Reconstruction:Proto-Yoruboid/í-gĩ
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This Proto-Yoruboid entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence. |
Proto-Yoruboid
Alternative forms
- *é-gĩ
Etymology
In descendant languages, the e- and i- prefix are inherited randomly, likely supporting the hypothesis that these forms may represent obsolete forms for defining singular and plural nouns, which can be seen in languages like Edo. Thus, *í-gĩ and *é-gĩ likely existed side by side, but the system for distinguishing based on plurality was likely already obsolete in Proto-Yoruboid. The root can be found in several Volta-Niger families, see Proto-Bantu *dʊ̀kʊ́nì, Proto-Jukunoid *kun, perhaps related to Igbo nkụ, Proto-Plateau *-kon and Proto-Benue-Congo *-kwoni
There was likely a slight semantic shift in which Proto-Edekiri and Proto-Yoruba inherited the word as meaning "tree," while Igala maintained the definition "firewood." When comparing these cognate roots across different languages, the term is both used for firewood and tree, suggesting the Proto-Yoruboid word likely also had that generalized meaning. Compare with *ó-lĩ́, another root for tree or wood and the Proto-Yoruba root *ì-tì, which also comes from an older Niger-Congo root (but cannot be reconstructed to Proto-Yoruboid)
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /í.ɡĩ̄/