Some Focus Markers in Ifẹ̀ and Ẹ̀gbá Dialects

 

Some Focus Markers in Ifẹ̀ and Ẹ̀gbá Dialects

Credit: Prof L. O. Adewole

Yoruba for academic purpose

The Standard Yorùbá uses ni as its focus marker. The following are the focus markers in Ifẹ̀ and Ẹ̀gbá dialects:

SY: Ṣe ni ó rò pé wọ́n tóbi

Ifè: Se l[1]ó rò pé ighán tóbi

Ẹ̀gbá: Í sóó rò pé wọ́n tóbi

English: He thought they were big

SY: Ọbá kéde pé ọ̀la ni ọdún

Ifẹ̀: Ọba kéde ghíi ọ̀la lọdún

Ẹ̀gbá: Ọbá kéde pé ọ̀la róọdún

English: The king announces that the following day is the festival day

SY: Pé kí a lọ ni ó dára

Ẹ̀gbá: Pé kí a lọ róò dára

Ifẹ̀: Pé ká lọ lọ́ dáa

English: It is better we go

SY: Pé kí Adé yege ni ó dára

Ẹ̀gbá: Pé kÁdé yege réè dára

Ifẹ̀: Pé kádé yege lọ́ dáa

English: That Ade should succeed is good

SY: Kí ni?

Ẹ̀gbá: Kí yẹ̀n?

Ifẹ̀: Kí ni?/Kí rèé nì?

English: What?

SY: Kí nìyẹn?

Ẹ̀gbá: Kí pa yẹ̀n?

Ifẹ̀: Kí rèé nì?

English: What is that?

SY: Kí ni Adé rí?

Ẹ̀gbá: Ká Adé rí?

Ifẹ̀: Kí lAdé rí?

English: What did Ade see?

SY: Kí ni ó fà á?

Ẹ̀gbá: Kí fà á?

Ifẹ̀: Kí lọ́ fà á/Kọ́ fà á?

English: What caused it?

SY: Kí ni orúkọ rẹ?

Ẹ̀gbá: Kó orúkọ rẹ?

Ifẹ̀: Kí lọrúkọ rẹ/Kí ọrúkọ rẹ?

English: What is your name?

SY: Kí ni ó dùn?

Ẹ̀gbá: Kó  o dùn?

Ifẹ̀: Kí lọ́ dùn/Kọ́ dùn?

English: What is sweet?

SY: Kí ni wọ́n jẹ?

Ẹ̀gbá: Kọ́ ón jẹ?

Ifẹ̀: Kí nighán jẹ?/Kí ighán jẹ?

English: What did they eat?

SY: Kí ni o máa jẹ?

Ẹ̀gbá: Kó o máa jẹ?

Ifẹ̀: Kí lọ máa jẹ/Kọ́ ọ máa jẹ?

English: What do you want to eat?

SY: Ta ni?

Ẹ̀gbá: Lé e yẹ̀n?

Ifẹ̀: Yè sí?

English: Who?

SY: Ta niyẹn?

Ẹ̀gbá: Le è pa ìyẹn?

Ifẹ̀: Yè sí rèé nì?

English: Who is that?

SY: Ta ni o rí?

Ẹ̀gbá: Lè só o rí?

Ifẹ̀: Yè só o rí?

English: Who did you see?

SY: Ta ni Adé rí?

Ẹ̀gbá: Lè sádé rí?

Ifẹ̀: Yè sí lAdé rí/Yè sÁdé rí?

English: Who did Adé see?

SY: Èwo ni?

Ẹ̀gbá: Èsí ńbẹ̀?

Ifẹ̀: Yèé sí?

English: Which one?

SY: Èwó nìyẹn?

Ẹ̀gbá: È síyẹ̀n?

Ifẹ̀: Yèé sí rèé nì?

English: Which one is that?

SY: Èwo ni wọ́n mú?

Ẹ̀gbá: È wo rán-an mú?

Ifẹ̀: Yèé sí ighán mú?

English: Which one did they take?

SY: Èwo ni ó lọ?

Ẹ̀gbá: Èwo rò ò lọ?

Ifè: Yèé sọ́ lọ?

English: Which one went?

SY: Ìgbà wo ni o máa lọ?

Ẹ̀gbá: Ìgbà só o máa lọ?

Ifẹ̀: Ìgbà sọ́ ọ máa lọ?

English: When are you going?

SY: Bawo ni

Ẹ̀gbá: Báìí sí?

Ifẹ̀: Báwo ni?

English: How?

SY: Báwo ni o ṣe ṣe é?

Ẹ̀gbá: Báìí só o ṣe ṣe é?

Ifẹ̀: Kàí bó o se se é?

English: How did do it?

SY: Ibo ni?

Ẹ̀gbá: Ibi sí?

Ifẹ̀: Kàríbẹ̀?

English: Where is that?

SY: Ibo ni tuned máa sùn?

Ẹ̀gbá: Bi sí i Túndé máa sùn?

Ifẹ̀: Kabi i Tundé máa sùn?

English: Where will Tunde sleep?

SY: Ibo ni ẹ lọ?

Ẹ̀gbá: Bi sí ẹ lọ?

Ifẹ̀: Kabi ẹ rè?

English: Where did you go?

SY: Ibo ni ẹ ti rà á?

Ẹ̀gbá: Bi sẹ́ ẹ ti rà á?

Ifẹ̀: Kabi ẹ ti rà á?

English: Where did you buy it?

SY: Èló ni?

Ẹ̀gbá: Èló ni?

Ifẹ̀: Èló ni?

English: How much?

SY: Èló nìyẹn?

Ẹ̀gbá: Èló ò yẹ̀n

Ifẹ̀: Èló ni yèé nì?

English: How much is that?

SY: Èló ni o rà á?

Ẹ̀gbá: Èló ró o rà á?

Ifẹ̀: Èló lọ rà á?

English: How much did you buy it?

SY: Èló ni o ra ìwé yín?

Ẹ̀gbá: Èló róo ràwée yín?

Ifẹ̀: Èló lẹ ràwée righín?

English: How much did you buy your books?

SY: Melòó ni?

Ègbá: Mélòó o wà?

Ifẹ̀: Mélòó ni?

English: How many are they?

SY: Mélòó ni ó wà níbẹ̀?

Ẹ̀gbá: Mélòó ròó wà níbẹ̀?

Ifẹ̀: Mélòó lọ́ ghà ńbẹ̀?

English: How many are there?

SY: Mélòó ni o rà?

Ègbá: Mélòó ro o rà?

Ifẹ̀ Mélòó lọ rà?

English: How many did you buy?

SY: Mélòó ni wọ́n ń fẹ́?

Ẹ̀gbá: Mélòó ran án fẹ́?

Ifẹ̀: Mélòó nighán mí fẹ́?

English: How many do they want?

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[1] These italicized items may be the ones that remain in the dialects after various deletions,  assimilations  and other phonological process have taken place.