Singular And Plural In Edonaze

Singular and Plural in Edonaze

by Uwagboe Ogieva

A noun is a word that functions as the name of some specific thing or set of things, name of a person, persons, animals, place or places. A noun is a member of a large, open part of speech whose members can occur as the main word in the subject of a clause, the object of a verb, or the object of a preposition. Singular and plural basically deals on pluralizing nouns. In Edo Language some nouns that takes “o” or “ọ” as first letter do end in plural forms with “i” or “e” as the first letter. e.g. ọgbenbe (writer) in plural form will be “igbenbe”(writers). Other nouns with either {i,e,u,a}  as first letter have “avbe” added word to make it a plural noun. In most cases “avbe” is a general form of multiple pluralism in Edo  

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See table bellow:

As in the case of plural words that starts with “i” -  ikpẹmwen vbe nobun/nibun n'oh suenren vbe “i”

Vb'ọkpa [Singular]	Vbe nobun [Plural]	As in “Avbe” or  “Avb'” [Multiple]
Okhuo ( woman )	Ikhuo ( women )	Avbe ikhuo
Ọgbenbe ( writer )	Igbenbe ( writers )	Avbe igbenbe
Ọduẹki  ( trader / businessman )	Iduẹki ( traders )	Avbe iduẹki
Ọdemwin ( client/customer)	Idemwin  ( clients/customers)	Avbe idemwin
Ovbiẹdo ( Edo man )	Ivbiẹdo ( Edo people )	Avbe ivbiẹdo
Okpia ( man )	Ikpia ( men )	Avbe ikpia
Ovbiọmwan ( one's child )	Ivbiọmwan ( ones children )	Avbe ivbiọmwan
Ovbialeke ( young girl )	Ivbialeke ( young girls )	Avbe ivbialeke
Ovbirhuẹmwin ( student )	Ivbirhuẹmwin ( students )	Avbe ivbirhuẹmwin
Ọgbugbo ( farmer )	Igbugbo ( farmers )	Avbe igbugbo
Ọkpema  ( drummer )	Ikpema ( drummers)	Avbe ikpema
Ovbimwen ( my child )	Ivbimwen ( my children )	Avbe ivbimwen
Ọfendin ( harvester )	Ifendin  ( harvesters )	Avbe ifendin
Ovbiẹvbo ( citizen )	Ivbiẹvbo (citizens )	Avbe ivbiẹvbo
Ọrriọvbere ( stranger )	Irrriọvbere  ( strangers )	Avbe irriọvbere

As in the case of plural words that starts with “e” -  ikpẹmwen vbe nobun n'oh suenren vbe “e”

Vb'ọkpa	Vbe nobun	As in “Avbe” or  “Avb'”
Ọmotọ ( indigen )	Emotọ ( indigens )	Avbe emotọ
Ọmwan ( person )	Emwan  ( Persons )	Avbe emwan
Ọmerran ( fruit )	Emerran ( fruits )	Avbe emerran
Ọmon ( child )	Emon ( children )	Avbe emon
Ọmonmwen ( my child )	Emonmwen ( my children )	Avbe emonmwen
Ọkhaemwen ( chief )	Ekhaemwen ( chiefs )	Avbe ekhaemwen
Ọdionmwan ( senior )	Edionmwan ( seniors )	Avbe edionmwan
Ona ( this )	Ena ( these )	Avbe ena
Ọni  ( that )	Eni  ( those )	Avbe eni
Ọdionwere (community leader)	Edionwere (community leaders)	Avbe edionwere
Oghian (enemy)	Eghian (Enemies)	Avbe eghian

Other nouns take “avbe” in plural form – Enin n'ih kẹre ghi rrie “avbe” vbe nibun. E.g :

Ukpu (cup)	Avbe ukpu
Okotọ (vehicle)	Avbe okotọ
Ẹvbo  ( country )	Avbe ẹvbo
Uki ( moon )	Avbe uki
Ẹzẹ ( river )	Avbe ẹzẹ

Rrie iwanienmwen ye inota na: (1) Vbe ọre ẹko vbe nibun? (2) Vbe ọre obọ vbe nibun? (3) Vbe ọre owisimwiegbe vbe nibun? (4) Vbe ọre ọdafen vbe nibun? (5) Vbe ọre okẹhoho vbe nibun? (6) Vbe ọre Akobe nibun? (7) Vbe ọre ozi vbe nibun? (8) Vbe atiere ukorhun vbe nibun? (9) Vbe atiere oyi vbe nibun? (10) Vbe atiere etisa vbe nibun? What are singular and plural of these words: 1. Agada 2. Amwen 3. Arhowa 4. Arruaho 5. Aýehor 6. Edede 7. Edionmwan 8. Ekhaemwen 9. Erra 10. Erranagbon 11. Erranokhua 12. Esakpaghodo 13. Eyẹ  14. Ihienhien 15. Ivbie omo 16. Iye 17. Iye ne okpe okhuo 18. Iyenagbon 19. Iyenokhua 20. Iyeodede 21. Iyeogie 22. Nogie 23. Noyaenmwen / Naenmwen  24. Noyẹmwen 25. Oba 26. Odafen 27. Odin 28. Odion 29. Odionwere 30. ọdor 31. ọdor ne ih menmwen gu dia 32. Ogie 33. Okhuo  34. Okhuo ne ih menmwen gu dia 35. ọmo  36. Omo ẹwean 37. ọmo ne ih rhuẹmwen onren 38. Omo odion 39. Omo okhuo 40. Omo okpia 41. ọse 42. ọse ne ih ya rruọ 43. ọten 44. ọten ne kherre 45. ọten ne ọdion 46. ọten ne okhuo 47. ọten ne okpia 48. Ovbie omo 49. Ovbokhan 50. Uke