ọja

Olukumi

Etymology

From Igbo ọjà

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɔ̄.d͡ʒà/

Noun

ọjà

1. flute

Yoruba

Ọjà nílùú Èkó

Etymology 1

Proposed to derive from Proto-Yoruboid *á-jà (“village, homestead”), cognate with Olukumi ọzà (“market”), Igala ájà (“residence. compound, homestead, settlement”), Itsekiri aja (“village”), Ifè adzà (“market”), where the semantic meaning shifted from "village," "homestead," or "home" to market, likely as towns grew bigger and markets became a feature of an established town. This semantic meaning seems to still exist in compound terms like ọlọ́jà (“king”), literally meaning "ruler of the town." The semantic shift may have appeared after the split of Itsekiri from Proto-Edekiri. Likely related to Igala ájá (“market”)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɔ̄.d͡ʒà/

Noun

ọjà

1. (obsolete) village, town, homestead

   Synonyms: abúlé, egurè, abà, ilé, ìlú

2. (by extension) market

   ariwo àwọn èrò ọjà ń hó kùù ― The noise of the market people was very loud

3. (by extension) market commodities, merchandise; products

   ọmọ́ ń polówó ọjà ― The child was inviting buyers to buy merchandise

4. (slang) marijuana

   Synonyms: igbó, (slang) ẹja, (slang) gbáná

Synonyms

Yoruba Varieties and Languages - ọjà (“market”)
view map; edit data
Language Family	Variety Group	Variety/Language	Subdialect	Location	Words
Proto-Itsekiri-SEY	Southeast Yoruba	Ào		Ìdóàní	ọzà
		Eastern Àkókó	Ṣúpárè	Ṣúpárè Àkókó	ọjà
		Ìjẹ̀bú	Ìjẹ̀bú	Ìjẹ̀bú Òde	ọ̀bù, ìta
			Rẹ́mọ	Ẹ̀pẹ́	ọ̀bù, ìta
				Ìkòròdú	ọ̀bù, ìta
				Ṣágámù	ọ̀bù, ìta
		Ìkálẹ̀		Òkìtìpupa	ọ̀bọ̀n
		Ìlàjẹ		Mahin	ọ̀bọ̀n
		Oǹdó		Oǹdó	ọ̀bùn
		Usẹn		Usẹn	ọjà
	Ìtsẹkírì			Ìwẹrẹ	ọ̀bọ̀n
	Olùkùmi			Ugbódù	ọzà
Proto-Yoruba	Central Yoruba	Èkìtì	Èkìtì	Àdó Èkìtì	ọjà, ẹrẹ́jà
			Àkúrẹ́	Àkúrẹ́	ọjà, ẹrẹ́jà
			Mọ̀bà	Ọ̀tùn Èkìtì	ọjà, ẹrẹ́jà
		Ifẹ̀		Ilé Ifẹ̀	ọjà
		Ìgbómìnà		Ìlá Ọ̀ràngún	ọjà
		Ìjẹ̀ṣà		Iléṣà	ọjà
	Northwest Yoruba	Àwórì		Èbúté Mẹ́tà	ọjà
		Èkó		Èkó	ọjà
		Ìbàdàn		Ìbàdàn	ọjà
		Ìbàràpá		Igbó Òrà	ọjà
		Ìbọ̀lọ́		Òṣogbo	ọjà
		Ìlọrin		Ìlọrin	ọjà
		Oǹkó		Ìtẹ̀síwájú LGA	ọjà
				Ìwàjówà LGA	ọjà
				Kájọlà LGA	ọjà
				Ìsẹ́yìn LGA	ọjà
				Ṣakí West LGA	ọjà
				Atisbo LGA	ọjà
				Ọlọ́runṣògo LGA	ọjà
		Ọ̀yọ́		Ọ̀yọ́	ọjà
		Standard Yorùbá		Nàìjíríà	ọjà
				Bɛ̀nɛ̀	ɔjà
	Northeast Yoruba/Okun	Owé		Kabba	ọjà
	Ede Languages/Southwest Yoruba	Ìdàácà	Benin	Igbó Ìdàácà	ɔjà
Note: This amalgamation of terms comes from a number of different academic papers focused on the unique varieties and languages spoken in the Yoruboid dialectal continuum which extends from eastern Togo to southern Nigeria. The terms for spoken varieties, now deemed dialects of Yorùbá in Nigeria (i.e. Southeast Yorùbá, Northwest Yorùbá, Central Yorùbá, and Northeast Yorùbá), have converged with those of Standard Yorùbá leading to the creation of what can be labeled Common Yorùbá (Funṣọ Akere, 1977). It can be assumed that the Standard Yorùbá term can also be used in most Nigerian varieties alongside native terms, especially amongst younger speakers. This does not apply to the other Nigerian Yoruboid languages of Ìṣẹkírì and Olùkùmi, nor the Èdè Languages of Benin and Togo.

Derived terms

• alágbàtà-ọjà (“middleman”)
• ará ọjà (“market people”)
• ọjà àìkúnjúwọ̀n (“inferior goods”)
• Ọjà-ọba (“King's market”)
• ọlọ́jà
• àìyá ọjà (“market behavior”)
• ìtajà (“shop”)

 

Etymology 2

Ìyá tó fi ọ̀já pọn ọmọ rẹ̀

Cognate with Edo ọza

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɔ̀.d͡ʒá/

Noun

ọ̀já

1. belt, sash, often used to denotate membership or rank within a group

   Synonym: àmùrè

2. baby sling; an additional cloth sash used to secure the ìpọnmọ when backing infants

   Synonyms: ìgbàjá, agbàjá, ọ̀já-ìdí

   abiyamọ́ fi ọ̀já gbé ọmọ pọ̀n ― The mother used a cloth sash to carry her child on her back

Derived terms

• agbàjá-ọ̀pẹ̀lẹ̀ (“A sash worn by a senior Ifa priest”)
• ọlọ́jàá (“someone wearing a belt or sash”)
• òògùn ọlọ́jàá (“medicine capsule”)

 

Etymology 3

ọ̀- (“negation prefix”) +‎ jà (“to fight”), literally “That who cannot fight”

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɔ̀.d͡ʒà/

Noun

ọ̀jà

1. (Ekiti) princess in the town of Ado Ekiti and surrounding towns

   Synonym: ọmọba