ẹni

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”

• IPA^(key): /ɛ̄.nĩ̄/

ẹni

1. person, one

Yoruba Varieties and Languages - ẹni (“person, one”)
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Language Family	Variety Group	Variety/Language	Location	Words
Proto-Itsekiri-SEY	Southeast Yoruba	Eastern Àkókó	Ìkàrẹ́ Àkókó	ọnà
		Ìdànrè	Ìdànrè	ọnẹ
		Ìjẹ̀bú	Ìjẹ̀bú Òde	ọni
			Ìkòròdú	ọni
			Ṣágámù	ọni
			Ẹ̀pẹ́	ọni
		Ìkálẹ̀	Òkìtìpupa	ọnẹ
		Ìlàjẹ	Mahin	ọnẹ
		Oǹdó	Oǹdó	ọnẹ
		Ọ̀wọ̀	Ọ̀wọ̀	ọnẹ
		Usẹn	Usẹn	ọnẹ, ẹnẹ
	Ìtsẹkírì		Ìwẹrẹ	ọnẹ
Proto-Yoruba	Central Yoruba	Èkìtì	Àdó Èkìtì	ọnị
			Àkúrẹ́	ọnị
			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	ẹni
		Ìlọrin	Ìlọrin	ẹni
		Oǹkó	Ìtẹ̀síwájú LGA	ẹni
			Ìwàjówà LGA	ẹni
			Kájọlà LGA	ẹni
			Ìsẹ́yìn LGA	ẹni
			Ṣakí West LGA	ẹni
			Atisbo LGA	ẹni
			Ọlọ́runṣògo LGA	ẹni
		Ọ̀yọ́	Ọ̀yọ́	ẹni
		Standard Yorùbá	Nàìjíríà	ẹni
			Bɛ̀nɛ̀	ɛni
	Northeast Yoruba/Okun	Owé	Kabba	ọni
	Ede Languages/Southwest Yoruba	Ìdàácà	Igbó Ìdàácà	ɔni
		Ifɛ̀	Akpáré	ɛnɛ
			Atakpamé	ɛnɛ
			Tchetti	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.

Compare with Ifè aní, Itsekiri ẹní, Olukumi ẹní

• IPA^(key): /ɛ̄.nĩ́/

ẹní

1. straw mat; usually used for sleeping

   baba ń hun ẹní ― The father is weaving a mat

• ẹlẹ́ní (“mat seller”)

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

• IPA^(key): /ɛ̄.nĩ̄/

ẹni

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

   Ulé ẹni rèé ― This is our house

ọ̀wọn

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