 'Ie"
Q1<i <)1, g' oke 0~6 - 'S6 A hen has entered «Adiy kan-6 ti
Oye > Oye M,l gun ori igi mango mQ,

Oye > 10ye WQ '16)

Apari, g'oke wei.
1-----1 Adiy kan ti w9'le

Predicate

finite
Sub- verb Direct
ject n[ object Nik~

Ade ­ Niyi
Ade ~yy
Akin> Akin
0~6 ­ 'S6
111
1111
ik~
I.
1 have money "Mo owo"
Predicate
If<i
Ogun­
'Fa
Ogun
eti
We have a house "A oi 'Ie"

Have you any eyes? "Sc 0 I.

oju?"

He has two wives. "0 oi liyaw6

-\--1
S~ogun,
<)~un > <)~un iyi
meji" Sub­ direct '~~guo
Awo> Aw6 QWQ
Qla ­ Qla
---
iY9 nu
ti 0 I.
A dove which has no wings "Adaba
apa"
A maiden who has no clothes
ject

Olu - j ~IU -
verb I object
God is victorions. Olu~~gun
Who won the battle? "Ta 1'6
[n] when followed by the vowel /i-/ "Qm9ge ti 0 I. a~9" Ade -~de ~~ I 'gun ~~gun ?"
[I] when followed by the other Olubadilll 0 I. aM "(The) Olu­ He won the battle. "6 ~~gun"
vowels. badan has no crown"

92 93
 ,J

Predicate
Predicate
direct
Sub- IFinite -;bjec~- 'Y~mi
Sub-
ject verb object
ject verb
-----
OrukQ naa }'f Q11lQ mia. « OrukQ Odli > Odii 'w6
Akin> Akin \ 11aa-6 yr; ¢) Ade san liIya
Ifa 'Fa Aye cl yr; ¢. Ogul1 'Sanya
Ifcl 'Fa 'Ie Etiyc;ri «Eti- 6 yr; or\) Olu 'Sanw6
01(1 01(1 '111Q
--­ --­ -~-- J:;san "Recompense"
Ad6 yc; mi Translate into Yoruba:
Ad6
ql,i qlci This cap.
qlla > qnil This cap fits me.
lbi fbi That cap doesn't fit you. Predicate
---._----- - - ---)---_._--­ It doesn't fit you.
Sub­
ject I la ija

lAde
QmQ> I Qm 9 'Lajlt
Oku la 'ja
Qna > Qna onilaja -- peace maker

Awo> Aw6 aWQn onilaja - peace makers

Predicate aWQn - They

- - - - - ----------
~ub- Finite! Object
Ject \ verb
- - - - 1I - - - -
'
----­
Predicate
Adc -- Ad6 'I<'~rni
Olu 01(1
'-------\
Sub­
Baba > Bab,i f¢ 1111
MoN Q111Q.
ject kQ iya
QI(mll1 Q1QrLln
Translate into Yoruba: 'KVyil
Oba > Ob,,1.
$ade loves me
\ Ad6
KlIllle married 'Bisi.
I O~6
'Fa
Qna > 011:1 I k<) 'ya
Qsun > _Q~un
\ Olu
, Ogun -
I_ _I -~-

95
94

i"'
~

.... --~,-
 '.. ..k

Predicate I
Predicate

~ub- \
, Sub- 11 Direct 1

Ad' --
Qla
Omi >
¢,OO >
-
Ject

f?~
[i I
Qla

¢,On
kim il6

hln'I6
'KUnle

Translate into Yoruba:

The house is full of clothes
The house is full of people
I
Q'U
ject

Iku
verb

di
object

(ey)i ,i j Dais!

Good Lord, spare us "Oluwa rere,

da wa si"
Death spared him "Iku da a si"

aye > aye The house is full of/ood

lbi > lbi The house is full of rats
The house is full of smoke Predicate
!---'

fUn ml
~-- f-.

Second
Sub­ in- verb ex- 'Funk~
ject Verb direct pressing 'Fun~(}
Compound Verbs and Splitting Verbs object purpose 'Funt(}
r--=-­A~d6 --
I k~
LI
(to f{)llow Chapter IV) I
I Translate into Yoruba:
I Olu i n t(>
Ad6 gave me to eat.

Sub- ­
ject
---,-'
'~-
verb
-J--
Predicate

verb

D:ilro
Dl'iini 1._-- _ ~--,----
'~Q Ad6, give me to eat.

Fun mijy.

Do [llejo ro (da'Iejo r6) "Keep the

1 cyi
I visitor waiting"
Mil dd 111i duro "[)on't keep me Predicate 'KaY9de

Oill waiting" 'Korede

Qd y > Qd~ di I '( I r6 W(m ti dti OIUf~mi duro ni ibi '~~

1 k6 __ ~1~6
\_I~-
'Fa "OIUf~mi has been dismissed
W¢n ti k6 / awqn iwe+wa / de.
~
from work."
l\Wqll qlQpa dO. wa durol'Qna
"The police stopped us on the
I
Sub-
j,e< v,,·b objoct, vc<b
W(>n ti k6 l~ta de.
Translate into Yoruba:
The washerman came.

way."
~,'
016-
Ifa ­ !:_J k. aY9
(i) re
d6
The washerman has come.

The washerman has come with the

clothes.
I have come with the paper.
1
j
)
1
96 97
I
 f
Ii
~" -

Stative Verbs
Predicate ,Gbenga (to ff)llow Chapter VIll)
'Gbenro
:~~--I~-rl W(lI1 gbe e ga nl'bi i~¢ Predicate

Sub­ --~ dire~~ --I Translat(' into Yorllba:

1---1---'
IStative
'1'(ll1i
'Tliyi)
ject
tvcrb I object
----­ -----
verb My boss elevated me.
I was promoted (They ... )
Sub-
\
verb
ject I t6
I Com­
Iplement 6 t6 "H (is) enough"

\
~I-----
"I
Olll> Olll I [ have been promoted (They ... ) 1- .,---_.-----_.--. - - - ­ Temi t'9P¢ "Mine (is) enough for
Ad6> Ad6 gb6 I n , ga Exalt the Lord. Akin> I Akin I I 91;;i thanksgiving"
r6 Gael supported me -­ kept me ?du > ?du lade Ir(l! <)~,lln 0 t6 ohm "Untrue! (The)
I Ifci
_,~_
YiJ
' --­
Id
----­ --,-I
upright.
Enemies surrounded me.
Ogun -­
<)~Ull >
Ogll11
O~(1Il tw
I ()yinb6
ok;1I1
O~un (River) is not as big as the
sea"
ay\) Owo 0 to Qm? "Money is not as
T'emi> I Tcmi valuable as children"
Qm? > Qm() Ko t6 "It is not sufficient"
Qd y > Qd¢ I I I'
Ko t() nkan "It does not amount
Predicate Gtt-teng:~
----~- - - ­ ---_.-- to anything"
GMy~~g~a

Sub- \ I
Direct
ject ,vcrb object" verh
GMd6h~
Gh0mit;(nh'i
I A~~T -­ --'-',- ­ Clod elevated liS "Olll gb6 l!'(f lja" Pi).iiJ

1-,:r;""J E~_li~_ /\ w~i ligh/ i,l ga" ql.(mm "Vie mat;­

nify thee, 0 God"'

Predicate
Translate iI/to Yorllba:
It is too much.
Pepper is too much.
The building is tall.
Sub­ The building is too tail.
ject I verb I verb Troubles are many.
1---1'----1------' (There is much trouble)
r'\d6 -- I AM P9 I
_ _ _ _ _- - - 1 - - - ­
jl.l Troubles are too many.
(There is too much trouble)
Noise is too much.
(There is too much noise)
The tea is sweet.
The tea is too sweet.
Who is bigger/older?
1t is too sweet.

99
98

:~:~I% r "'-",T\, ­
 ____1­

Translate the following into your own language It can't be eaten (1Il1eatable)

Ko ~e i jy [> Ko ~e jy ]

$e ere - enS dun i ~c It is undrinkable

[ > dun un ~e]

Ko ~e i mu [> Ko ~e mu ]

This wine is undrinkable

Jy yja - yja dun i jy Qti yI 0 ~e i mu

( > d ill1 un jy ] It is impossible (cannot be done)

S9 9r9 - <)r<) dim i S9 Ko ~e i ~e

[ > dun un S9 ] [ > Ko ~e e ;;e > Ko ~ ~e ]

Oklita 0 ~e i jy
Mu 9ti - 9ti dun i lUU Ko ~e i pa: ko ~e i di l' Oktlll
r> dim un 11111 ]
Kilkut6 0 ~e i 1111 [> Ko ~6 mi ]
Wa 9k¢ - 9k<) dun i wit

[ > dim un wit ]

Sun (oorun) - OOflln dlll1 i Sllll

[ > d lll1 llll Still ]

Mll 9s9n- 9s<)n dlll1 i mu

Predicate He likes children "Q111Q wun un"

[ > dun un fiU ]

I like light complexioned girls

J y obi -
r>
obi dlll1 i jy
dim un jy ]

, SU~j'd IM I~Obj'd I "Qm9 pupa wun lUi"

I do not like it "Ko wun mi"
Bi 9lU9 - - 91119 dill1 i bi
Qla -IQla
Ad6 - I Ad6 I wun _ 111i
I like this one "EyE wil11 111i"
I like the city of Lagos "Ilu Ek6
[ > dim un bi ]
Akin> I Akin Wlll1 111i"
Ni 91<i - 91<i dlll1 i ni QlUq> QmQ lyaw6 dara, 6 witn wi "The bride
[> dlm Lin ni ]
Eji > Eji is beautiful, we like her"
Q~6 - O~6 lrysI wim mi i jy "I would like to
Ni ow6 - ow6 dlll1 i ni

eat rice"
[ > dun un ni]
K:iyewu "That he may like the
- ow6 ~e i nl 1 like children "QlU(J wtm mE" world" (and not die)
[> ~e e ni ] We like children "QlUQ wun wa" Ki aye wun un
- 91119 ~e i bi
[> ~e e bi ]
- 9r9 ~e i S9
[> ~e e s9 ]

100 101

~_~~~:~~,~.,...,'".. -;,:.m~',;,;i!r ..- ,-~

 I. ~

"To have" and "To own" (t%llow Chapter IX) Obi aja alaja
"You have a dog" "dog-owner"
o l!lil¢pa Ql¢pa
ni "to have" (before consonants -ml "owner of" (before Iii) "You have a baton" "police man"
and Iii) -hi (before other o hi aye 016ye
hi (elsewhere) vowels) "You have a title" "chief"
0111 aanu aJaiinu
o hil ow6 016w6 "You have mercy" "merciful one"
"You have money" "rich man" o hil:Qla Ql¢la
o llIii or! 016ri "You have high status" "Honourable so and so"
"You have a head" "headman" o ni igbagb¢ onigbagb¢
o hi oju kan 016ju kan "You have belief" "Christian"
"You have one eye" "one-eyed" o ni gbese onigbese
o ni 'Ie anile "You have a debt" "debtor"
"You have a housc" "house-owncr"
o ni 'nu 'rIO oninLI '1'10
"You have kindness" "kind person"
o ni iwa tlltLI aniwa tLltLI
"You have gentle character" "a lllan of gentle disposition"
o n i lI1(jto onim(jto
o 1M alub¢sa Ahilub¢sa*
"You have onions" "onion seller"
"Yall have a vehicle" "car owner/driver"
o ni bread onibread
o mg iyanrin On [yamin':'
"You have sand" "sandy place"
"You have bread" "bread sellcr"
o 1m yyyIe I;:l¢yylc*
o ni siga onisiga
"You have pigeons" "Pigeon owner"
"You have cigarette "cigarette seller"
o ni portmanteau on [portmanteau
o mJilip~ 011ip~*
"Yoll have scales" "The scaly one"
"Yall have a portmanteau" "owner of a suit case"
01. afara AIMclra*
o IrlI obi 016bi
"You have a bridge" "The forded place"
"You have kola nuts" "owner of kola nuts"
o hi ami tutu 016mi tlltu
o lil9k9 QI¢k¢
"You have a canoe" "boatman"
"Yall have cold water" "those who use cold water
(for healing)
o Iii oke meji 016ke meji
"You have two hills" "The town with two hills"
01. 001'10 0160re
"You have good deeds" "kind person"
o I. agidi alagidi
"You have stronghead" "strong-headed man" * All these occur as place··names.

102 103

_-",-_... -,- __.. ,_...,...~-->==." .....-._ _ ?EE .....",,";.~,~~ iH'' ' ..........''
.· ..·"'.i,..""''?i .... n4h,.,.. --~'-"'--' ... -.--"-----~. _~. _._~_ ... ~'·"_.,m, ...." ·,·

, \

Exercises for pages 102 and 103 The high tone before the finite verb§
(to follow chapter VII)
la. Go through the sentences in ] b. Go through this right-hand
the left hand column, substi­ column fitting nouns (X) into
Predicate
tuting 6 (high tone) "He, the f;tructure X ni. You have
She, It" for 0 (mid tone) sentenccs meaning He is 0 d~-'--~~-I
"You". No other change is She is X, It is X.
'Dele
In~r.a~l~- -I
nceded to get He has mon('y,
SII(' has money, He had motley, 2b. One step further: put mi (Y) -­
Subject sltlve Translate into Yoruba:
She had money, etc. into the position Y:
Verb Come home with me.
2a. It is the advcrb of timc which
is added to this which shows
X n; Y
You have said, "1 am X" ----·r­ ----­ (With me come home)
whethcr thc statcmcnt refers Try it throughout the column. AY9
Qlci
>
-.\ Ay9
()la .
(With us come home)
'Bisi called at the house
to the past or to the present.
Try and add ... r! "before, in
the past" to each statement
3b. Try other pronouns in the
position Y: ... r "¥ou ",
Qm 9
Awo
>I
>
Qm';
Aw6
II de 'Ie Go home with them.
(With them go home)
Akin> Akin We have reached home.
at the very end. Yall have ... wei "We ... ", ... yin "You "
statements meaning "He had (pI ural), ... wr5n "They ... ". Ogun > 6g~_1 1 .1
... before".
3a. Othcr pronoun subjects are 4b. Use names of persons in the
J110 "I", A "'We", J:,' "You" position y,1 When Y begins
(plural), Wr!11 "They". with vowels, ni is n' before
4a. Use names of persons as Ii-I, I' elsewhere. Revise
subject. chapter II (a) (i), pp. ??
Predicate

I w~ 1- - ile-II 'W:lJe
1 - -1- - - ­
[ntran­ Translate illto Yoruba:
Subject \ sitive Your house.
Verb Our house.
I came home.
Ad6 - Ad6 I came to your house.
Olci _. Ola You came to our house.
Om<;> > Om¢ I wa 'Ie I came home in the afternoon.
1 Notl: the difference beiween the copula, the ycrb TO BE 1', /I', IIi (middle tone) Ogun-IOgun
and the finite verb "to have": /.:., 1l1lil. 11, (high tone). "To own" is 1', n', ni (middle i I I 1

tone), distinguishcd fr0111 Ihe verb TO BE in that it occurs only in subordinate

clauses: Emi ni Ina 11i f"Il is I who owns it".

104 105

'-~,.="'-. ~~' .. -"'=~

 11

Predicate
Predicate
------1

I
}n-
S u b- tran- tran
111- i
I I.-----­
S"bjeet Adv"b I~TeJ~ 'TunW
ject i sitive sitive nounl
Qlci I Qla

I Translate into Yoruba:

__ ~ verb Iverb ,_~_ Ad6 I Ad6 t(\11 I ji I Jesus rose again.

O~o
Ad(~
--I
-- Ad6
'$6 I
I W,] I 16
i- ~-. ~ __- _ I

ly,i _.. -. fy:5 h,) Return "Padil bl)"

()I11Q
, -
>. Om,) II II I Return horne "Pada b<) We] 'le'
Ogun -- Oglll1 I Mll11'1b0 "I am coming back"
-----1----I-------1------­ I
D klI ab<) "Welcome"
'-'-'--~-
Predicate 'JQk¢
,Bl)dc "Return"
QJ,] bl) de
----) I \-;~l~l
, JimH>k~

-------1
. _ - - - - , ----
Subject Adverb
1 1 Translate the following into Yoruba:
Ogun­ Ooun
b
bi
---- I They came.
Ad6 Ad6 jQ They came together.
Awo> ~w6 jillnQ k0 Let us eat together.
Let us eat.
Ibi
~~ - ---1 lya ti bi'111Q I'ami.
Ak~baj~
Predicate Gbogbo wa l' ()glm jQ bi.

Subject IA(;;~I~I-~el-b 'TiJll1dc

-------- 1---· -- .- .... ------

Baba> Baln] () tll11 de

lye :> 'YC Translale inlo Yoruba:
ql::] ­ Qlci tlll1 I de 11/C rain has come agaill.
QIllQ > I ()m(l (}jcJ has come again.
Y all have come again.
Akin>
Oye > Ak~1l
Oye I I You have eOllle agaiil, have you?
1------ - - - -- - - -----­

1. Note:
t(ll1oO. bi
Aj6 tun 'mQ bl- AjellmJTIQb'j "Prosperity gives a second lease of life \() :1 111:111"
(changes one's image)
This shows that there is 110 rule whieh prevents a w",d ""111111", 11.'1\\"('11 " 1""lnl,
and a verb. It seems that preverbs c!evelnpcd 0111 "I' \( 'I I> ;­

106 107
 .~

The Noun-forming Prefixes

(to follow chapter XI)

J~ k.. a lQ "Let's go"

[AF~I~ J~ k'a)9 19 "Let's go together"
Mo bf 9 "1 beg you"
I

I11Q A bf Jesu 111 Bethlehem "Jesus vvus \

bo born in Bethlehem"
i

A I bi
ji
k(~* 6 ti jf "He has awoken"
AW911 aja Yyl1 tija "Those dogs are
'.'
II':

dll fighting" ,r,1\

~a
Uti
Aw<,l11 aja Yyll njlL elu egungul1
"Those dogs are fighting over a
ai
gbc bone"

J1I."
kltll $a okiita kilf() ni 'I1U lrysi yi Ii
i '
jQ "Pick stones away from this rice"
G be mi ga "Lift me high" Ii!
I ,~I
.N
"il

~'
it

--------1 !11
I
A verb verb I I i~
1----.--- ----,-1

A I
III
b¢
~a
ldlll
I
I bi
1
i
dll
I-_1._--,-----­
I gbe

~ Only girls have names with k,; "to pet". All the names in this table, therefore, are
pet names or girls.

108

'"'~!I':~.!!ilifIOfii •