Animals

1. Avu

   Dog

   Usage

   Use it for a dog. Said of a person it is an insult, so use it for the animal only

   Grammar Note

   avu is “dog”. Dictionaries also list “scoundrel”, so never use it as a way to address a person.

2. Dadi

   Cat

   Usage

   Use it for a cat

   Grammar Note

   dadi is “cat”.

3. Xevi

   Bird

   Usage

   Refers to birds in general

   Grammar Note

   xevi is “bird”. xe alone also means bird, and vi is the element for “small one” or “offspring”.

4. Tɔmelã

   Fish

   Usage

   Refers to fish, and to fish as food

   Grammar Note

   tɔmelã is “fish”. lã means “animal” or “meat” and also appears in nyilã (beef) and koklolã (chicken meat).

5. Sɔ

   Horse

   Usage

   Use it for a horse

   Grammar Note

   sɔ is “horse”. The same form also exists as a verb meaning “be equal; fit”, so context decides.

6. Tedzi

   Donkey

   Usage

   Use it for a donkey. In scripture it is the animal that carries loads and riders

   Grammar Note

   tedzi is “donkey”.

7. Nyinɔ

   Cow

   Usage

   Use it for a cow

   Grammar Note

   nyinɔ is a female cow. A bull is nyitsu, and nyi is cattle in general.

8. Alẽ

   Sheep

   Usage

   Use it for a sheep

   Grammar Note

   alẽ is “sheep”. Keep the nasal mark on ẽ.

9. Gbɔ̃

   Goat

   Usage

   Use it for a goat

   Grammar Note

   gbɔ̃ is “goat”. The ɔ̃ is ɔ plus the nasal tilde and is treated as one letter.

10. Koklo

    Chicken

    Usage

    Use it for the bird. For the meat say koklolã

    Grammar Note

    koklo is “chicken”. A rooster is koklotsu, a hen koklonɔ and a chick koklovi.

11. Kpakpaxe

    Duck

    Usage

    Use it for a duck

    Grammar Note

    kpakpaxe is “duck”. The x is a velar fricative, not “ks”.

12. Dzata

    Lion

    Usage

    Use it for a lion

    Grammar Note

    dzata is “lion”. The dz is a single letter.

13. Atiglinyi

    Elephant

    Usage

    Use it for an elephant. Its ivory is treated as a precious material

    Grammar Note

    atiglinyi is “elephant”. It looks like ati “tree”, gli and nyi “cow”, but the origin is not confirmed in the dictionaries.

14. Da

    Snake

    Usage

    Use it for a snake

    Grammar Note

    da is “snake”. The same form also means “mother” and “bow”, so context decides.

15. Akpɔkplɔ

    Frog

    Usage

    Use it for a frog

    Grammar Note

    akpɔkplɔ is “frog” or “toad”. The kp is a single letter.

16. Alegeli

    Rat

    Usage

    Use it for a rat. It also appears in articles about animals that spread disease

    Grammar Note

    alegeli is “rat”. There is another word for a small mouse.

17. Fɔmizi

    Hare / rabbit

    Usage

    Refers to a hare or a rabbit

    Grammar Note

    fɔmizi is “hare” or “rabbit”. The ɔ is the open o.

18. Anyidi

    Ant

    Usage

    Use it for an ant

    Grammar Note

    anyidi is “ant”. The ny is a single letter.

19. Anyi

    Bee

    Usage

    Refers to a bee. Honey is anyitsi

    Grammar Note

    anyi is “bee”. The same form also means “clay” or “soil”, so context decides.

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