i si

See also: Appendix:Variations of "isi"

Yoruba

Etymology

From ì +‎ sí, probably from the nominalizing prefix ì-, which represents the human form. Most dialects and Yoruboid languages have a common cognate form different from Standard Yoruba, see, Ondo è sí, Ẹ̀gbá & Ìjẹ̀bú lè sí, Ijesha yè sí, Ọ̀wọ̀ sí, Iyagba nè ghí, Ikale nẹ̀ẹ́n sí. The use of "sí" can be seen in many interrogative forms in dialects such as Ekiti, see ọ̀kàn sí (“which”), ubi sí (“where”), òlú sí (“how much”), ụ̀gbẹ̀ sí (“when”). Cognate with Itsekiri nè sín, Olukumi è ghí, Ede Ije lè é.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ì sí/

Pronoun

ì sí

1. (interrogative, Ekiti) who, whom, whose

   Synonym: ta (Standard Yoruba)

   ì sí èyinì ― who is that?

Usage notes

• The vowel that follows "ì sí" usually merges with the term, the spoken form of the above example becomes "Ì sèyinì."