Fwd: IN THE YORUBA LANGUAGE, THE EYES SAY A LOT
Toyin Falola
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Begin forwarded message:
From: Julius Fakinlede <jfaki...@gmail.com>
Date: June 12, 2014 at 4:17:17 PM CDT
To: Oladele Awobuluyi <oladele....@gmail.com>, Kole Omotoso <bankole...@gmail.com>, Dr Peter Bayo Aborisade <baboris...@yahoo.com>, COADEDIRE <COAD...@yahoo.com>, "Olatubosun Adedipe" <elem...@gmail.com>, Funmi Olubode-Sawe <saw...@yahoo.co.uk>, JULIUS FAKINLEDE <jfaki...@gmail.com>, Omotayo Fakinlede <oa...@hotmail.com>, Gbenro Adegbola <gben...@yahoo.co.uk>, kolawoleowolabi <kolawol...@yahoo.co.uk>, Nike Lawal <nlaw...@gmail.com>, Toyin Falola <toyin...@austin.utexas.edu>, Wumi Akintide <wum...@aol.com>, "Yiwola Awoyale" <awo...@ldc.upenn.edu>, Ayo Bamgbose <ybamg...@yahoo.com>
Subject: IN THE YORUBA LANGUAGE, THE EYES SAY A LOT
IN THE YORUBA LANGUAGE, THE EYES SAY A LOT
By
KAYODE FAKINLEDE
In my language, Yoruba, the eyes are often used to express emotional circumstances. It is not that the other parts of our body do not convey messages of importance. But to think that the eyes, in conjunction with the adjoining facial tissues can tell so many stories and expose our well being to the world, this is astounding indeed!
Of course, a person can talk to his legs (bẹ́sẹ̀ sọ̀rọ̀) if one wants to depart from an unpleasant situation, or speak to one’s stomach (bánúsọ) when an issue comes to a head, it is the eyes that tell one whether the circumstance that one finds oneself has become convoluted to the eyes (díjú) and one has to determine whether or not one can poke them out (yọjú) – not literally – into a business that does not concern one.
Wherever one finds oneself however, one has to put one’s eyes and ears down to the ground (fojúsílẹ̀, fetisílẹ̀) and make sure that one stirs the brain and stomach (rorí, ronú) before sticking ones legs (tẹsẹ̀ bọ) into a business that does not concern one.
When a Yoruba person says that our eyes are now open (lajú), he is not saying that we had closed our eyes all along, he is saying that we are now civilized. Of course there were those days when our eyes were by our knees (ojú wà ní orúnkún) and were not able to use our inner eyes (ojú-inú) to discern very obvious issues. Those days are gone. We now know what is befitting to the eyes (bojúmu).
I have a list below of some of the various stories our eyes tell of ourselves to the world.
Enjoy!!!
WORDS FROM ‘OJÚ’
MINOR STEM
MAJOR STEM
AUXILLIARY STEM
YORUBA WORD
ENGLISH
Ba
ojú
mu
Bójúmu
To be appropriate
Bá
ojú
jọ
Bójú jọ
To be pleasing to the eyes
Bẹ́
ojú
bẹ́jú
To be a impertinent
Bo
ojú
jẹ́
Bojújẹ́
To become saddened
Da
ojú
Dajú
To be cockeyed
Dá
ojú
Dájú
To be certain
De
ojú
Dejú
To be expecting (someone)
Dẹ̀
ojú
Dẹ̀jú
To be foolish
Di
ojú
Dijú
To close the eyes; to be unconcerned
Dí
ojú
Díjú
To be confusing
Dó
ojú
Dójú
To have a mark
Do
ojú
Dojú
To get to the point or issue
Fa
ojú
ro
Fajúro
To frown
Fa
ojú
mọ́ra
Fajúmọ́ra
To be consoled
Fẹ
ojú
Fẹjú
To open the eyes wide
Fí
ojú
Fíjú
To be lazy, To see things as difficult
Fín
ojú
Fínjú
To be clairvoant
Fo
ojú
fo
Fojúfo
To forget about something
Fọ
ojú
Fọjú
To use native means to see the future or somewhere
Fi
ojú
inú
Fojú inú (wo nkan)
To be introspective
Fún
ojú
pọ̀
Fúnjú pọ̀
To frown
Gún
ojú
Gúnjú
To be symmetrical
Gba
ojú
mọ̀
Gbajúmọ̀
To be famous
Gbá
ojú
mọ́
Gbájúmọ́
To mind one’s business fully
Gbó
ojú
Gbójú
To be intrepid
Gbọ́n
ojú
Gbọ́njú
To become an adult
Jọ
ojú
Jọjú
To be adequate
Kán
ojú
Kánjú
To be in a hurry
Kẹ
ojú
Kẹjú
To pretend to be angry
Kọ
ojú
(si)
Kọjú
To pay attention to (something)
Kú
ojú
Kújú
To become dull (as in a knife); to become dull
Kún
ojú
(iwon)
Kúnjú
To be up to a task
La
ojú
Lajú
To become civilized
Lu
ojú
Lujú
To become pierced
Mọ
ojú
Mojú
To become familiar (a dog with its owner)
Mọ́
ojú
Mọ́jú (mọ́ ènìà lójú)
To show some kind of disrespect
Mọ́
ojú
Mọ́jú
To last till morning time
Nọ
ojú
Nọjú
To take a stroll
Nu
ojú
Nujú
To stop (crying)
Pa
ojú
De
Pojúdé (Pajúdé)
To die
Pa
ojú
Po
Pojúpọ̀
To close one’s eyes; to become tumid
Pa
ojú
ku
Pojúkú
To become stale
Pé
ojú
(ìwọ̀n)
Péjú (ìwọ̀n)
To be appropriate
Pọ́n
ojú
Pọ́njú
To be very poor or inprovident
Rá
ojú
Rájú
To become blind
Ran
ojú
Ranjú
To open the eyes wide
Rẹ
ojú
Rẹjú
To take a siesta
Ró
ojú
Rójú
To have time
Ro
ojú
Rojú
To be unwilling (to perform a task; to be lazy
Rọ́
ojú
Rọ́jú
To have perseverance
Rú
ojú
Rújú
To confuse someone
Rún
ojú
pọ̀
Rúnjú
To frown
Ṣe iwá
ojú
Ṣáájú (Ṣíwájú)
To lead, to be in front
Ṣẹ́
ojú
Ṣẹ́jú
To blink
Ṣí
ojú
Ṣijú (kúrò)
To take one’s mind off (something)
Ṣe
ojú
sí (enia)
Ṣojú (si)
To make a pass at (someone)
Sọ
ojú
(nù)
Sọjú (nù)
To keep one’s eyes off others business
Son
ojú
Sọ́njú
To be mean
Tẹ́
ojú
Tẹ́jú
To be plain
Ti
ojú
Tijú
To be shy
Tọ́
ojú
Tọ́jú
To take care of (someone)
Tú
ojú
ka
Tújúka
To become consoled
Wá
ojú
Ire (enia); mora
Wájú (ènìà) mọ́ra
To look for another’s goodwill
We
ojú
Wẹjú
To be clairvoyant
Wo
ojú
Wojú
To be dependent on (someone)
Yá
ojú
Yájú
To be rude ( to an older person)
Yí
ojú
(padà)
Yíjú padà
To turn around
Yọ
ojú
(sí)
Yọjú sí
To interfere in (another’s business); to make a courtesy call
Michael Afolayan
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