Respectful ẹ / wọ́n

Respect Without Grammatical Gender

Level 3

Context distinguishes a respected individual from several people.

How It Works

Ẹ addresses several people or one respected person. Wọ́n refers to several people or respectfully to one person, such as a parent, elder or person of status. The named referent and conversational setting establish the intended number. Neither pronoun distinguishes male from female.

Keep address and reference separate: second-person ẹ speaks to the person; third-person wọ́n speaks about them. Corresponding respectful possessors include yín, ‘your’, and wọn, ‘his/her’. An instruction to one respected person can therefore combine ẹ with àpò yín, ‘your bag’. Preserve the tonal difference between affirmative subject wọ́n and possessor wọn. Verbs receive no special honorific ending. Age, status and relationship guide the choice; English should use singular reference when the Yoruba referent is clearly one person.

Examples (3)

  1. Dókítà, ẹ fẹ́ àga?

    Doctor, do you want a chair?

    Ẹ addresses one doctor respectfully; intonation makes this a question.

  2. Bàbá, ẹ gbé àpò yín.

    Father, carry your bag.

    Ẹ and yín identify the same respected addressee.

  3. Màmá ń bọ̀; wọ́n fẹ́ omi.

    Mother is coming; she wants water.

    Wọ́n refers respectfully to Mother.

How It Connects

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Respectful ẹ / wọ́nLevel 3Respect Without Grammatical Gender

Learn This First

Ẹ respectfully addresses someone; wọ́n respectfully refers to someone.