ẹni

See also: Appendix:Variations of "eni"

Yoruba

Etymology 1

Proposed to have derived from Proto-Yoruboid *ɔ́-nɪ̃ (of which the Central Yoruba form maintains the same form), compare with Arigidi ẹ̀nẹn, Igbo onye, Igala ẹ́nẹ.

Possibly equivalent to ẹ- (“nominalizing prefix”) +‎ ni (“to be”), literally “That which exists”

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɛ̄.nĩ̄/

Noun

ẹni

1. person, one

Synonyms

Yoruba Varieties and Languages - ẹni (“person, one”)
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Language Family	Variety Group	Variety/Language	Subdialect	Location	Words
Proto-Itsekiri-SEY	Southeast Yoruba	Ào		Ìdóàní	ọni
		Eastern Àkókó	Ìkàrẹ́	Ìkàrẹ́ Àkókó (Ùkàrẹ́)	ọnà
		Ìdànrè (Ùdànè, Ùdànrè)		Ìdànrè (Ùdànè, Ùdànrè)	ọnẹ
		Ìjẹ̀bú	Ìjẹ̀bú	Ìjẹ̀bú Òde	ọni
			Rẹ́mọ	Ẹ̀pẹ́	ọni
				Ìkòròdú	ọni
				Ṣágámù	ọni
		Ìkálẹ̀ (Ùkálẹ̀)		Òkìtìpupa	ọnẹ
		Ìlàjẹ (Ùlàjẹ)		Mahin	ọnẹ
		Oǹdó		Oǹdó	ọnẹ
		Ọ̀wọ̀ (Ọ̀ghọ̀)		Ọ̀wọ̀ (Ọ̀ghọ̀)	ọnẹ
		Usẹn		Usẹn	ọnẹ, ẹnẹ
	Ìtsẹkírì			Ìwẹrẹ	ọnẹ
Proto-Yoruba	Central Yoruba	Èkìtì	Èkìtì	Àdó Èkìtì	ọnị
			Àkúrẹ́	Àkúrẹ́	ọnị
			Mọ̀bà	Ọ̀tùn Èkìtì	ọnị
		Western Àkókó		Ọ̀gbàgì Àkókó	ọni
	Northwest Yoruba	Àwórì		Èbúté Mẹ́tà	ẹni
		Ẹ̀gbá		Abẹ́òkúta	ẹni
		Èkó		Èkó	ẹni
		Ìbàdàn		Ìbàdàn	ẹni
		Ìbàràpá		Igbó Òrà	ẹni
		Ìbọ̀lọ́		Òṣogbo (Òsogbo)	ẹni
		Ìlọrin		Ìlọrin	ẹni
		Oǹkó		Òtù	ẹni
				Ìwéré Ilé	ẹni
				Òkèhò	ẹni
				Ìsẹ́yìn	ẹni
				Ṣakí	ẹni
				Tedé	ẹni
				Ìgbẹ́tì	ẹni
		Ọ̀yọ́		Ọ̀yọ́	ẹni
		Standard Yorùbá		Nàìjíríà	ẹni
				Bɛ̀nɛ̀	ɛni
	Northeast Yoruba/Okun	Owé		Kabba	ọni
	Ede Languages/Southwest Yoruba	Ìdàácà	Benin	Igbó Ìdàácà (Dasa Zunmɛ̀)	ɔni
		Ifɛ̀		Akpáré	ɛnɛ
				Atakpamɛ	ɛnɛ
				Tchetti (Tsɛti, Cɛti)	ɛnɛ
		Kura		Aledjo-Koura	ɛni
				Awotébi	ɛni
				Partago	ɛni
Note: This amalgamation of terms comes from a number of different academic papers focused on the unique varieties and languages spoken in the Yoruboid dialectal continuum which extends from eastern Togo to southern Nigeria. The terms for spoken varieties, now deemed dialects of Yorùbá in Nigeria (i.e. Southeast Yorùbá, Northwest Yorùbá, Central Yorùbá, and Northeast Yorùbá), have converged with those of Standard Yorùbá leading to the creation of what can be labeled Common Yorùbá (Funṣọ Akere, 1977). It can be assumed that the Standard Yorùbá term can also be used in most Nigerian varieties alongside native terms, especially amongst younger speakers. This does not apply to the other Nigerian Yoruboid languages of Ìṣẹkírì and Olùkùmi, nor the Èdè Languages of Benin and Togo.

Derived terms

• ẹlẹ́ni
• ẹlòmíì
• ẹni a fẹ́ la mọ̀
• ẹni tí ò gbọ́n lààwẹ̀ ń gbò
• ẹni tí ò lówó á léèyàn
• ẹnikẹ́ni (“anyone”)
• ẹnìkan (“a person”)
• mọni (“to know a person”)
• Ọlọ́run ẹlẹ́ni mẹ́ta (“triune god”)

Etymology 2

Compare with Ifè aní, Itsekiri ẹní, Olukumi ẹní

Ẹní

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɛ̄.nĩ́/

Noun

ẹní

1. straw mat; usually used for sleeping

   baba ń hun ẹní ― The father is weaving a mat

Synonyms

Yoruba varieties (straw mat)

Language Family	Variety Group	Variety	Words
Proto-Itsekiri-SEY	Southeast Yoruba	Ìjẹ̀bú	ẹní
		Ìkálẹ̀	-
		Ìlàjẹ	-
		Oǹdó	-
		Ọ̀wọ̀	-
		Usẹn	-
Proto-Yoruba	Central Yoruba	Èkìtì	ení
		Ifẹ̀	-
		Ìgbómìnà	-
		Ìjẹ̀ṣà	-
		Western Àkókó	-
	Northwest Yoruba	Àwórì	ẹní
		Ẹ̀gbá	-
		Ìbàdàn	ẹní
		Òǹkò	-
		Ọ̀yọ́	ẹní
		Standard Yorùbá	ẹní
	Northeast Yoruba/Okun	Ìbùnú	-
		Ìjùmú	-
		Ìyàgbà	-
		Owé	aní
		Ọ̀wọ̀rọ̀	-

Derived terms

• ẹlẹ́ní (“mat seller”)

Etymology 3

Cognate with Itsekiri ẹnẹ (“we, us, our”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɛ̄.nĩ̄/

Determiner

ẹni

1. (Ijebu) our (first-person plural possessive pronoun)

   Ulé ẹni rèé ― This is our house

Pronoun

ọ̀wọn

1. (Ijebu) us (first-person plural object pronoun)

See also

Ijebu personal pronouns

Number	Person	Affirmative Subject Pronoun	Negative Subject Pronoun	Emphatic Pronoun	Possessive Pronoun	Object Pronoun	Possessive Determiner	Reflexive Pronoun
Singular	First	mo	mí	èmi	tèmi	mi		ara mi
	Second	wo	wé	ùwọ	tiẹ	ẹ		ara ẹ
	Third	ó, é	[pronoun dropped]	òwun, òun	tiẹ̀	ẹ̀		ara ẹ̀
Plural and Honorific	First	a	á	àwa	tẹni	ẹni		ara ẹni
	Second	wẹn	wẹ́n	ẹ̀wẹn	tiwẹn	wẹn		ara wẹn
	Third	wọ́n		ọ̀wọn	tiwọn	wọn		ara wọn