atɔtɔ

See also: atotö, atotô, and atọtọ

Ewe

Etymology

From a- (“will”, future/predictive prefix) +‎ tɔtɔ (“to be confused”), literally “[you] will be confused”, likely referring to a contradiction with the fruit's threatening exterior and edible interior, as well as the Fibonacci spiral pattern of the eyes (spiky points in the pineapple).[1]

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /à.tɔ́.tɔ́/, [à.t̪ɔ́.t̪ɔ́]

Noun

àtɔ́tɔ́ (definite singular àtɔ́tɔ́ lá or àtɔ́tɔ́á, plural àtɔ́tɔ́wó, definite plural àtɔ́tɔ́áwó)

  1. pineapple
    Synonym: abable

References

  1. ^ Amenorvi, C. R., Danku Diaba, K. (2023) “Literary Etymologies of The Ewe Names of Some Fruits”, in African Journal of Applied Research, volume 9, number 1, →DOI, page 145 of 139–152
  • Westermann, Dietrich Verfasser (1905) “atɔtɔ”, in Wörterbuch der Ewe-Sprache [Dictionary of the Ewe language]‎[1] (in German), Berlin: Dietrich Reimer, section I, page 484
  • Westermann, Dietrich Verfasser (1906) “atɔtɔ”, in Wörterbuch der Ewe-Sprache [Dictionary of the Ewe language]‎[2] (in German), Berlin: Dietrich Reimer, section II, page 8
  • Jim-Fugar, Dr. M.K.N., Jim-Fugar, Nicholine (2017) “atɔtɔ”, in Nuseline's Ewe-English Dictionary, 1st edition, Togo: Independently published, →ISBN, page 29
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