i-

See also: Appendix:Variations of "i"

Languages (41)

English

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Ahtna • Chichewa • Choctaw • Classical Nahuatl • Curripaco • Dena'ina • Esperanto • Gabadi • Ibaloi • Isoko • Italian • Japanese • Japhug • Kambera • Lakota • Latin • Malagasy • Middle English • Mohawk • Northern Ndebele • Old English • Pagu • Phuthi • Portuguese • Southern Ndebele • Spanish • Swahili • Swazi • Tagalog • Taos • Ternate • Tocharian A • Tocharian B • Tooro • Wailaki • West Makian • Xhosa • Ye'kwana • Yoruba • Zulu

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Page categories

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English i-, y-, ȝe-, from Old English ġe-, from Proto-West Germanic *ga-, from Proto-Germanic *ga-, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱó-, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm (“with, near, by, along”). Cognate with Dutch ge-, Low German ge-, je-, e-, German ge-.

Prefix

i-

1. (obsolete) Used to form past participles of verbs. Alternative spelling of y-.

Etymology 2

From Latin ī-, assimilated form of in- used before gn-.

Prefix

i-

1. A form of the prefix in-, used before gn, as in ignoble, ignominy, and ignore.

Synonyms

• (not): a-, an-, dys-, il-/im-/in-/ir-, mal-, non-, un-

Etymology 3

Prefix

i-

1. (Jamaica) Used to transform English words into words used by Rastafarians with a special meaning.

See also

• Rastafarian on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Rastafarian I words on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Etymology 4

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *h₁en-

Proto-Indo-European *h₁én

Proto-Indo-European *h₁entér

Proto-Italic *ənter

Latin inter

Latin inter-bor.

English inter-

Proto-Indo-European *neHd-

Proto-Indo-European *-yós

Proto-Germanic *natją

Proto-West Germanic *nati

Old English nett

Middle English net

English net

Proto-Indo-European *werǵ-

Proto-Indo-European *-om

Proto-Indo-European *wérǵom

Proto-Germanic *werką

Proto-West Germanic *werk

Old English weorc

Middle English werk

English work

English network

English internetwork

English Internet

English i-

From Internet. Popularized in the name of the iMac line of computers (1998).

Prefix

i-

2. Pertaining to the Internet.

   Coordinate terms: cyber-, e-

4. Pertaining to digital devices and computer programs, especially those that are cutting-edge or fashionable, and those from Apple.

   ‎i- + ‎pod → ‎iPod

   ‎i- + ‎phone → ‎iPhone

   ‎i- + ‎Mac → ‎iMac

   • 1999 November 1, Melissa August, “Ad Infinitum”, in Time, volume 154, page 39:

     I-WHAT?! Seems everyone's ripping off the iMac idea. Take this parody ad for the fruity-colored “iBrator” at sleeplessknights.com.

   • 2011, Scotty Smith, Everyday Prayers: 365 Days to a Gospel-Centered Faith, Baker Books, →ISBN, page 178:

     In our “iWorld” of new gadgets and cool widgets, help us to ponder the reality that over half of the population on the earth exists on three of our American dollars, or less, a day.

Coordinate terms

• c- (computerized)
• d- (digital)
• e- (electronic)
• i- (intelligent)

Derived terms

English terms prefixed with i- (Internet)

iGaming

iMac

iPPV

English terms prefixed with i- (Apple)

iBastard

iBook

iDevice

iGen

iOS

iPad

iPhone

iPod

iSheep

iTard

iWar

Etymology 5

From intelligent

Prefix

i-

1. Pertaining to computerized, electronic, digital, intelligent controls in products

Coordinate terms

• c- (computerized)
• d- (digital)
• e- (electronic)
• i- (Internet)

Ahtna

Etymology 1

Prefix

i-

1. marks a second person singular subject; you

   nicʼaʼiʼaan

   You lifted it up

See also

Subject prefixes

	singular	plural
1st person	es-	tsʼ-
2nd person	i-	oh-
3rd person	∅-	ku-, k-
3rd person obviate	y-
4th person	cʼ-
Areal	ko-

References

• Kari, James (1990), Ahtna Athabaskan Dictionary, Fairbanks, Alaska: Alaska Native Language Center, →ISBN, page 54

Etymology 2

Prefix

i-

1. alternative form of y-, appearing before consonants

References

• Kari, James (1990), Ahtna Athabaskan Dictionary, Fairbanks, Alaska: Alaska Native Language Center, →ISBN, page 35

Etymology 3

Compare Navajo yi-

Prefix

i-

1. Marks the transitional aspect

References

• Kari, James (1990), Ahtna Athabaskan Dictionary, Fairbanks, Alaska: Alaska Native Language Center, →ISBN, page 67

Chichewa

Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *gɪ́-

Prefix

i-

1. Class 4 subject concord.

Etymology 2

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *jɪ́-

Prefix

i-

1. Class 9 subject concord.

Choctaw

Pronunciation

• (first-person, we): IPA^(key): /iː/

Prefix

ī- (before vowels il-, class I first-person plural)

1. the subject of an active transitive verb

   we

2. the subject of an active intransitive verb

   we

Inflection

Choctaw Person Markers

			class I			class II		class III		class N		imperative
			+s	+C	+V	+C/i	+a/o	+C	+V	+C	+V	+C	+V
first-person	singular	initial	-li			sa-	si-	a̱-	am-	ak-		n/a
		medial						-sa-	-sam-
	paucal		ī-		il-	pi-		pi̱-	pim-	kī-	kil-
	plural					hapi-		hapi̱-	hapim-
second-person	singular		is-	ish-		chi-		chi̱-	chim-	chik-		∅
	plural		has-	hash-		hachi-		hachi̱-	hachim-	hachik-		ho-	oh-
third-person			∅			∅		i̱-	im-	ik-

Classical Nahuatl

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /amo/

Prefix

i-

1. (personal prefix, possessive) Used to form the third-person singular possessive of nouns: his/her/its

   calli (“house”) → ical (“his/her/its house”)

Derived terms

Category Classical Nahuatl nouns prefixed with i- not found

See also

Classical Nahuatl possessive prefixes

	Singular	Plural
1st person	no-	to-
2nd person	mo-	amo-
3rd person	ī-	īm-
impersonal	tē-

Curripaco

Prefix

i-

1. second person plural agent marker

References

• Swintha Danielsen, Tania Granadillo, Agreement in two Arawak languages, in The Typology of Semantic Alignment (edited by Mark Donohue, Søren Wichmann) (2008, →ISBN, page 398

Dena'ina

Prefix

i-

1. marks a second person singular verbal subject; you

   tsghichegh ― you will cry

Usage notes

• Used when not word-initial or preceded by a disjunct prefix with the shape CV; n- is used in other cases

See also

Dena'ina verbal subject prefixes

	singular	plural
1st person	esh-	chʼe-
2nd person	n-, i-	eh-
3rd person	∅-	qe-
Non-human	ye-
Indefinite human	qe-
Indefinite non-human	kʼe-
Unknown	chʼe-
Areal/temporal/abstract	qe-

References

• Tenenbaum, Joan Marsha (1978), Morphology and Semantics of the Tanaina Verb, Columbia University, page 58

Esperanto

Etymology

The i vowel common to other correlatives, such as ki- and ti-, without the defining consonant.

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Prefix

i-

1. Any-, some-. (Indeterminate correlative prefix.)

Derived terms

Esperanto terms prefixed with i-

ia

ial

iam

ie

iel

ies

io

iom

iu

• iu (“some individual, someone, somebody”)
• io (“some object, something”)
• ia (“some kind of”)
• ies (“belonging to some person, someone's”)
• iel (“some manner/degree, somehow”)
• ie (“some place, somewhere”)
• iam (“some time, sometime”)
• iom (“some quantity, some of”)
• ial (“for some reason”)

Gabadi

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /i/

Prefix

i-

2. marks the first-person plural exclusive ("we, but not you") subject on a verb

   ‎i- + ‎dibaia (“to spear”) → ‎idibaia (“we (excl.) speared it”)

Derived terms

Category Gabadi terms prefixed with i- not found

References

• Oa, Morea and Ma`oni Paul. (2014-02-24). Tentative Grammar Description for the Gabadi Language. [working paper, draft created november 2013; editor: Eileen Gasaway]. Ukarumpa, Papua New Guinea: SIL International. Available online: [1]. For the prefix i-, see page 23, section "5.1.1 subject marking".

Ibaloi

Prefix

i-

1. Converts nouns into verbs: to + noun, and marks future tense
   • i- + baras (whip) → ibaras (to whip, will whip)
   • i- + Ivadoy (Ibaloi) → i-ivadoy (to speak Ibaloi, will speak in Ibaloi)
   • i- + ngaran (name) → ingaran (to name, to mention, will name, will mention)

Related Affixes

• manpa- (directional/benefactive)
• pe- (causative)

Isoko

Prefix

i-

1. Forms the plural of nouns which begin with 'o', 'e' or 'u'.

References

• J. O. Okedi, E. O. Agbada, M. E. Umukoro, Ụbị Isase Isoko Rọ Kẹ JSS3 - Basic Education Certificate Exam (BECE) - (Upper Basic) - pages 60 - 61

Italian

Etymology

Assimilated form of in-, before s- + consonant.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /i/
• Hyphenation: i-

Prefix

i-

1. alternative form of in-

Japanese

Romanization

i-

1. Rōmaji transcription of い

Japhug

Etymology

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *i.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /i/

Prefix

i-

1. (Kamnyu) our (plural possessive)

Derived terms

Japhug terms prefixed with i-

iʑo

See also

Japhug (Kamnyu) personal pronouns and possessive prefixes

Number	Person	Possessive prefixes	Free pronoun	Genitive
Singular	1st	a-	aʑo, aj	aʑɯɣ
	2nd	nɤ-	nɤʑo, nɤj	nɤʑɯɣ
	3rd	ɯ-	ɯʑo	ɯʑɤɣ
Dual	1st	tɕi-	tɕiʑo	tɕiʑɤɣ
	2nd	ndʑi-	ndʑiʑo	ndʑiʑɤɣ
	3rd		ʑɤni	ʑɤniɣɯ
Plural	1st	i-	iʑo, iʑora, iʑɤra	iʑɤɣ, iʑɤra ɣɯ
	2nd	nɯ-	nɯʑo, nɯʑora, nɯʑɤra	nɯʑɤɣ, nɯʑɤra ɣɯ
	3rd		ʑara	ʑaraɣ, ʑara ɣɯ
Generic		tɯ-	tɯʑo

Kambera

Pronoun

i-

1. alternative form of mi-

See also

Kambera pronominal clitics

			nominative	genitive	accusative	dative
singular	first person		ku-	-nggu	-ka	-ngga
	second person		mu- (u-)	-mu	-kau	-nggau
	third person		na-	-na	-ya	-nya
plural	first person	inclusive	ta-	-nda	-ta	-nda
		exclusive	ma-	-ma	-kama	-nggama
	second person		mi- (i-)	-mi	-kami (-kai)	-nggami (-nggai)
	third person		da-	-da	-ha	-nja

Lakota

Prefix

i-

1. marker for a noun relating to instruments and tools

Synonyms

• wi-

Derived terms

Lakota terms prefixed with i-

itázipa

iyusloke

ikȟáŋ

iwóblu

Latin

Etymology

Assimilated form of in-, before gn-.

Prefix

i-

1. alternative form of in-

Malagasy

Prefix

i-

1. prefix element of i- -ana

See also

• an-

Middle English

Prefix

i-

1. alternative form of y-

Mohawk

Prefix

i-

1. translocative, indicating motion away from the speaker
2. epenthetic vowel added to certain verb forms
3. alternative form of ka- (before o- and on-stems)

References

• Gunther Michelson (1973), A thousand words of Mohawk, University of Ottawa Press, page 11
• Nora Deering; Helga H. Delisle (1976), Mohawk: A teaching grammar (preliminary version), Quebec: Manitou College, pages 105, 173

Northern Ndebele

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *gɪ́-.

Prefix

i- (medial yi-)

1. they; class 4 subject concord.

Etymology 2

Contracted from earlier ili-, from Proto-Bantu *dɪ́-, plus augment. Originally the pronominal and verbal concord, it displaced the older Bantu noun prefix *ì-. The tone was lowered by analogy with other noun prefixes.

Prefix

i-

1. Class 5 noun prefix; form of ili- used before stems of more than one syllable.

Etymology 3

From Proto-Bantu *jɪ́-.

Prefix

i- (medial yi-)

1. he, she, it; class 9 subject concord.

Etymology 4

Prefix

i-

1. Class 9 noun prefix; form of in- used before stems beginning with l, m or n.

Old English

Etymology 1

From Proto-West Germanic *iʀ, from Proto-Germanic *iz.

Alternatively, from Proto-Indo-European *íh₁ (emphatic particle).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /iː/

Prefix

ī-

1. same, selfsame

Derived terms

Old English terms prefixed with i-

idæges

isiþes

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /i/

Prefix

i-

1. alternative form of ġe-

Pagu

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /i/

Prefix

i-

1. it (third-person singular non-human subject prefix)

   itagi ― it walks

2. me (first-person singular object prefix)

   woimakewasi ― he didn't see me yet.

See also

Pagu personal pronouns

			independent	subject prefix	object prefix1	possessive prefix
singular	1st person		ngoi	to-, ta-2	i-	ai-
	2nd person		ngona	no-, na-2	ni-	ani-
	3rd person	masculine	una	wo-, wa-2	wi-	awi-
		feminine	muna	mo-, ma-2	mi-	ami-
		non-human		i-	a-
plural	1st person	exclusive	ngomi	mio-3, mia-2	mi-	mia-
		inclusive	ngone	wo-, wa-2 po-, pa-2	na-	nanga-
	2nd person		ngini	nio-3, nia-2	ni-	nia-
	3rd person		ona	yo-4, ya-2	ki-	manga-
1) Object prefix is attached after a subject prefix and before a derivational prefix and a verb, e.g. Uwa niwisigisen. ‘Don't listen to him.’ 2) Used if the direct object is a third-person non-human object, e.g. to- + a- → ta-, etc. 3) When it is attached to an object prefix, it loses the -o, e.g. mio- + ni- → mini- (except when it is attached to the third-person plural object prefix ki-, e.g. mio- + ki- → mioki-). 4) Attached to the first-person singular object prefix i-, the prefix yo- becomes i-, i.e. yo- + i- → ini-.

References

• Perangin Angin, Dalan Mehuli (2018) A descriptive grammar of the Pagu language (Thesis)‎^[2], University of Hong Kong
• Perangin Angin, Dalan Mehuli (2023), Kamus Pagu-Indonesia-Inggris, Jakarta: Penerbit BRIN

Phuthi

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *gɪ́-.

Prefix

i- (medial yi-)

1. they; class 4 subject concord.

Etymology 2

From Proto-Bantu *jɪ̀-n-.

Prefix

i-

1. Class 9 noun prefix.

Etymology 3

From Proto-Bantu *jɪ́-.

Prefix

i- (medial yi-)

1. he, she, it; class 9 subject concord.

Etymology 4

Prefix

i-

1. Class 9 noun prefix; form of in- used before stems beginning with l, m or n.

Portuguese

Prefix

i-

1. Allomorph of in-, used before ⟨l⟩, ⟨m⟩, and ⟨n⟩.

Southern Ndebele

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *gɪ́-.

Prefix

i- (medial yi-)

1. they; class 4 subject concord.

Etymology 2

From Proto-Bantu *jɪ́-.

Prefix

i- (medial yi-)

1. he, she, it; class 9 subject concord.

Spanish

Prefix

i-

1. alternative form of in-, used before l

Swahili

Other scripts
Ajami	اِيْـ, اِـ

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *gɪ́- and Proto-Bantu *jɪ́-.

Prefix

i-

1. it, they; mi class_(IV)/n class_(IX) subject concord
   • 18th century, Abdallah bin Ali bin Nasir, Al-Inkishafi‎^[3], translation from R. Allen (1946), “Inkishafi—a translation from the Swahili”, in African Studies, volume 5, number 4, →DOI, pages 243–249, stanza 12:

     هُيُوِ دُنِيَ اِيْنَ غُرُرِ ، دِيَ زَتَتَسِ هُزَدَمَيِْ،

     Huyui dunia ina ghururi? ndia za-tatasi huzandamaye?

     This world is deceitful, why follow its ways?

   • 1973, Mohammed S. Abdulla, Duniani kuna watu, page 3:

     Ilikuwa kiasi cha saa moja-unusu ya usiku […]

     It was about half past seven in the night […]

2. verb-initial form of -i- (“it, them; mi class_(IV)/n class_(IX) object concord”)

See also

Swahili verbal concords (third person)

class	subject concord		object concord	relative
	affirmative	negative
m(I)	a-, yu-	ha-, hayu-	-m-, -mw-, -mu-	-ye
wa(II)	wa-	hawa-	-wa-	-o
m(III)	u-	hau-	-u-	-o
mi(IV)	i-	hai-	-i-	-yo
ji(V)	li-	hali-	-li-	-lo
ma(VI)	ya-	haya-	-ya-	-yo
ki(VII)	ki-	haki-	-ki-	-cho
vi(VIII)	vi-	havi-	-vi-	-vyo
n(IX)	i-	hai-	-i-	-yo
n(X)	zi-	hazi-	-zi-	-zo
u(XI)	u-	hau-	-u-	-o
ku(XV/XVII)	ku-	haku-	-ku-	-ko
pa(XVI)	pa-	hapa-	-pa-	-po
mu(XVIII)	m-, mw-, mu-	ham-, hamw-, hamu-	-mu-	-mo

For a full table including first and second person,
see Appendix:Swahili personal pronouns

Swazi

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *gɪ́-.

Prefix

i- (medial yi-)

1. they; class 4 subject concord.

Etymology 2

From Proto-Bantu *jɪ́-.

Prefix

i- (medial yi-)

1. he, she, it; class 9 subject concord.

Tagalog

Etymology

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *i-.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ʔi/ [ʔɪ]
• Syllabification: i-

Prefix

i- (Baybayin spelling ᜁ)

1. benefactive trigger: to perform the action of the verb for someone or something (expresses various kinds of actions)

   ‎i- + ‎bili (“buy”) → ‎ibili (“to buy something for someone”)

   Ibili mo ako ng saging.

   Buy me bananas.

2. object trigger: to do something to a person or a thing (expresses various kinds of actions)

   ‎i- + ‎tapon (“throw”) → ‎itapon (“to throw”)

   Itapon mo iyan sa basurahan.

   Throw that to the garbage.

3. instrumental trigger: to use something for a certain purpose (expresses various kinds of actions)

   ‎i- + ‎sulat (“write”) → ‎isulat (“to use something for writing”)

   Isulat mo ng listahan ang lapis.

   Use the pencil to write a list.

Derived terms

Tagalog terms prefixed with i-

iagpang

iandar

iaanula

ianula

ibaba

ibabaw

ibagsak

ibahaw

ibahin

ibalatkayo

ibalik

ibalik-tanaw

ibanto

ibayo

ibenta

ibigay

ibili

ibilis

ibintog

iboto

iboykot

ibulagta

ibulgar

iragilap

idaos

idausdos

idawit

idikit

idila

iendoso

igapos

igaya

Igorot

ihagis

ihalintulad

ihambing

ihandusay

ihanga

ihatid-sundo

ihiwalay

ikabit

ikahon

ikalabog

ikalat

ikakasal

ikatha

ikonsidera

ikuha

ikunwa

ilabnaw

ilaganap

ilagay

ilaglag

ilahok

ilakas

ilalim

ilampas

ilantad

ilapit

ilawak

ilaya

ilihis

ilikas

i-like

ilikha

iliko

ilubog

iluhog

mai-

maisapinal

ini-ref

iniaanula

inianula

ingudngod

ipaalam

ipakahulugan

ipalit

ipamagitan

ipamahagi

ipampatay

ipangako

iparusa

ipasok

ipapatay

ipatay

ipatong

ipatunay

ipintig

i-post

ipo-post

iprint

ipuwesto

irebisa

i-ref

irekomenda

isa-

isabuhay

isadiwa

isapubliko

isapuso

isabay

isabog

isakay

isaksak

isalba

isali

isama

isantabi

isasantabi

isanggalang

isangkot

isangla

isara

isauli

isaulo

i-scan

iset

i-share

isikdo

isiklab

isingit

isisi

isuksok

isulat

isumbong

isuot

itaas

itaboy

itago

itakas

itatakas

itala

itali

italik

itanim

itanggi

itapat

itapon

itatag

itindi

itiwalag

itubig

itulad

itulog

iunlad

iusli

iuwi

i-xerox

Further reading

• https://learningtagalog.com/grammar/verbs/verb_affixes/i_1.html
• https://learningtagalog.com/grammar/verbs/verb_affixes/i_2.html

Taos

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʔi/

Prefix

i-

1. (transitive) First person plural subject + third person singular object.
2. (transitive) Second person singular subject + third person inverse number object.
3. (transitive) Third person singular subject + third person inverse number object.
4. (transitive) Third person plural subject + third person singular object.
5. (formative) Third person plural subject.

Ternate

Pronoun

i- (Jawi إ-)

1. (non-human) third-person singular clitic, it
2. (human) third-person plural clitic, they
3. (masculine) third-person singular possessive prefix, his

   Synonym: ai-

See also

Ternate personal pronouns

		independent		subject proclitic	possessive
		informal	formal
singular	1st person	ngori	fangarem, fajaruf	to	ri
	2nd person	ngana	ngoni, jou ngoni	no	ni
	3rd person	unam, minaf		om, mof, inh	im, mif, manh
plural	1st person inclusive	ngone		fo	na, nga
	1st person exclusive	ngomi	fangare ngomim, fajaru ngomif, fara ngomi1	mi	mi, mia
	2nd person	ngoni		ni	na, nia
	3rd person	anah, enanh		ih, nh, yoh, †, yanh, †	nah, ngah, manh

• unmarked pronouns are gender non-specific
• m - masculine, f - feminine, h - human, nh - non-human
• 1 - for mixed-gender groups
• † - archaic

References

• Frederik Sigismund Alexander de Clercq (1890), Bijdragen tot de kennis der Residentie Ternate, E.J. Brill
• Rika Hayami-Allen (2001), A descriptive study of the language of Ternate, the northern Moluccas, Indonesia, University of Pittsburgh

Tocharian A

Etymology

From Proto-Tocharian *jä-, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁ey- (“to move”). Compare Tocharian B i-.

Verb

i-

1. to go

Tocharian B

Etymology

From Proto-Tocharian *jä-, whence also Tocharian A i-, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁ey- (“to move”). Cognate with Latin eō and Polish iść, both of the same meaning. The preterite form of this term, mäs-, is from Proto-Indo-European *m(y)ewh₁- (“to move”), and as such the term is suppletive in conjugation.

Verb

i-

1. to go

Derived terms

• imāne (possibly)
• yalle
• yalñe
  • yalñetstse
  • yalñeṣṣe

Further reading

• Adams, Douglas Q. (2013), “i-”, in A Dictionary of Tocharian B: Revised and Greatly Enlarged (Leiden Studies in Indo-European; 10), Amsterdam, New York: Rodopi, →ISBN, pages 65-66

Tooro

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *ì- (“Class 5 noun prefix”).

Prefix

i-

1. Class 5 noun prefix.

Wailaki

Prefix

i-

1. Alternative form of sh- (first person subject prefix) used in the perfective mode with the ł-classifier.

Related terms

Subject prefixes

	singular	plural
1st person	sh-, i-	di-
2nd person	n-	oh-
3rd person	∅-
3rd person obviate	yi-
Indefinite	chʼi-, ʼ-
Areal	ki-

References

• Begay, Kayla Rae (2017), Wailaki Grammar, University of California, Berkeley, page 166

West Makian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /i/

Pronoun

i-

1. third-person singular clitic, he, she, it

   ico ― he sees

   pala ne ilamo ― this house is large

Xhosa

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *gɪ́-.

Prefix

i- (medial yi-)

1. they; class 4 subject concord.

Etymology 2

Prefix

i-

1. Class 5 noun prefix; form of ili- used before stems of more than one syllable.

Etymology 3

From Proto-Bantu *jɪ́-.

Prefix

i- (medial yi-)

1. he, she, it; class 9 subject concord.

Ye'kwana

Variant orthographies

ALIV	i-
Brazilian standard	i-
New Tribes	i-

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [i-]

Prefix

i-

1. (Caura River dialect) allomorph of y- (third-person prefix) used for stems that begin with two consonants
2. (Cunucunuma River dialect) allomorph of dh- (third-person prefix) used for non-deictic stems that begin with a consonant
3. forms part of the circumfix allomorphs of various adverbializers, i- -jai, i- -'da, and i- -emje, used for stems that begin with two consonants

Inflection

Ye'kwana personal markers

	pronoun	noun possessor/ series II verb argument		postposition object		series I verb argument
						transitive patient	intransitive patient-like		intransitive agent-like	transitive agent
first person	ewü	y-, ∅-, ü-, u-1						w-, wi-
first person dual inclusive	küwü	k-, kü-, ku-, ki-								k-, kii-, ki-1
second person	amödö	ö-, öy-/ödh-, o-, oy-/odh-, a-, ay-/adh-							m-, mi-
first person dual exclusive	nña	y-/dh-, ch-, ∅-, i-1			chö-	∅-	n-, ni-
third person	tüwü					n-, ni-
distant past third person		—				kün-, kun-, kin-, ken-, küm-, kum-, kim-, kini-
coreferential/reflexive	—	t-, tü-, tu-, ti-, te-				—
reciprocal	—	—	öö-
With following vowel lengthened if in an unreduced open syllable.

	series I verb argument: transitive agent and transitive patient
first person > second person	mön-, man-, mon-, möm-, möni-
first person dual exclusive > second person
second person > first person	k-, kü-, ku-, ki-
second person > first person dual exclusive
third person > any person X …or… any person X > third person	see person X in the chart above

Yoruba

Etymology 1

Alternative forms

• ù- in Southeast Yorùbá and some Central Yorùbá dialects such as Èkìtì and Ìjẹ̀ṣà.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ì/

Prefix

ì-

1. abstract or instrument nominalizing prefix

Usage notes

Forms both abstract and concrete nouns:

• ì + ṣe "to do" → ìṣe "action"
• ì + gbálẹ̀ "to sweep floor" → ìgbálẹ̀ "broom"

Derived terms

Yoruba terms prefixed with i- (nominalizing prefix)

iba

ibadi

ibale

ibanujẹ

ibantẹ

ibeere

ibẹrẹ

ibeji

ibi

ibinu

iborun

ibọsẹ

ibọwọ

ibọn

ibu

ibukun

ida

idaji

idalẹ

idanilẹkọọ

idanimọ

idagbaroke

idagbasoke

idanwo

idi

idimu

idimulẹ

Ido-Fabọrọ

idọbalẹ

idọti

ẹrọ abẹbẹ ifẹatẹgun

ẹrọ ibanisọrọ

ẹrọ ifọbọ

ẹrọ ifọṣọ

ẹrọ ilọnkan

ẹrọ iranṣọ

ẹrọ iṣiro

ẹrọ itẹwe

ifaara

Ifẹ

ifẹ

ifẹyinti

ifirosinroojẹ

ifiwawẹda

ifohunpeniyan

ifẹhonuhan

ifọrọdara

ifọrọwanilẹnuwo

ifọrọwero

ifọwọsowọpọ

ifo

iforiti

ifọ

ifura

igake

igọ

igbabọọlu

igbafẹ

igbalẹ

igbaweremẹsin

igbadun

igbagbọ

igbala

igbekun

igberaga

igbeyawo

igbelarugẹ

igbesẹ

igboya

ipenpeju

ipapoda

ija

ijabẹ

ijala

ijanu

Ijaye

ijakadi

ijapa

ijẹgun

Ijẹṣu

ijinlẹ

ijiroro

ijo

ijokoo

ijọ

ijọba

ijọba alagbada

iju

Ikalẹ

ikaniyan

ike

ikede

ikẹgan

ikolẹ

ikọla

ikun

ikunlẹ

ikuukuu

ila

ila-oorun

ilakaka

ilari

ilera

ileri

Ilọri

Ilọrin

ilọsiwaju

ilu

imi

imisi

imọ

imọlara

imọran

imọlẹ

ina

Ilara-Mọkin

ilomi afẹfẹ

inifẹẹ-obinrin-sobinrin

inifẹẹ-ọkunrin-sọkunrin

ọdun Ijẹṣu

ipagborun

ipalara

ipilẹṣẹ

ipẹjalapaju

ipẹyarun

ipade

ipatẹwọ

ipenija

ipẹta

ipin

ipinnu

ipinya

ipolongo

ipolowo

ipọn

ipọnju

ira

iranlọwọ

iranti

Irekọja

ireti

iri

irin

irinkerindo

iro

ironupiwada

irọ

irọlẹ

isinku

isinmi

isọ

iṣakọlẹ

iṣana

iṣatunto

iṣe

iṣegbefabo

iṣẹtọfabo

iṣelu

iṣẹ

iṣẹnu

Iṣẹṣe

iṣẹṣe

iṣẹda

iṣẹju

iṣẹlẹ

iṣile

iṣirun

iṣoro

iṣupo

iṣura

itakun

itan

itanna

itawe

itẹjade

itẹle

itẹlọrun

itọ

iwa

iwe

iwẹ

Iwọ Popo

iwọ-oorun

iwọntunwọnsi

iwure

iwuri

iyalẹta

iyalẹnu

Iyanda

iye

iyẹwu

iyọnda

Etymology 2

Alternative forms

• u- in Southeast Yorùbá and some Central Yorùbá dialects such as Èkìtì and Ìjẹ̀ṣà.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ī/

Prefix

i-

1. non-gerundive nominalizing prefix

Derived terms

Yoruba terms prefixed with i-

ibẹpẹ

idi

igba

igbese

igbọnwọ

ikoko

iku

ipari

ira

iro

Iṣọla

ita

itosi

iwọ

iwọde

iyara

iyọ

Zulu

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *gɪ́-.

Prefix

í- (medial yí-)

1. they; class 4 subject concord.

Etymology 2

Contracted from earlier íli-, from Proto-Bantu *dɪ́-, plus augment. Originally the pronominal and verbal concord, it displaced the older Bantu noun prefix *ì-. The tone was lowered by analogy with other noun prefixes.

Prefix

î-

1. Class 5 noun prefix.

Etymology 3

Prefix

í-

1. Class 9 noun prefix; form of in- used before stems beginning with l, m or n.

Etymology 4

From Proto-Bantu *jɪ́-.

Prefix

í- (medial yí-)

1. he, she, it; class 9 subject concord.

References

• C. M. Doke; B. W. Vilakazi (1972), “i-”, in Zulu-English Dictionary, →ISBN: “i-”