Reported Reference With òun

Following a Reported Speaker

Level 3

Reported òun can refer back to the person whose viewpoint is being presented.

How It Works

Òun is an independent third-person singular pronoun. In its report-linked use, it identifies the person whose speech or thought is reported. In Adé sọ pé òun ti dé, Adé knowingly speaks about Adé's own arrival; the narrator presents that self-reference in the third person. The pronoun specifies no gender.

Follow the reporting predicate and intended perspective rather than selecting the nearest name. Knowingly referring to oneself differs from describing an unidentified person who happens to be oneself. In this report-linked use, the person must intend to refer to themselves. Ordinary ó can also refer to the reporting person; it does not invariably mean someone else.

In a reported invitation, pẹ̀lú òun can identify the inviter as companion. Possessive tòun can identify that person's property. These uses do not make every independent òun logophoric or make it a general reflexive pronoun.

Examples (3)

  1. Adé sọ pé òun ti dé.

    Adé said that they had arrived.

    Singular they refers to Adé, knowingly reporting their own arrival.

  2. Bísí rò pé òun yóò lọ sílé.

    Bísí thinks that they will go home.

    Singular they refers to Bísí's intended self-reference in the thought report.

  3. Tádé pe Kẹ́mi pé kí ó wá jẹun pẹ̀lú òun.

    Tádé invited Kẹ́mi to come and eat with him.

    On this reading, òun identifies Tádé as companion and ó identifies invited Kẹ́mi.

How It Connects

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Reported Reference With òunLevel 3Following a Reported Speaker

Learn This First

In its report-linked use, òun identifies the person knowingly referring to themselves.