Introduction

Introduction
Map of Africa

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Map of Nigeria
4 E

10

14 E

12

NIGER
SOKOTO
KATSINA

JIGAWA

YOBE

ZAMFARA

12

BORNO
12 N

NIN

KANO

REP. OF BE

10

KEBBI

KADUNA

BAUCHI

GOMBE

NIGER

10

PLATEAU

ADAMAWA

ABUJA
F.C.T.

KWARA

NASSARAWA
OYO

TARABA

OSUN

EKITI
ONDO

OGUN

BENUE
EDO

LAGOS

ENUGU

EBONYI

ANAMBRA

Gulf of Guinea

KOGI

DELTA

BAYELSA

IMO

RIVER

ABIA

CROSSRIVER

AKWAIBOM

ER

International Boundary
State Boundary
F.C.T. Federal Capital Territory
0

Fig

6 N

100

200 Km

10

Map of Nigeria Showing all the States

Maapu Naijiria ti o n safihan gbogbo ipinle

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Map Yorb Land (showing some Yorb cities)

International Boundary
State Boundary
Kisi

State Capital
0

50

100 Km

Shaki

KWARA STATE
OYO

Ogbomoso
Ikirun

Iseyin

REP. OF BENIN

Oyo

Oshogbo
Iwo

Ede

Eruwa

OSUN

Ibadan

Ilesha

Ado Ekiti

Ife

Ikere
AKure

Abeokuta
Ilaro

Ondo

OGUN
Shagamu

EKITI
ikare

Owo

ONDO

Ijebu Ode

Ikeja

LAGOS

Badagry

Ikole

Ijero

Epe
Okiti pupa

EDO STATE

Gulf of Guinea

Fig.

Map of South-Western Nigeria Showing the Current

Yoruba States

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Map of Yorb World

USA (South Carolina)

CUBA
TRINIDAD
SIERRA LEONE
REPUBLIC
OF BENIN
NIGERIA
BRAZIL

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Yorb Alphabets
Yorb language has eighteen consonants and seven oral vowels as found below:
IPA

Yorb
Letters

Yorb
Words

English
Meanings

English
Examples

[a]

ga

chair

as in apple

[b]

bt

shoe

as in boy

[d]

dndn

a type of drum

as in dog

[e]

ehoro

rabbit

as in eight

[]

in

horse

as in egg

[f]

fl

hat

as in feather

[g]

garawa

bucket

as in go

[gb]

gb

gbgd

cassava

pronounced [gb]

[h]

hanrun

to snore

as in hall

[i]

igi

tree

as in igloo

[d]

jg

mirror

as in jog

[k]

kkr

key

as in koala

[l]

lgblgb

tadpole

as in lie

[m]

mgr

mango

as in mom

[n]

nr

nigerian money

as in never

[o]

olgb

cat

as in oven

[]

monkey

as in oil

[kp]

ppy

duck

pronounced [kp]

[r]

rknm

camel

as in rise

[s]

slbt

sandal

as in sun

[]

spoon

as in shy

[t]

tata

grasshopper

as in tie

[u*]

u*

to untie

as in true

[w]

w
y

wrp

epilepsy
mosquito

as in water
as in yes

[j]
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ynmynm
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*No Standard Yorb language word starts with the vowel u. However, in certain Yorb dialects
such as the kt, and j dialects, a word can begin with u as in ur
(a lie) and uu (yam) which is written in Standard Yorb as ir and iu.

Vowels

Oral Vowels - Fwl rnmp

There are seven oral vowels in Standard Yorb:
a

Below are examples of the vowels with their English meanings.

IPA

Yorb
Letters

Yorb
Words

English
Meanings

English
Examples

[a]

aj

dog

as in apple

[e]

erin

elephant

as in day

[]

bird

as in egg

[i]

im

nose

as in ignore

[o]

ow

money

as in open

[]

hand

as in oil

[u]

*ooru

heat

as in put

*Remember that there is no Standard Yorb word that begins with the vowel u except in some
other Yorb dialects as mentioned earlier.

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Introduction

Nasal Vowels - Fwl rnmp

Yorb has five nasal vowels:
-an

-n

-in

-n

an

as in 'bdn'

a city in Western Nigeria

as in 'yn'

that one

in

as in 'erin'

elephant

as in 'bn'

gun

un

as in 'fun'

to blow

-un

While there is a distinction between /an/ and /n/ in Standard Yorb orthography, both are
pronounced the same, i.e. []. Therefore, the nasal vowels in words like gbn [gb] coconut and
ran [r] generation are pronounced the same, i.e. [], though they are orthographically different.

Consonants
Yorb language has eighteen consonants as found below:
b

gb

Note that the English alphabets c, q, v, x, z do not exist in Yorb.

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Consonants
IPA

Yorb
Letters

Yorb
Words

English
Meanings

English
Examples

[b]

bt

shoe

as in bag

[d]

dd

fried yam

as in date

[f]

fl

hat

as in foot

[g]

igi

tree

as in gig

[gb]

gb

gbogbo

all

N/A

[d]

jw

please

as in jaws

[k]

kkr

key

as in kitchen

[l]

labalb

butterfly

as in lollipop

[m]

mj

two

as in mouth

[n]

nsisny

now

as in near

[kp]

ptpt

completely

N/A

[r]

rks

conspiracy

as in risky

[s]

slbt

sandal

as in sun

[]

spoon

as in shy

[t]

tata

grasshopper

as in tea

[w]

wr

milk

as in wheat

[y]

ynmynm

mosquito

as in yes

The syllabic [m] and [n]

/m/ and /n/ are considered nasal consonants. However, they can act in capacity as syllabic nasals
because they behave like vowels on which tones can be marked. In other words, they can stand on
their own just like a syllable as found below:

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Adrel

a/d//re/l

name of a person

Bmbl

B/m/b/l

name of a person

dd

d//d

fried yam

Tones
Yorb language has three primary but contrastive tones that are marked as follows:
High

[]

as in [b], to give birth to

Mid

[ ]

usually left unmarked as in [bi], to ask

Low

[\]

as in [b], to vomit

However, there is also a down-stepped tone marked in the following in which a high tone is followed
by a high tone and a low tone:
[\ /]

as in [akk], a student
as in [lp], a police officer

Tones can sometimes be marked on a nasal consonant as in the example below:

I am going

M l

Tones distinguish words when they contrast in Yorb language as in the following examples:
er

play

gain, benefit

re

carved, wooden image

ed

shrimp

language

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custom

hawk, falcon

ow

money

trade

hand

respect, honor

Titles in Yorb Culture

It is not uncommon in Yorb culture for people to have titles precede their names when they are
being addressed. These titles can be in English or in Yorb. Some examples include: Lawyer Bs
Adl, Justice Bl Adbs, Engineer Day llkan, Chief Ty Adlar, Accountant Bd
Adlk, Olor ad Aknty, and ba Adlk Adl

Adj

Judge

Agbjr

Lawyer

Alga

Chairman (e.g of a meeting)

Arbnrin

Mrs.

Arknrin

Master

Dkt

Doctor (medical)

ba

King

Boss

gbni

Mr.

jgbn

Professor

Olor

Queen

Oly

Chief

Omidan

Miss

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mw

Doctor of philosophy (Ph.D)

President (e.g of a club or school.)

Yorb Names
Some Yorb names are gender specific while other names are gender neutral. Yorb people give
names to a newborn baby based on the circumstances surrounding the birth of that baby. Meanings
of Yorb names are discussed in Book II of this series.

Male

Female

Adknl

Simill

lsnd

Flad

bym

Folkmi

ldp

Olwtmi

Olgbnga

Mojsl

Gbnr

Fadkmi

Akntnd

Adrnk

gun

Flkmi

Olwadre

yb

Babtnd

Ywnd

Gbyga

Simill

Klp

Atink

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Neutral (Male or female)

Moblj

Adbs

Abdn

Bnmi

Adky

Adbl

Olrm

Modp

Olfmi

Adl

Adl

Ayknl

Oly

Bsl

Fyay

Bmidl

Moysl

lynk

Blj

Ttll

Adtsn

Abmbl

Communication in Class

dk ariwo!

silence, be quiet! (you pl.)

dk ariwo!

silence, be quiet! (you sg.)

we yn s oj we

open your text books to page.. (you pl.)

w r

open your text book (you sg.)

dde!

stand up! (you pl.)

dde

stand up! (you sg.)

pa we yn d

close your books (you pl.)

pa w r d

close your book (you sg.)

tnun s

repeat! (you pl. or mark of respect)

tnun s

repeat! (you sg.)

jw

please! (you pl.); mark of respect

jw

please! (you sg.)

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fet sl!

listen! (you pl.)

fetsl!

listen! (you sg.)

jk!

sit down! (you pl.)

jk!

sit down! (you sg.)

s n Yorb

say it in Yorb (you pl. or for respect)

s n Yorb

say it in Yorb (you sg.)

naw sk

raise your hand (you pl.)

naw sk

raise your hand (you sg.)

mo n br

I have a question

bwo ni a e s w (p)

how do we say that

bwo ni a e s ___ n Yorb

how do we say ___ in Yorb?

ye yn?

do you (pl.) understand?

b ni, y wa

yes, we understand

y ?

do you (sg.) understand?

b ni, y mi

yes, I understand

s tl mi

repeat after me (pl.)

s tl mi

repeat after me (sg.)

k ni tm

what is the meaning of?

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Introduction

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