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
20 core words in Yekhee
Water
amen
/amen/
Fire
eria
/eɾia/
Sun
ovan
/ovan/
Moon
ukpoki
/ukpoki/
Mother
iye
/ije/
Father
ada
/ada/
Eat
gba
/ɡba/
Drink
gbo
/ɡbo/
Love
gbele
/ɡbele/
Heart
itsu
/itsu/
Tree
orhan
/oɾhan/
House
ukekpe
/ukekpe/
Dog
agbon
/aɡbon/
Cat
otsuvua
/otsuvua/
Hand
oba
/oba/
Eye
evua
/evua/
Hello
udze
/udze/
Thank you
oyabuwere
/ojabuweɾe/
One
ovo
/ovo/
Good
edue
/edue/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Niger-Congo languages
| Meaning | Yekhee | Isoko | Urhobo | Samburu | Maasai | Gayo | Ndonga |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | amen /amen/ | ame /ame/ | ame /ame/ | nkare /ŋkaɾe/ | ɛŋare /ɛŋare/ | weih /weih/ | omeya /omeja/ |
| Fire | eria /eɾia/ | erae /eɾae/ | erane /eɾane/ | nkima /ŋkima/ | ɛnkima /ɛŋkima/ | rara /ɾaɾa/ | omulilo /omulilo/ |
| Sun | ovan /ovan/ | ọvẹ /ɔvɛ/ | ọvẹ /ɔvɛ/ | lakwa /lakʷa/ | enkolong /eŋkoloŋ/ | matacana /matatʃana/ | etango /etaŋɡo/ |
| Moon | ukpoki /ukpoki/ | ọwa /ɔwa/ | emẹrẹ /emɛɾɛ/ | lapa /lapa/ | olapa /olapa/ | lao /lao/ | omwedhi /omweði/ |
| Mother | iye /ije/ | ini /ini/ | onie /onie/ | yieyo /jiejo/ | yieyio /jiejio/ | ine /ine/ | meme /meme/ |
| Father | ada /ada/ | ọsẹ /ɔsɛ/ | ọsẹ /ɔsɛ/ | papa /papa/ | papa /papa/ | ama /ama/ | tate /tate/ |
| Eat | gba /ɡba/ | re /ɾe/ | re /ɾe/ | anya /aɲa/ | anya /aɲa/ | mangan /maŋan/ | lya /ʎa/ |
| Drink | gbo /ɡbo/ | da /da/ | da /da/ | oŋg /oŋɡ/ | oŋg /oŋɡ/ | minum /minum/ | nwa /nwa/ |
| Love | gbele /ɡbele/ | ọsuọ /ɔswɔ/ | ẹguọnọ /ɛɡwɔnɔ/ | eitalu /eitalu/ | eitalu /eitalu/ | kunyung /kuɲuŋ/ | ohole /ohole/ |
| Heart | itsu /itsu/ | udu /udu/ | udu /udu/ | ltau /ltau/ | oltau /oltau/ | ate /ate/ | omutima /omutima/ |
| Tree | orhan /oɾhan/ | orhan /oɾan/ | orhan /oɾan/ | lchani /ltʃani/ | olchani /oltʃani/ | kayu /kaju/ | omuti /omuti/ |
| House | ukekpe /ukekpe/ | uwowhe /uwowhe/ | uwevwi /uweβwi/ | nkang /ŋkaŋ/ | eng'aji /ɛŋadʒi/ | umah /umah/ | egumbo /eɡumbo/ |
| Dog | agbon /aɡbon/ | ebọ /ebɔ/ | ebọ /ebɔ/ | ldia /ldia/ | oldia /oldia/ | asu /asu/ | ombwa /ombwa/ |
| Cat | otsuvua /otsuvua/ | ọtọmha /ɔtɔmha/ | ọtọma /ɔtɔma/ | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ | kucing /kutʃiŋ/ | okashima /okaʃima/ |
| Hand | oba /oba/ | obọ /obɔ/ | obọ /obɔ/ | nkaina /ŋkaina/ | ɛŋaina /ɛŋaina/ | pumu /pumu/ | oshikaha /oʃikaha/ |
| Eye | evua /evua/ | ẹro /ɛɾo/ | aro /aɾo/ | nkoŋu /ŋkoŋu/ | ɛŋɔŋu /ɛŋɔŋu/ | mata /mata/ | eho /eho/ |
| Hello | udze /udze/ | mavọ /mavɔ/ | migwo /miɡwo/ | sopa /sopa/ | sopa /sopa/ | salam /salam/ | wa lalapo /wa lalapo/ |
| Thank you | oyabuwere /ojabuweɾe/ | migwo /miɡwo/ | miguo /miɡuo/ | ashe /aʃe/ | ashe /aʃe/ | matur sangat /matuɾ saŋat/ | tangi /taŋɡi/ |
| One | ovo /ovo/ | ọvo /ɔvo/ | ọvo /ɔvo/ | obo /obo/ | obo /obo/ | sara /saɾa/ | -mwe /mwe/ |
| Good | edue /edue/ | ọwhọ /ɔwhɔ/ | ọmaẹjẹ /ɔmaɛdʒɛ/ | supat /supat/ | sidai /sidai/ | jeroh /dʒeɾoh/ | -nawa /nawa/ |
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