Basically, homonyms are words which have the same spelling or pronunciation, but have different meanings. For example, the word “lie” in English language could mean “untruth” as well as “recline”. In the case of Interlingua homonyms, one of the most interesting I have come across is the word “kafa” which means “head” in Turkish and “leg” in Hausa language.

In this episode, I will like to share with you certain words that appear in both Turkish and Yoruba language. We may call them homonyms but interestingly some of them coincidentally have similar meanings. I wish you a good read!

1. Baba:

This word carries same “father” meaning in Turkish and Yoruba. In the latter, it may be extensively used to describe elderly men.

2. Ara

In Turkish, the word “ara” has multiple meanings; space, break or part of, a meaning it shares with Yoruba. The Yoruba equivalent of the Turkish statement “ara-mizda”  is “ara wa”, which means “amongst or part of us”. However, when intonation changes, “ara” could mean thunder in Yoruba language.

3. Ileri

This word means forward or future in Turkish while it means promise or pledge in Yoruba language. The stunning coincidence here is that promise are made against a future time.

4. Iyi

Though the intonation may not be the same the word spelt i-y-i exists in Yoruba as “nobility or honour” while it simply means “good” in Turkish.

5. O

This is a one-letter word which also translates to the same both language. Either in Turkish or Yoruba language, “O” is used as third person singular pronoun i.e. “He/she”. For example; the statement “He has gone” translates as “O gitti” in Turkish and as “O ti lo” in Yoruba.

6. Ege

Ege is a region’s name in Turkey, or more precisely, it is the Turkish name of the Aegean Sea. On the other hand, ege means “cassava” in Yoruba. Unfortunately, the ege tuber doesn’t grow in Ege region of turkey.

7. Asa

This word is rarely used in modern Turkish language, it means “staff or working stick” (synonym for baston). In Yoruba language, it means culture.

8. Eda

Eda in Yoruba language means a creature or a person. In Turkish language, “eda” is a rarely used word that means “manner or line of conduct”.

9. Ata

Ata in Turkish means “father” or “ancestor” but in Yoruba language, it means “pepper” or “pepper stew”.

10. İş-e

Işe in Yoruba language means work or job, a meaning it shares with the Turkish word “İş”. Though, when the Turkish suffix of “e” which means “to” is added to “İş”, it becomes “İşe”, as it is in “İşe gidiyorum” which means “I am going to work”.

There are some other similar words like Is and ise, such as dur and duro meaning “stop” in Turkish and Yoruba respectively. Similarly “abi” (YR) and “tabi” (TR) means “of course”.

 

Thanks for reading!

O daa bo

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