Yekhee
Niger-Congo
Yekhee (Etsako, sometimes formerly called "Etsako proper" to distinguish from the broader Etsako language area) is an Edoid Niger-Congo language of southern Nigeria, sister to Edo (bin) and other Edoid languages. The Yekhee dialect cluster includes Auchi, Avianwu, and Uzairue varieties spoken across the Etsako Local Government Area of Edo State, with the Auchi variety being the most widely-spoken. Linguistically, Yekhee shares Edoid features (noun-class system, lexical tonal system, verb-final clauses) with Edo and other Edoid languages. The Auchi Polytechnic and Auchi cultural traditions have helped preserve Yekhee as a community language despite English-language dominance in education.
Where it is spoken
31 core words in Yekhee
Water
amen
/amen/
Fire
eria
/eɾia/
Sun
ovan
/ovan/
Moon
ukpoki
/ukpoki/
Star
isi
/isi/
Mother
iye
/ije/
Father
ada
/ada/
I
mẹ
/mɛ/
You
wẹ
/wɛ/
Name
ena
/ena/
Eye
evua
/evua/
Hand
oba
/oba/
Heart
itsu
/itsu/
Love
gbele
/ɡbele/
Tree
orhan
/oɾhan/
House
ukekpe
/ukekpe/
Dog
agbon
/aɡbon/
Cat
otsuvua
/otsuvua/
Eat
gba
/ɡba/
Drink
gbo
/ɡbo/
One
ovo
/ovo/
Two
eva
/eva/
Hello
udze
/udze/
Thank you
oyabuwere
/ojabuweɾe/
Good
edue
/edue/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Niger-Congo languages
| Meaning | Yekhee | Urhobo | Isoko | Edo language | Degema | Maasai | Samburu |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | amen /amen/ | ame /ame/ | ame /ame/ | amẹ /ame/ | mọn /mɔn/ | ɛŋare /ɛŋare/ | nkare /ŋkaɾe/ |
| Fire | eria /eɾia/ | erane /eɾane/ | erae /eɾae/ | erhẹn /eɾɛ̃/ | ọmạrị /ɔmaɾi/ | ɛnkima /ɛŋkima/ | nkima /ŋkima/ |
| Sun | ovan /ovan/ | ọvẹ /ɔvɛ/ | ọvẹ /ɔvɛ/ | ava /ava/ | ọvịnị /ɔvini/ | enkolong /eŋkoloŋ/ | lakwa /lakʷa/ |
| Moon | ukpoki /ukpoki/ | emẹrẹ /emɛɾɛ/ | ọwa /ɔwa/ | uki /uki/ | ọsọ /ɔsɔ/ | olapa /olapa/ | lapa /lapa/ |
| Star | isi /isi/ | isi /isi/ | esi /esi/ | orivbi /oˈɾiβi/ | esi /esi/ | olakira /olakira/ | lakira /lakira/ |
| Mother | iye /ije/ | onie /onie/ | oni /oni/ | — /—/ | inyeyẹ /iɲɛjɛ/ | yieyio /jiejio/ | yieyo /jiejo/ |
| Father | ada /ada/ | ọsẹ /ɔsɛ/ | ọsẹ /ɔsɛ/ | érhá /eɾa/ | etete /etete/ | papa /papa/ | papa /papa/ |
| I | mẹ /mɛ/ | mẹ /mɛ/ | mẹ /mɛ/ | mẹ /mɛ̃/ | mẹ /mɛ/ | nanʉ /nanʊ/ | nanu /nanʊ/ |
| You | wẹ /wɛ/ | wẹ /wɛ/ | whẹ /ʍɛ/ | wẹ /wɛ/ | wo /wo/ | iyie /ijie/ | iye /ije/ |
| Name | ena /ena/ | odẹ /odɛ/ | odẹ /odɛ/ | eni /ẽ̀nĩ̀/ | eni /eni/ | enkarna /eŋkarna/ | nkarna /ŋkarna/ |
| Eye | evua /evua/ | aro /aɾo/ | ẹro /ɛɾo/ | aro /aro/ | enẹ /enɛ/ | ɛŋɔŋu /ɛŋɔŋu/ | nkoŋu /ŋkoŋu/ |
| Hand | oba /oba/ | obọ /obɔ/ | obọ /obɔ/ | obo /obo/ | ọnẹ /ɔnɛ/ | ɛŋaina /ɛŋaina/ | nkaina /ŋkaina/ |
| Heart | itsu /itsu/ | udu /udu/ | udu /udu/ | orhio /oɾio/ | ọkọmpọnị /ɔkɔmpɔni/ | oltau /oltau/ | ltau /ltau/ |
| Love | gbele /ɡbele/ | ẹguọnọ /ɛɡwɔnɔ/ | ọsuọ /ɔswɔ/ | arhuẹmwonmwan /arhuemwonmwan/ | inyiẹna /iɲjɛna/ | eitalu /eitalu/ | eitalu /eitalu/ |
| Tree | orhan /oɾhan/ | orhan /oɾan/ | orhan /oɾan/ | orẹ /ore/ | eyo /ejo/ | olchani /oltʃani/ | lchani /ltʃani/ |
| House | ukekpe /ukekpe/ | uwevwi /uweβwi/ | uwowhe /uwowhe/ | owa /owa/ | ọsụnẹ /ɔsunɛ/ | eng'aji /ɛŋadʒi/ | nkang /ŋkaŋ/ |
| Dog | agbon /aɡbon/ | ebọ /ebɔ/ | ebọ /ebɔ/ | awa-oshi /awa.oʃi/ | ifụnị /ifuni/ | oldia /oldia/ | ldia /ldia/ |
| Cat | otsuvua /otsuvua/ | ọtọma /ɔtɔma/ | ọtọmha /ɔtɔmha/ | apusi /apusi/ | ọchẹ /ɔtʃɛ/ | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ |
| Eat | gba /ɡba/ | re /ɾe/ | re /ɾe/ | re /re/ | re /ɾe/ | anya /aɲa/ | anya /aɲa/ |
| Drink | gbo /ɡbo/ | da /da/ | da /da/ | da /da/ | da /da/ | oŋg /oŋɡ/ | oŋg /oŋɡ/ |
| One | ovo /ovo/ | ọvo /ɔvo/ | ọvo /ɔvo/ | okpa /okpa/ | ọmọ /ɔmɔ/ | obo /obo/ | obo /obo/ |
| Two | eva /eva/ | ivẹ /ivɛ/ | ivẹ /ivɛ/ | eva /èʋà/ | eva /eva/ | aare /aːre/ | aare /aːre/ |
| Hello | udze /udze/ | migwo /miɡwo/ | mavọ /mavɔ/ | kóyo /kojo/ | amọn /amɔn/ | sopa /sopa/ | sopa /sopa/ |
| Thank you | oyabuwere /ojabuweɾe/ | miguo /miɡuo/ | migwo /miɡwo/ | ù rú èsé /u ru ese/ | nani /nani/ | ashe /aʃe/ | ashe /aʃe/ |
| Good | edue /edue/ | ọmaẹjẹ /ɔmaɛdʒɛ/ | ọwhọ /ɔwhɔ/ | ma /ma/ | ekenẹ /ekenɛ/ | sidai /sidai/ | supat /supat/ |
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