OTHER CONCEPTS

In order to place the right tone marks on a word, the word must be spelt correctly. In this module, we will take a look at "Correct Yorùbá orthography" and also "Numbers in the Yorùbá language" and how they can affect the placing of tone marks.

1. CORRECT YORÙBÁ ORTHOGRAPHY (ÀKỌTỌ́ ÈDÈ YORÙBÁ)

Over the years, there has been different conventions to develop a standard yorùbá orthography. In the year 1974, there was a convention that delebrated and modified how some yorùbá words and phrases were written. The changes made cuts across, doubling of particular letters in some words, correcting consonant clusters, nasalization, removing redundant letters in words, spacing out some words etc.
In this course, our concern will be on knowing when to double letters in a word.

Understanding doubling & the two other tones (ìró ohùn ẹlẹ́yọọ)

Remember the following principles from the first module.

1. Consonant clusters don’t exist in Yorùbá language, i.e. Consonants cannot follow each other in a word.
2. A syllable can be V, CV, N.
3. Consonants never carry tone marks, vowels do.
4. You can choose to not put tone marks on syllabic nasals (N).
5. Each syllable has a tone mark each.
6. Vowels can follow each other in Yorùbá words; In this case, the vowels cannot be in the same syllable, therefore each of these vowels have their tones.

WHEN TO DOUBLE A LETTER IN A WORD

[NOTE: Only vowels can be doubled.]
There are times when you hum a word, you get an odd tone which is percieved like "fii"; This is a smooth glide from "do" to "mi" .

• It is called "Ìró Ohùn Ẹlẹ́yọọròkè".
• In such words, that vowel is to be doubled at the point, because it has two tones there.
• E.g. Màámi [My mother (Contracted)] - 'a' is doubled.

NOTE : The tone following each other can have a number of variations outside what is in the table below. This doubling of vowels can occur as a result of association (e.g. Kábọ̀ọ̀ - Welcome), contration (Jọ̀ọ́ (Jọ̀wọ́) - Please), repitition, borrowing of words (e.g. Bọ́òlù - Ball), use of a prefix (e.g. Àìsàn - Sickness) or it could just be the nature of the word (e.g. Òúnjẹ - Food)

TONE	SYMBOL	EXAMPLE	NATURE
Ìró Ohùn Ẹlẹ́yọọròkè	do-mi i.e.  ̀́  ́	Jọ̀ọ́ (Jọ̀wọ́) - Please Ọlọ́pàá - Police	It ultimately has a rising tone
Ìró Ohùn Ẹlẹ́yọọròdò	mi-do i.e.  ́  ̀	Sáà - Season Bẹ́ẹ̀kọ́ - No	It ultimately has a falling tone

More on Doubling

HOW DO I KNOW WHEN VOWELS ARE DOUBLED IN A WORD?

1. To keep it simple, I would say try doubling a vowel when the tone on it sounds awkward.
2. It takes some practice to be able to spot words with this issue upon hearing them.
3. For example, in the word Ọlọ́pa (Police);
• The tone mark on “a” doesn’t fit into any of the basic tone marks.
• If we try doubling the “a” we arrive at the correct tone marks which is Ọlọ́pàá (Police)

NOTE:

• Three vowels can follow each other e.g. Aláàánú - A merciful person.
• Nasal vowels can be doubled e.g. Mẹ́sàn-án
• Some common given names should have doubled vowels in them e.g. Olámìídé

WHEN DOUBLING A VOWEL MAKES A LOT OF DIFFERENCE

The table below compares similar words where doubling a vowel makes the difference :

Mi (my)	Míì (Another)
Má (Don't)	Màá (I will)
Apèrè (Basket)	Àpééré (Example)
Àlàyé (Explanation)	Alààyè  (Living)
Ẹ̀gbọ́n	Ẹlẹ́gbọ̀n-ọ́n

Practive 5 (Doubling)

Some Rules of this Quiz

1. You will have only 15 seconds per each question.

2. Once you select your answer, it can't be undone.

3. You can't select any option once time goes off.

4. You can't exit from the Quiz while you're playing.

5. You'll get points on the basis of your correct answers.

Awesome Quiz Application

Time Left

15

You've completed the Quiz!

Practive 6 (Doubling 2)

Some Rules of this Quiz

1. You will have only 15 seconds per each question.

2. Once you select your answer, it can't be undone.

3. You can't select any option once time goes off.

4. You can't exit from the Quiz while you're playing.

5. You'll get points on the basis of your correct answers.

Awesome Quiz Application

Time Left

15

You've completed the Quiz!