aafin

Yoruba

Ilẹ̀kùn ààfin láti Ìsẹ̀.

Ẹnu-ọ̀nà ààfin Ọ̀yọ́.

Alternative forms

• ọfin
• àọ̀fịn (Èkìtì)
• àghọ̀fẹn (Oǹdó, Ọ̀wọ̀)

Etymology

Cognates include Itsekiri àghọ̀fẹn, Ìjẹ̀bú Yoruba àwọ̀fi. Proposed to be derived Proto-Yoruba *à-wɔ̀fɪ̃, from Proto-Edekiri *à-ɣɔ̀fɪ̃. The Proto-Yoruboid term is unclear, see Igala éfọfẹ (“palace”), Igala ọ́fẹ (“chieftaincy title”). Here we see a shifting of /ɣ/ and /w/ to /f/ or vice versa, which, while it is not clear which direction that sound change may have taken, is seen in other Yoruboid or Edekiri cognates, see ehoro vs. afolo and ọ̀fàfà vs. awàwà. See perhaps ultimately from Proto-Yoruboid *á-fɔ̀fɪ̃, *ɛ́-fɔ̀fɪ̃ or Proto-Yoruboid *á-ɣɔ̀fɪ̃, *ɛ́-ɣɔ̀fɪ̃. Also see Proto-Yoruboid *-fɪ̃ (“root relating to royalty or nobility”). Likely a Doublet of Ọlọ́fịn, Doublet of ọfịn, Doublet of Ọ̀dọ̀fin

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /àà.fĩ̄/

Noun

ààfin

1. palace

   Synonym: ilé ọba

Synonyms

Yoruba Varieties and Languages - ààfin (“palace”)
view map; edit data
Language Family	Variety Group	Variety/Language	Subdialect	Location	Words
Proto-Itsekiri-SEY	Southeast Yoruba	Ìjẹ̀bú	Ìjẹ̀bú	Ìjẹ̀bú Òde	àwọ̀fi
		Ìkálẹ̀ (Ùkálẹ̀)		Òkìtìpupa	àghọ̀fẹn
		Ìlàjẹ (Ùlàjẹ)		Mahin	àghọ̀fẹn
		Oǹdó		Oǹdó	àghọ̀fẹn
		Ọ̀wọ̀ (Ọ̀ghọ̀)		Ọ̀wọ̀ (Ọ̀ghọ̀)	àghọ̀fẹn
	Ìtsẹkírì			Ìwẹrẹ	àghọ̀fẹn
Proto-Yoruba	Central Yoruba	Èkìtì	Èkìtì	Àdó Èkìtì	àọ̀fịn
			Àkúrẹ́	Àkúrẹ́	àọ̀fịn
	Northwest Yoruba	Àwórì		Èbúté Mẹ́tà	ààfin
		Ìbàdàn		Ìbàdàn	ààfin
		Ìlọrin		Ìlọrin	ààfin
		Ọ̀yọ́		Ọ̀yọ́	ààfin
		Standard Yorùbá		Nàìjíríà	ààfin
				Bɛ̀nɛ̀	ààfin
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

• Aláàfin
• ìyáàfin