Some Focus Markers in Ifẹ̀ and Ẹ̀gbá Dialects

By NURUDEEN Abass Adesinmi

 

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?





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

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