The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful: Discourse about Values in Yoruba Culture

Glossary of Yoruba Terms

GLOSSARY OF YORUBA TERMS adáhuns .e: an alternative professional title, used by the onı́s .e .̀gùn àdı̀n: behavior àje .́: intellectual (conventionally rendered as “witch”) àlùjànún: genius (conventionally rendered as “evil spirit”) às .e .: power àwo .n aráyé: immoral persons babaláwo: conventionally a person who performs Ifá divination dá/dára: good dájú: certainty eléke: a liar e .̀mı́: the self ènı̀yàn: person ènı̀yàn burúkú: a bad person ènı̀yàn rere: a good person e .̀rı́ o .kan: the faculty of judgment, including conscience èrò o .ko .̀n: thought Ès .ù: a deity associated with chance and coincidence e .wà: beauty 176 | GLOSSARY OF YORUBA TERMS gbà: to agree or to accept gbàgbo .́: to “believe” gbo .́: to hear or to understand gbo .́fo .̀: to listen hùwà: to behave Ifá: an intricate and extensive literary corpus that also provides a basis for divination ı̀gbàgbo .́: “belief” ı̀mo .̀: “knowledge” inú: the self ı̀pı́n: destiny ı̀s .esı́: behavior ı̀wà: character iyè inú: self-consciousness mo .̀: to “know” mo .̀ómo .̀: intentional, deliberate nwádi: getting to the bottom of the matter o .gbo .́n: wisdom or understanding o .̀gı́nrı́nrı́nginrı̀n: insight ojú inú: insight o .kàn: heart and/or mind Olódùmarè/O . lo .́run: the supreme deity olóòto .́ ènı̀yàn: truthful person o .mo . aráyé: immoral persons o .mo .lúàbı́: person with good moral character onı́s .e .̀gùn: masters of medicine, herbalists, “traditional” doctors òògùn: medicine òóto .́: true, truth o .po .lo .: brain and/or intellect GLOSSARY OF YORUBA TERMS | 177 orı́ inú: destiny òrı̀s .à: deity ó s .e é s .e/kò s .e é s .e: possible/impossible o .̀tá: enemy papo .̀: when persons who disagreed come to agree and their words therefore “come together” puro .́: to lie rı́: to see ronú: to think ronúpı̀wàdà: to think deeply upon something and thereafter change one’s behavior s .e: to do [something] so .̀ro .̀: to speak sùúrù: patience wúlò: useful ...