Describing People

• Ọ yaga - s/he is tall
• Ọ shẹ - s/he is short
• Ọ khua - s/he is big/fat
• Ọ gba - s/he is fat
• Ọ fu - s/he is big
• Ọ zegbe - he/she is fat
• Ọ nisẹ - s/he is slender
• Ọ somote/sotse - s/he is beautiful
• Ọ somẹloe - s/he is good looking
• Ọ siirọ - s/he is ugly
• Ọ yemosue - s/he is ugly
• Ọ ze - s/he is strong/healthy
• Ọ gbiti - s/he is stoic/strong
• Ọ mwuẹ afu - s/he is strong
• Ọ li wuyẹ - s/he is weak
• Ọ li kpẹshẹ- s/he is thin
• Ọ li rhiolo - s/he is lanky
• Ọ zilagba - he is bearded
• Ọ kpẹsẹ ilagba - he is bearded
• Ọ kpẹsẹ akpiji - he has a belly
• 
  

School Vocabulary

Awẹna - teacher

Owẹna - studies/education

Owowẹna - school

Owebe - library

Ọzebe - student

Ọguebe - scholar

Ebe - book

Ukẹkẹ - pen

Owẹna egbe - biology

Owẹna otọ - geography

Owẹna agbọ - sociology

Owẹna enẹlẹ - history

Owẹna ikpemi - chemistry

Owẹna alegie - government/Civic studies

Owẹna iguishemi - agriculture

Owẹna iduoki - commerce

Owẹna ikhumi - pharmacy

Owẹna idanọ - medical studies

ALELEMI - EMOTION

Common English Words Borrowed Into Etsakọ

Etsako, like every other language, has a lot of loanwords from other languages with which it has boosted its vocabulary. Most of these words come from languages which have had an influence on the culture and education of the people.

The most common languages which have had their vocabulary borrowed into Etsakọ are Arabic, Hausa and English in recent times.

Below are English words that are commonly used when speaking Etsakọ. Note that they all begin and end in vowels. This is because all Edo nouns must start and end in vowels.

When words beginning with a consonant are introduced into Etsakọ, then a vowel is attached to it; usually an I or A, but also E and U.

We trust that you can guess the meaning of the words below without a translation. You will also notice that most of the words are technical words, occupations and recent inventions.

Many of these words have their Etsakọ synonyms in which case we shall include them in brackets.

Possessive Pronouns in Etsakọ

Isitueshọni - situation

Isinẹrio - scenario

Amila - mile

Iminiti - minute

Ikilomita - kilometre

Imita - metre

Isẹkọndi - second

Idayabẹtis - diabetics

Apolisi - police

Asoja - soldier

Itẹmprechọ - temperature

Ikuẹstiọni - question

Imiraku - miracle

Isinima - cinema

Isuku - school

Itẹknọlọji - technology

Irobọti - robot

Amẹkaniki - mechanic

Apusi (anogbo, ojẹnyẹmi) - pussycat

Imoto - motor vehicle

Ibaisiko - bicycle

Asibitu - hospital

Imajiki - magic

Ifilọsọfi - philosophy

Afilọsọfa - philosopher

Apurofẹsọ - professor

Ifoto - picture

Ifoni - phone

Ividio - video

Ikamẹra - camera

Ikalẹnda (ukalẹlẹ) - calendar

Idọkumẹnti - document

Inọmba - number

Iyunivasiti - University

Iyunifọmu - uniform

Idirava - driver

Idọkita - doctor

Ẹnjinia - engineer

Isayẹnsi - science

Idishọnari- dictionary

Umago - mango

Itebu - table

Ikọmputa - computer

Intanẹti - internet

Ẹmoshọni - emotion

Ipọlitiks - politics

There are hundreds of other English words used daily in Etsakọ. English is to Etsakọ what Latin is to English, hence a major part of its modern vocabulary (usually nouns) is English based. 

IVAIROSI IKORONA (CORONA VIRUS) COVID-19

The Covid-19 has been the discussion on everybody’s lips since the start of this year. This is no surprise as the virus (oshishi egbe) which started in China has spread to every continent on the surface of the earth. Governments around the world are having a hard time tackling the disease as many have died, and there has been a negative impact on the economy with many people fearing that they will lose their jobs.

Below are some Etsako terms which are related to the coronavirus.

Photo by CDC on Pexels.com

Akualo – face mask

With the rise of the coronavirus, people have been advised to use a facemask when when leaving the house to reduce the chances of catching the virus. The Etsako word for facemask; akualo, is formed from two words: ku which means to cover , and alo which means face. 

Photo by CDC on Pexels.com

Ivairosi– virus

This word, like many other technical words, is derived from English.

Ichinokhia-n’egbe – social distancing

People have been equally advised to stand at a distance of at least 3 metres when in public to reduce the chances of catching or spreading an infection. Ichinokhia n’egbe literally means to move away from each other.

Ikuarantini/Isoleshoni – quarantine/isolation

This is to lock a person away from others to prevent them from spreading the disease to healthy people. Quarantine is used for people who have been confirmed to have the disease, while isolation is used for those who are suspected to have the disease.

Isenta isoleshoni – isolation centre

Iguami n'o gase – disease outbreak

Amie – symptoms

Amwu/Infekshoni – infection

Derived from the verb mwu which means to catch.

Ishitoshowa – stay-at-home

People have been advised to sit at home to reduce the spread of the infection.

Iguese evholi – lockdown

Lockdowns were instituted all over the world in countries were the virus had spread to. Recently though, countries have begun to lift the lockdowns because of the effect it has on the economy. It has been argued that a lockdown is not the best approach to tackling the virus.

VHA SHITO SHI OWA. VHA KHA MOLI AMIE IVAIROSI IKORONA, VHA YAGUA VHA YE ASIBITU.

UKI AZUMI (RAMADHAN)

Uki i’Ramadhan ki uki ozitiili vh'elemi ukalele (ikalenda) Imusulumi. L’o ki uki azumi ni imuslumi ku n’e la eke-agbo e ga la elemi oli aa mwu azumi.

Ishinegba o guase eye elemi Al-kur’ani: Vhevhe ni vha she yayi, A she keke azumi na vhe abi a kpo li keke o n’agbo n’e kpalo vhe, vha ke moli inofe. Q2:183.

Photo by abdulmeilk majed on Pexels.com

A kha me uki ogbo l’uki i’Ramadhan o r’aa gbase. A kha ke gue me uki ogbo owese, uki i’Ramadhan o fo. Ogbele uye ali itiili (29) kokua ogbele uye ali igbe (30) l’a mwue vh'elemi uki i’Ramadhan.

Elemi uki i’Ramadha, vh'ele iyose izemi (Laylatul Qadr) l’Ishinegba o ro r’al-kur’ani kpiale gi Anebi Muhammad (SAW).

Ishinegba o guase eye vh'elemi Al-kur’ani: Uki i’Ramadhan ki uki n’a la r’al-kur’ani kpiale, o ke ki irodekase n’agbo ali etseke n’o kala n’o laa r’irodekase n’agbo ali ufadegbea (iteteva imwagie ali olemi). Onye vhe n’o da ke me oni uki, o mwu azumi shi o. Onoosoku-egbe kokua oni o ye okhiali, o lolo mwuno vh'ele ewese. Olokhome l’Ishinegba o nono na vhe, akhi omwunu l’o nono na vhe; vha ke mwuno eni ele gba ali khi vha ke r’Ishinegba fu obode n'o ro r’ode kase vhe, ali khi vha ke kpemi. Q2:185

Uki i’Ramadhan, uki azumi l’o kia. Elemi oni uki ona amusulumi o vha laa le emenaale, o vha laa da ame, o vha laa chi mama okpotso te ele uzogbe aa rami ele iyose. Amusulumi o vha laa chi mama ikakpuli imwe, o vha laa nu ogbo kholi, o vha laa ka, o vha laa mwe imwemi n’e vha chi eso. Udu oli ku l’o laa ro n'Ishinegba.

Azumi ogbo o dobe aa fuechea (ria) o kha kieli eni imwe ena;

1. o kha le emenaale neni ovo o j’eke
2. o kha nu ugue oli gue
3. okpotso o kha me olia-uki oli
4. okpotso n’o aa me o kha via

A me agbo n’azumi o vha kila omema (adarura) na. Eni agbo ena ki;

1. Okioji kokua okpisha
2. onoosokuegbe
3. okpotso n’o aa me (n'o aa sami)
4. okpotso n’o r’omo shi egbe
5. oni o ye okhie
6. okpotso n’o la ishito (okpotso n'o me olia-uki oli)
7. ivhie
8. ogbo n’egbe (ukpakomi) o vha gba na

Eni e vha dobe mwu azumi e kemi emenaale n’eneemwue. Ama e kha dobe mwu azumi, oyo l’o somi ne.

Uki i’Ramadhan o kha fo – n’a kha she da me uki ogbo – a khe r’idi al-fitr ro gele. Idi eva l’a mwue vhi adini al-islam;

1. Eid al-fitr (Isala n’okeke)
2. Eid al-adha (Isala n’o fu)

Isinegba nyie azumi eye vho, u gbe etse kua n’eye. Ishinegba r’onagie na eye vhi oni agbo ona ali elemi. isee!

IKELIMA EGBO (NEW WORDS)

azumi – fasting

uki – moon, month

ishito – menstruation

olia-uki – menstrual flow

onoomwue – the poor, needy

onoosokuegbe – the sick

ukalele – calendar

QURAN2:185

UKI I'RAMADAN KI UKI N'A LA R'AL-KUR'ANI KPIALE O KE KI IRODEKASE N'AGBO ALI IRODEKASE N'O KALA ALI ADEGBEA (N'O LA ITETEVA IMWAGIE ALI EFE). ONYE VHE N'O DA ME ONI UKI, O MWU AZUMI OLI. ONI O VHA KE SOKU EGBE LAA ONI O YE OKHIALI, O MWU UWE OLI ELE EWESE. OLOKHOME L'ISHINEGBA O NONO NA VHE, AKHI OMWUNU L'O NONO NA VHE. VHA KE DOBE MWU ONI AZUMI GBA ALI KHI VHA KE R'ISHINEGBA KHUA TIRALI ODE N'O RO KASE VHE, ALI KHI VHA KE KPEMI.

The Month of Ramadhan is the month in which the Qur'an was revealed as guidance for mankinf, and as clear guidance and a seperation (between truth and falsehood). Whoever witnesses it should fast in it. Whoever is sick or on a journey, then let him fast a number of other days. Allah desires ease for you, and He desires not hardship for you. So that you may complete the days (of fasting), and magnify Allah for His guidance, and so that you may be thankful.