NIGERIAN PIDGIN ENGLISH CAN NOT COMPLETE WITHOUT YORÙBÁ LANGUAGE. 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗢𝗡 𝗡𝗜𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗔𝗡 𝗣𝗜𝗗𝗚𝗜𝗡 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗗𝗦 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗬𝗢𝗥𝗨𝗕𝗔 𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗨𝗔𝗚𝗘.
Naija - From 'Nàíjá' (A coinage) - How early Yoruba musicians and socialites in cities like Lagos and Ibadan fondly called Nigeria in the 70s, 80s, 90s. i.e K1 Ayinde, Omo Naija Oga - From 'Ọ̀gá' - Boss, Master Abi - From 'Àbí' - Interrogative, Conjuctive (Or) Shebi - From 'Ṣebí' - Interrogative Nko - From 'Ńkọ́' - Interrogative, How about? Jo/Jor - From 'Jọ̀ọ́/Jọ̀wọ́' - Please, Appeal Sha - From 'Ṣá' - Qualifier, Just, Anyhow Koro - From 'Kọ̀rọ̀' - A corner, A shady alley Lai Lai - From 'Laílaí/Láyé láyé' - Never or Perpetuity Jeje - From 'Jẹ́jẹ́' - Calmly, Without disturbance Ojoro - From 'Òjóró' - Cheating, Fraud Se (Shey) - From 'Ṣé' - Interrogative Gbedu - From 'Gbẹ̀du' - Ancestral drum, Musical beat Gidigba - From 'Gìdìgbà' - Large, Solidly Wuruwuru - From 'Wúruwùru' - Disorderly, Jumbled Kuku - From 'Kúkú' - Decidedly, Finally, Anyways, Rather, An adverb Omo - From 'Ọmọ' - Child, Baby, Has taken multiple contextual meanings Gragra - From 'Gìrà gìrà' - Brashly, Hastily, Brazen Patapata - From 'Pátá pátá' - All encompassing, Supreme, Completely, Altogether Japa - From 'Jápa' - The perfect Escape, Flee, remove ones self from a situation Were/Werey - From 'Wèrè' - A mental misfit, Insanity Jare - From 'Jàre' - As you please, Other uses Oyinbo - From 'Òyìnbó' - A white person, Western mannerisms Oya - From 'Óyá' - Confirmatory. To Begin/Start; Also 'Quickly' when repeated 'Oya oya oya' Dada - From 'Dàda' - Dreadlocks Olopa - From 'Ọlọ́pá' - Police, Lit: Baton/stick handler Tokunbo - From 'Tòkunbọ̀' - Imported good, Lit: From across the sea) Boli/Bole - From 'Bọ̀lẹ̀' - Roasted plantain Moi Moi - From 'Mọ́í Mọ́í' - A meal made from beans Akara - From 'Àkàrà' - A Yoruba food made from beans Ipekere - From 'Ipékeré' - Fried plantain slices Eba - From 'Ẹ̀bà' - Meal made from garri and hot water Dodo - From 'Dòdò' - Food made by frying plantain Asun - From 'Àsun' - Spicy roasted meat from Ondo Otilo - From Ó ti lo' - It's gone/over', Dismissed Ni - From 'Ni' - Interrogative ending Ikebe - From 'Iké' & 'Bèbè' - Hump/Arch & Backside respectively. A curvy rump Pako - From 'Pákó' - A wooden plank Shayo - From 'Ṣáyó' - To drink alcohol Osusu/Esusu - From 'Èsùsú' - Rotating savings/credit Agbada - From 'Agbádá' - Yoruba three piece clothing Jedijedi - From 'Jẹ̀díjẹ̀dí' - Condition of diarrhea Dabaru - From 'Dàbàrú' - To Disorganize, Entangle Yeye - From 'Yẹ̀yẹ́' - Make funof, Deride Pali - From 'Pálí' - Certificate/Credential. Lit: 'Carton' Igbo - From 'Igbó' - Marijuana, Indian hemp. Gele - From 'Gélé' - Headtie, Headwrap Ode - From 'Ọ̀dẹ̀' - A fool. Used to tease by friends Ogogoro - From 'Ògùrọ̀' (Duplication) - Alcoholic raffia Korokoro - From 'KòróKòró' - Bare view (of someone) Shakara - From 'Ṣakọ' 'rá' - Pride, haughty, being vain Shalaye - From 'Ṣàlàyé' - To explain Koko - From 'Kókó' - Main point (being made) A kor, Z ni - From 'Kọ́/Ni' - A Yoruba oxymoron wordplay used to dismiss Pangolo - From 'Páńgolo' - Metal canister Asoebi - From 'Aṣọ Ẹbí' - Uniform clothing, Lit: Family cloth Asewo/Asawo - From 'Aṣẹ́wó' - Someone of easy virtue Yakata - From 'Yàkàtà' - Astride, Wide apart, Lit: Part laps Suegbe - From 'Sùẹ̀gbẹ̀' - Slothful, Not street smart Buga - From 'Bùgá' - To brag, be boastful Jaguda - From 'Jàgùdà' - A thief or rogue Kondo - From 'Kóndó' - Club, Mace, Bludgeon Shombo - From 'Ṣọ̀nbọ̀' - A Kind of pepper Keke - From 'Kẹ̀kẹ́' - Originally bicycle (Also tricycle) Oshey/Oshe - From 'Oṣé' - Endearing appreciation Jagbajantis - Anglicization of 'Jágbajàgba' -Rubbish Olodo - From 'Olódo' - A dunce Jaburata - From 'Jaburata' - Plentiful, Excessive Yapa - From 'Yapa' - Plentiful, Excessive Akata - From 'Akátá' - A black person that has acculturized abroad Ajala - From 'Àjàlá' - Explorer, Waka about, Jetsetter Atarodo - From 'Ata Rodo' - A Kind of pepper Berekete - From 'Bẹ̀rẹ̀kẹ̀tẹ̀' - Plentiful, Large, Huge Agbo - From 'Àgbo' - Medicinal concoction, Herbs Akpere - From 'Apẹ̀rẹ̀' - Basket, Poor goalkeeper, Loquacious Orishirishi - From 'Oríṣiríṣi - Assorted food, Eclectic (In discussion) Kelebe - From 'Kẹ̀lẹ̀bẹ̀' - Phlegm, Mucur Agbero - From 'Agbèròo' - Crowd collector. Other meanings Agidi - From 'Agídí' - Strong headed, Obstinacy Fashi - From 'Fáṣí' - Let go of something Bam - From 'Bámbám' - Wholly, Fully
The greatest local linguistic influence and content contribution to the vocabulary of Nigerian Pidgin/ English today is the Yoruba language. Some of these words have even been added to the English language dictionary e.g 'Danfo' and 'Tokunbo', together with those which have been in the English vocabulary for much longer, such as; 'Iroko', 'Chigger' from 'Jìgá', 'Agama' from 'Agẹma', 'Orisha' Etc.
At least if the English language will mess with the spoken Yoruba among some of us, then Yoruba words should also enter.
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