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.