Iha

iha

Etymology 1

from ih "this; either" plus a (interrogative)

interrogative pronoun

1. which; used to inquire for one thing of a set
   • iha e jal zi guei e vuu?: Which do you want, bread or grain?

Etymology 2

Ihwa of ehe, "the same; similar, alike"

Adjective

1. different, distinct; existing separately
2. different, unlike; possessing traits and characteristics not of another
3. in disagreement, in conflict
4. opposite, contrary
5. nonconformimg, peculiar, idiosyncratic
6. (linguistics, of a word) derived from a word but having a meaning opposite to and reversive of said word

Substantive

1. (linguistics) the morphological phenomenon in which a word changes its meaning to that which is opposite and reversive by changing its vowels
2. unique characteristic, peculiarity, idiosyncrasy

Iebiyi ihae, "The two iha sisters"

There are two kinds of iha, called the "two iha sisters":

1. Iha skisha, "singular difference": Iha in which only one word is present and means the opposite and reversal of another
   • vweke "to turn away from sin or wrongdoing, repent"; iha-form (ihwa) of vwakaih "to swerve from the right path, sin"
2. Iha akle, "difference of opposition": Iha in which two different forms of a word, the original form (ehwe) and the opposite form (ihwa), are combined into a single new word
   • rharhe: mentally ill; from rha "mind, thought"