Mkpo is the shell. Omo is the central, inner mass (or nucleus). Both words already existed. So, I can only speculate about the etymology.

You're interpretation of zizizi, tetete and ekeke are pretty spot on. I think the story behind how they were coined is interesting. Zizizi and tetete were coined a while back because my brother wanted a way of expressing polar opposites (we were discussing magnetism at the time). 'Te' was easy because of our earlier discovery of it here on NL. 'Zi' was used to provide the conceptual opposite of 'te'. Where 'te' indicated a deficit or negated value, 'zi' would indicate a straight, observable non-deficit or non-negated value. Zizizi and tetete were then coined. My brother had to remind me of this when I was busy reworking the translation, because they work well with the concept of negative and positive signs.

Ekeke originally comes from ike (to spark). We simply made it ekeke to refer to the 'electrical potential' rather than the actual spark itself. We actually coined it just so we could say 'igba ekwenti ekeke'. At the time, it's usefulness in this context never occurred to me.

Continuing the lesson translation:

Atoms in the Human Body
Akii l'Ahu Madu

The human body is made up of a couple dollars worth of chemicals.
Ahu madu kpu elo ha la dola (dollar) olelole.

The 12 most useful atoms for you to know about are listed below:
Akii 12 nde kachasi ibaara ghi uru imata haziri l'ahiri l'okpuru:

I believe by now, we should all get the point. There should be no need for me to attempt to translate the entire basic chemistry lesson. My original objective was to tackle the periodic table. If I had to be honest, I'd say we achieved that and more. That last post of mine shows a table with some of the elements (according to the table title, the most common and most important elements for living organisms).

Even if the general Igbo populace fails to make use of the ohu-based number system, our activities here have shown that bolstering our indigenous lects is no where near as difficult as some may lead themselves to believe. Do we want to continue on with the basic chemistry theme or are we satisfied with this for now and want to try another subject matter?

Just so we can truly see what it is we've accomplished.

Okwu Ntu Amumwhe Elo (Basic Chemistry Terminology)

aki/akii - atom
ibaaki - subatomic particle
ibaaki izi - proton (positively charged subatomic particles)
ibaaki ete - electron (negatively charged subatomic particles)
ibaaki oto - neutron (non-charged subatomic particles)
omo - nucleus
ekeke - a charge
elo - chemical
mgbakpu elo - chemical bond
aki ekeke - ion (charged atom)
okputukpu aki - atomic mass
ogugu aki - atomic number
ekike - organism
oki - element
okiloki - molecule
okiloki ekike - organic molecule
okinnaa - hydrogen
okaasato - oxygen
okishii - carbon
okirise - phosphorus
etc.

It's not comprehensive, and it's certainly not enough to teach all of basic chemistry, but it is a good start.

Very good start. Tell you the truth, I've for the longest time now been really skeptical about the feasibility of teaching science in African languages. That skepticism is whittling away. It really can be done.

Hey, do you think you can translate the 'nrutadi la ndu' column of your last table. I get some of it, but I'm struggling with some.

AjaanaOka:
Tell you the truth, I've for the longest time now been really skeptical about the feasibility of teaching science in African languages. That skepticism is whittling away. It really can be done.

This is simply what I have been aiming to prove. I'm glad someone else other than those in my household can understand this.

Translating the 'Nrutadi la ndu' section (back to English... imagine my pride..).. from top to bottom.

1. It is a part of water and most organic molecules, and also molecular oxygen.
2. The backbone of all organic molecules. (I don't know what backbone is in Izugbe, so I just used the Ngwa term)
3. Part of all organic molecules and water.
4. A component of protein and also nucleic acid.
5. A constituent of bone, and also essential to the action of nerves and muscles.
6. Part of cellular membrane and of molecules that store energy. It also constitutes bone.
7. Important to the action of nerves.
8. A component of most protein arrangements (structures)
9. Ion (charged atom) most essential (or primary) in body fluid. Important for nerve action.
10. A component of digestive acid. It is also a major ion in body fluid.
11. Important to the action of certain enzymes and the contraction of muscles.
12. A constituent of hemoglobin, which is an oxygen-carrying molecule.

Imagine... most of this was written in Igbo. It can certainly be taught in Igbo.

ChinenyeN:
No need for long introductions. Igbo needs new terminology if it's going to successfully see the next century. So, I created this thread. We can coin anything we want here and discuss and create any new speech conventions we deem necessary or useful. We can start anywhere, but I think I'd like to start at the periodic table of elements, mostly because I'm feeling ambitious. I also believe the population density back home will eventually grow to a point where an intense or exclusive farming culture will not be sustainable. A new way of life (with emphasis in science and engineering) will be necessary if Igbo people themselves want to successfully see the next century as a culture (or cultures).

Anyway, I fully intend to move forward with coining new terminology, regardless of whether or not this thread sees much activity.

Now, for the periodic table of elements. Coining terminology for the periodic table of elements might seem daunting (it probably is), but it's not as if it cannot be done. Much of the heavy lifting has already been done for us by chemists over the centuries. As any chemical engineering student will tell you, the periodic table has been systematized. When you look at the periodic table and read it from left to right, top to bottom, what you essentially see is a categorization based largely on atomic structure. The groundwork has been established. So, there is no need for us to coin terminology as if to say we are just now discovering these elements. Rather, we can follow the lead of the Chinese, for example, by systematically coining new words, based on the already existing groundwork. The question now is which systematic method do we want to use?

Do we consider a naming convention based on states of matter at room temperature? Or a naming convention based on atomic configuration? Personally, I favor a naming convention based on atomic number (proton counts). Alternatively, we could employ a systematic loan-word naming convention.

AjaanaOka, Scholti, anyone with an interest... I don't feel like tagging nye ukwu la nye nta.

wow! and who's gonn be responsible for its proliferation in the most important place it is needed: ELEMENTary schools?

wait did you see what I did there??

Most schools in the Southeast already offer Igbo language as a subject up to Senior Secondary School level. It was in fact compulsory in the Secondary School I attended - although provisions were made for L2 speakers to take much simpler examinations than the ones we native speakers took.

So I think a good and realistic place/way to start would be to broaden the scope of Igbo language as a subject in primary and especially secondary schools. Currently Igbo language as a subject in schools has three branches:

Utoasusu Igbo (Igbo Grammar)

Agumagu Igbo (Igbo literature - where we studied the works of writers like Tony Ubesie, etc)

Omenala na Ewumewu Igbo (Igbo Customs and Institutions)

Why can't a fourth branch be introduced under which Basic Science could be taught in Igbo? This wouldn't even require any great alterations in the school curriculum; just slip in one more aspect into a subject that is already being taught.

Nmeri17:
wow! and who's gonn be responsible for its proliferation in the most important place it is needed: ELEMENTary schools?

wait did you see what I did there??

Yeah, I see. As for who will be responsible, I believe AjaanaOka's post is a good place to start. It shouldn't be too difficult to introduce science and mathematics as part of Igbo language studies. After all, it isn't as if every bit of Igbo language is taught within a single school term.

@Topic: In the interest of full disclosure... anything done in this thread is not done simply for the sake of doing. As it is right now, all the terminology developed here has been included in a dictionary being developed and compiled by members of my family to expand Ngwa lexicon (I encourage other Igbo groups [or members from other Igbo groups] to do the same). Even the tentative names for all 118 elements of the periodic table have been included. Admittedly, the only new terms we are adding are 'aki', 'ibaaki [compounds]', and the elements. Everything else we already have.

They do not sit idly in the dictionary though. The dictionary project is an ongoing project to expand Ngwa lexicon, and the terminologies that find their way into the dictionary are inevitably used to teach the Okwu Ngwa lessons at something that we call Ngwa University (this is a youth initiative that is part of the annual Ngwa convention we have here in the States). Nothing done in this thread is done simply for the sake of doing.

AjaanaOka:
Why can't a fourth branch be introduced under which Basic Science could be taught in Igbo? This wouldn't even require any great alterations in the school curriculum; just slip in one more aspect into a subject that is already being taught.

A fourth, Basic Science (Ntu Amumwhe) branch cannot be introduced just yet, because most Igbo people cannot wrap their mind around such a concept. You admitted yourself that it took the activities of this thread for you to begin to finally see the feasibility of teaching the sciences. An effective curriculum cannot be built with mindsets that are yet to even see the feasibility. It's going to take people like me and my family (I say this with complete disappointment and zero pride) to continue proving the general Igbo populace wrong. Between now and the time when the Igbo populace finally comes to a realization, we continue doing what we're doing now, which is expanding the lexicon.

A list of other concepts necessary to continue a basic chemistry lesson or course:

1. Atoms & Ions (Akii la Akii Ekeke)
... Covered

2. Chemical Bonds (Mgbakpu Elo)
... Bond Types (Udi Mgbakpu)
... ... Covalent
... ... everything else - Covered

3. Polarity (Uhumuhu)
... Covered

4. Acids & Bases (Not Covered)
... Acid
... Base
... pH

5. Organic Compounds (Okiloki Ekike)
... Not Covered

6. Carbohydrates (Not Covered)
... Saccharide (di, poly, mono)
... Dehydration synthesis
... Starch
... Cellulose
... Glucose
... Fructose
... Ribose
... Sucrose
* this section here will put us on the path toward biology

7. Lipids (Not Covered)
... Lipid
... Fatty acids
... Triglyceride
... Phospholipid

8. Protein (Not Covered)
... Amino Acid
... Peptide
... Hemoglobin

9. Enzymes (Not Covered)
... Substrate

10. Nucleic Acids (Not Covered)
... DNA
... RNA
... Adenine
... Guanine
... Cytosine
... Thymine
... Helix
* just imagine how cool it would be to be able to talk about this in Igbo

11. ATP (Not Covered)

... Honestly, I feel like pressing forward and tackling all of this right here in this thread. Well, to be fair, it will get tackled, regardless of whether or not it gets tackled here in this thread.

Chemical Bonding (mgbakpu elo)

Eteeme (Valence) - to refer to the action of the outermost electrons which determines the atom's ability to bond with other atoms or take part in chemical reactions. (eteeme -> ete eme -> fundamental negatively charged particles act)

Etejiko (Covalence) - to refer to the type of bond in which two atoms share electrons. (etejiko -> ete jiko -> held together by fundamental negatively charged particles) [mgbakpu etejiko - covalent bond]

Etejiko Uhumuhu (Polar Covalent) - to refer to the unequal sharing of electrons. [mgbakpu etejiko uhumuhu - polar covalent bond]

Okinna (Hydrogen) - a particular type of covalent bond specific to Hydrogen. [mgbakpu okinna - hydrogen bond]

Ibaaki Eteeme (Valence Electrons) - to refer to the outermost, negatively charged particles that engage in bonding and chemical reactions.

Aki Ekeke (Ion) - to refer to the type of bond in which valence electrons are transferred to create negative and positive ions and a bond based on 'opposites attract' is formed. [mgbakpu aki ekeke ... or mgbakpu ekeke - ionic bond]

Igwigwe (metal) - to refer to the type of bond involving metal elements (igwigwe - new term for metal, leaving igwe for iron) [mgbakpu igwigwe - metallic bond]

I think we are now fully in difficult terrain.

Erm, okay. I can only think of lipids/fats - 'abuba'.

Carbohydrates. Should we use a compound term derived from the words we have coined for carbon and hydrogen, or coin a new word all together?

The various sugars, fatty acids, amino acids, etc. Perhaps whatever names we assign to them should be based on the positions of the key atoms on their structures, presence/absence of double bonds... that type of stuff.

I thought of otakigwe [(otaka igwe); further contraction: otiigwe (otaa igwe)] for acids based on their corroding action on metals, but I don't know. Perhaps, a better name could be come up with.

For protein. Based on the fact that while growing up, my mum was always on me to eat my beans and get some protein in my system, I'm flirting with the idea of calling protein 'uruagwa'. LOL.

Embrace Neo-Nsibidi: http://blog.nsibiri.org/

It seems difficult, but I don't think it actually is. For instance, part of the inherent difficulty is in the fact that we attempt to provide a name (or more appropriately, a compact name) that embodies the definition of what we're naming. But I don't believe we need to do it that way. The name need not fully embody the definition. Instead, it has to imply it (loosely anchor the definition), at the very least.

For example, the 'ete' in 'ibaaki ete' anchors the idea a negative charge. With the 'ete', we can say things like 'ibaaki ete' as a name to refer to the electron, instead of saying 'ibaaki ekeke ete' as a name. 'Ete' itself then can be used to imply the definition of the negative charge and we can create a term like 'eteeme' (negative charge activity) to describe the concept of 'valence'. And then, we can create a term like 'ibaaki eteeme' for 'valence electrons' (the subatomic negatively charged particles that act), rather than explicitly trying to name them 'ibaaki ete eteeme'.

I think I would define 'lipid' more so as 'kàmanụ' (dika manu). We already call it 'lamānụ' (lol.. since yesterday... following that same logic). The defining characteristic of lipids is that they are generally insoluble in water, hence 'kàmanụ' [characteristically oil]. Abuba is a type of lipid.

Update.. Everything in bold has been covered as far as basic chemistry is concerned.

1. Atoms & Ions (Akii la Akii Ekeke)
2. Chemical Bonds (Mgbakpu Elo)
3. Polarity (Uhumuhu)

4. Acids & Bases (Not Covered)
... Acid
... Base
... pH

5. Organic Compounds (Okiloki Ekike)
... Not Covered

6. Carbohydrates (Not Covered)
... Saccharide (di, poly, mono)
... Dehydration synthesis
... Starch
... Cellulose
... Glucose
... Fructose
... Ribose
... Sucrose
* this section here will put us on the path toward biology

7. Lipids (Kamanu)
... Lipid
... Fatty acids
... Triglyceride
... Phospholipid

8. Protein (Not Covered)
... Amino Acid
... Peptide
... Hemoglobin

9. Enzymes (Not Covered)
... Substrate

10. Nucleic Acids (Not Covered)
... DNA
... RNA
... Adenine
... Guanine
... Cytosine
... Thymine
... Helix
* just imagine how cool it would be to be able to talk about this in Igbo

11. ATP (Not Covered)

Chemical Bonding
Mgbakpu Elo

Chemical bonds are formed when the electrons in an atom interact with the electrons in another atom. This allows for the formation of more complex molecules.
Mgbakpu elo na-agbakputa ma ibaaki ete aki kparita ibaaki ete aki odo. Kena kwere okpukpu okiloki tukwara rogiri rogiri.

There are 3 types of chemical bonds:
Udi mgbakpu elo di 3:

1. Covalent
... Bond Strength: Strong
... Description: Two atoms share electrons
... Example: Bonding of Oxygen and Hydrogen in H2O
1. Etejiko
... Ike Mgbakpu: O di ike
... Nkowasi: Aki abuo enwekoro ibaaki ete
... Iji Maa Atu: Mgbakpu ke Okaasato la Okinna la H2O

2. Ionic
... Bond Strength: Moderate
... Description: Oppositely charged ions are attracted to each other
... Example: Bond between Na+ and Cl- in salt
2. Aki Ekeke
... Ike Mgbakpu: O di nara nara
... Nkowasi: Aki ekeke uhumuhu eseta onwe ha.
... Iji Maa Atu: Mgbakpu di l'etiti Na+ la Cl- la nnu.

3. Hydrogen
... Bond Strength: Weak
... Description: Forms between oppositely charged portions of covalently bonded Hydrogen atoms.
... Example: Bonds between water molecules
3. Okinnaa
... Ike Mgbakpu: O dii ike
... Nkowasi: O mere l'etiti mpaghara aki Okinna gbakpuru l'etejiko ma gbara uhumuhu.
... Iji Maa Atu: Mgbakpu di l'etiti okiloki miri.

AjaanaOka:
For protein. Based on the fact that while growing up, my mum was always on me to eat my beans and get some protein in my system, I'm flirting with the idea of calling protein 'uruagwa'. LOL.

I like where you're headed with agwa. What about agwaru/agwalu (agwa aru/alu) to convey the idea of the main nutritional benefit of beans, which is protein. So, we can make that the name. What do you think?

Acids and Bases

Acid... elo (chemical) + uka (sour) -> eluuka/eluka
Base... elo (chemical) + ilu (bitterness) -> eliilu/elilu

Sourness (uka) is often attributed to acidity in chemical solutions. Bitterness (ilu) is often attributed to the alkalinity in chemical solutions. So, chemically sour (elo+uka) and chemically bitter (elo+ilu) to give eluka and elilu for acid and base respectively. We will leave pH as is.. pH. There is no real need to coin a term for this (I do not believe a new term must be coined for each and every thing in the world).

----------------------------------------

Basic Chemistry Lesson

pH: Acids vs Bases
pH: Eluka ma Elilu

Measure of Hydrogen ions (H+) in solution: The more Hydrogen ions (H+) there are, the more acidic a solution is.
Turu atu Okinna ekeke (H+) l'ime ogwu: Okinna ekeke d'adi adi, ogwu ad'adi elilu.

Water
Miri

Where to Hydrogen ions (H+) come from? Well, it's all part of water really...
Ndii ebe Okinna ekeke si bia? O bu nnoo okara la miri...

- Water (H2O) splits into Hydrogen ions (H+) and Hydroxyl ions (OH-).
- Where there are equal parts of Hydrogen ions (H+) and Hydroxyl ions (OH-) leading to a 1:1 ratio, pH is neutral (7)
- Miri (H2O) ghoro Okinna ekeke (H+) la [Hydroxyl] ekeke (OH-).
- Ebe okara Okinna ekeke (H+) la [Hydroxyl] (OH-) hatara, ya aburu okara 1:1, pH toro l'etiti (7).

Sometimes, other chemicals are present that are dissolved by water. The pieces that result may contain an Hydrogen ion (H+) or Hydroxyl ion (OH-). This will change the pH.
Mgbe ufo, elo ndi odo ke miri gbazere dikwa. Ibe foronu nwere ike kpuru Okinna ekeke (H+) ma o bu [Hydroxyl] ekeke (OH-). Kena g'igbanwe pH.

Acids
Eluka

Acids add Hydrogen ions (H+) to solutions.
Eluka tiri Okinna ekeke (H+) l'ogwu

- Hydrochloric acid (HCl) splits into Hydrogen ions (H+) and Chloride ions (Cl-)
- Extra H+ means acid solution (no more equal parts)
- the 1:1 ratio is changed, now there are too many H+, it turns acidic.
- Eluka [Hydrochlorine] (HCl) ghoro Okinna ekeke (H+) la Okarasaa ekeke (Cl-)
- H+ uma odo futara ogwu eluka (okara ahataghi odo)
- okara 1:1 agbanwela, gbuo H+ gbara ahu, ya aghoo eluka.

Bases
Elilu

Bases add Hydroxyl ions (OH-) to solutions.
Elilu tiri [Hydroxyl] ekeke (OH-) l'ogwu.

- Sodium Hydroxide Solution (NaOH) splits into Sodium (Na+) and Hydroxyl Ions (OH-).
- Extra Hydroxyl Ions (OH-) shifts ratio (fewer free H+ than normal).
- the 1:1 ratio is changed, now there are too few Hydrogen (H+) and there are "extra" OH- ions.
- The solution becomes basic.
- Ogwu Okirinna [Hydroxide] (NaOH) ghoro Okirinna (Na+) la [Hydroxyl] ekeke (OH-)
- [Hydroxyl] ekeke (OH-) uma odo nofega okara (H+ efu adikarala ntakiri)
- Okara 1:1 agbanwee, gbuo Okinna ekeke (H+) adicha olelole ma OH- adila "l'uma".
- Ogwu adila elilu

Anything that's too acidic or too basic will degrade organic matter. Tissues are destroyed, cells will die or at least not function properly.
Whe obula dikara eluka ma dikara elilu g'ize whe ekike ozeze. Anuahu emebisia. Mkporo anwuo ma o buu ma o rumaghi oru.

I've noticed something, while doing this translation. Something needs to be done about suffixes such as -ate, -oxly, -ide, etc. Developing a suitable equivalent for these suffixes will allow us to more effectively express compounds. For example, AjaanaOka, you mentioned coining a term for Carbohydrate, but each result I came up with for the compound was too verbose. This is because we do not yet have a solution for the -ate suffix.

I wonder how we might go about this.

The updated list for what we have and have not covered for a basic chemistry lesson.

Covered

Atoms & Ions (Akii la Akii Ekeke)
Chemical Bonds (Mgbakpu Elo)
Polarity (Uhumuhu)
Acids & Bases (Eluka la Elilu)

Not Covered

Organic Compounds (Okiloki Ekike)
Carbohydrates
Lipids (Kamanu)
Protein (Agwaru)
Enzymes
Nucleic Acids
ATP

If anyone were to ask me, I'd say this is going pretty well.

Mehn, you're doing a mighty impressive work here, ChinenyeN. Really impressive.

What does alu/aru in agwaru/agwalu mean.

Thanks. I'm only trying. Sometimes, the translations seem lacking, but it only takes some rewording so that it flows properly in Igbo. The aru/alu is 'working'. It's not the word for 'taboo', if that's what is crossing your mind.

Okiloki Ekike (Organic Compounds)

Organic vs Inorganic
Bu ma Buu Ekike

Organic molecules contain Carbon. Inorganic molecules do not.
Okiloki ekike kpu Okishii ma okiloki l'abuu ekike akpuu.

- CH4 is the formula for methane. It is organic.
- NaCl is the formula for common table salt. It is inorganic.
- CH4 bu amaatu [methane]. O bu ekike.
- NaCl bu amaatu nnu nara ana. O buu ekike.

Four Organic Compounds
Okiloki Ekike Ano

There are four basic organic compounds used to build cells.
O nwere okiloki ekike ntu ano e ji ruo mkporo.

- Carbohydrates
- Lipids
- Proteins are used to make enzymes
- Nucleic Acids
- [Carbohydrates]
- Kamanu
- Agwaru e ji mee agbuka
- Eluka Omo

Each organic macromolecule is reviewed in the remainder of the lesson.
A g'ileghari okiloki ekike ukwu liile l'ufo ezizi na.

NOTE: I believed this would go without saying, but for whatever reason I feel prompted to say this now. We do not all speak the same lect. As such, I expect and highly encourage people to adapt these terms in their appropriate lects. If my position on this was not clear before, then I hope it is now.

Carbohydrate - Kabiribiri (like sugar)

Revisiting Element Names:

As I suspected initially, compound names would prove troublesome. I thought we could slide by with compounding element names based on the proton count convention. Up until now, sliding by has not been a problem. It was not until I found myself at a loss in attempting to translate for compounds such as Hydroxide and methane that I promptly realized that we might have to revisit the naming convention of the elements. The simple truth is that I do not even know where to begin. The proton count convention was beginning to look extremely promising too.

To be entirely honest, the proton count convention worked rather well for most covalent compounds, but overall, the proton count convention is simply too verbose to efficiently and compactly express other types of chemical compounds. So, I am considering one of my earlier suggested options. I'm still debating within myself how exactly to go about it, but I have thought of a few things. I'll come back and post once I've thought them all thoroughly through (or as thoroughly as I can with my own basic knowledge).

If anyone has got any ideas they feel like sharing, they're more than welcome.

Still on the Element Names...

Here is how I am starting to see this:

One of the most important concepts in science is systematization. As such, tackling the periodic table of elements as if we need 'translations' is an all around bad idea. Rather, what we need is a systematized way of referring to elements and compounds. To be real, this is chemistry. The effort being made here in this thread is made mostly for those future Igbo-speaking chemist. The general populace really need not understand it. As such, there is no real need for these elements to have 'meaningful' or 'translate-able' names. Furthermore, the general populace takes what they see for what it is. If we say "so and so" is oxygen, they'll take it. It is only the chemist that need to understand it, so as to derive the actual chemical and compound formulas. So, I designed the system below with that in mind.

This system/convention has two parts. The first part is a convention that derives names either from indigenous terms or with a systematic loaning convention. Ideally, element names themselves should be at most four morphemes and end with the morpheme 'm' (with a low tone). If an indigenous name for an item already exists that contains the element, then that indigenous name is used. If that indigenous name is more than three morphemes, then the element name will be derived from the indigenous item name with the three-morpheme + m convention.

Examples:
1. Oxygen - Umem (u-me-m : three morphemes) [origin, ume, breath, because of the role oxygen has in given us life]
2. Copper - Ola (o-la : two morphemes) [origin, already existing term]
3. Zinc - Gbam (gba-m : two morphemes) [origin, Ngwa, gbamgbam for flattened sheet of zinc]
4. Hydrogen - Ham (ha-m : two morphemes) [origin, systematic loan from [hy] of hydrogen]
5. Iron - Igwe (i-gwe : two morphemes) [origin, already existing term]
6. Lead - Tam (ta-m : two morphemes) [origin, otanjere, due to being the main ore of lead : 'otanjere' exceeds three morphemes]
7. Silver - Jem (je-m : two morphemes) [origin, otanjere, due to it also being a major source for silver]
8. Sulfur - Erem (e-re-m : three morphemes) [origin, otanjere, due to otanjere being a sulfide compound]
9. Sodium - Num (nu-m : two morphemes) [origin, nnu, due to the sodium content]
10. Chlorine - Nunum (nu-nu-m : three morphemes) [origin, nnu, because of its 1:1 ratio with sodium in salt]
11. Carbon - Nyim (nyi-m : two morphemes) [origin, inyi (coal, charcoal)]

That is the first part of the system/convention. As an aside, I have read somewhere that tin is present in Abakiliki mines. If someone could find out what they call it, then we could derive a element term for it here.

Now, for the second part of the convention. Compounds. Speech convention for compound names will follow the basic international naming system, just differently.

1. -ide :: No need... -ide indicates the presence of the element as a monoatomic bond (i.e. Na-Cl, Sodium-Chloride). Only one atom of Chloride is involved in the NaCl bond and so they use -ide. In our instance, the speech convention is designed to imply the single atom, unless otherwise indicated. So, Sodium Chloride will simply be Num Nunum for us.

2. -ate/-ite :: Indicates the presence of oxygen in polyatomic compound. In such cases, the -m is dropped from the compound name, then olilo udaume takes effect between the name of the element and 'umem' (oxygen). For example, Sulfate is a sulfur (erem) oxygen (umem) compound. This convention would result in Eruume. Hydrogen (ham)/Oxygen(umem) polyatomic compound would be a Hydrate, or Huume, etc.

I could go on, but I don't believe that will be necessary. So, now, with this new convention, here are some compound examples.

1. Hydrochloric acid :: Eluka Ham Nunum (ham [hydrogen] - nunum [chlorine])
2. Copper(II) Sulfate :: Ola(II) Eruume
3. Carbon Dioxide :: Nyim Umemlaabu
4. Carbohydrate :: Nyim Huume
5. Iron disulfide :: Igwe Eremlaabu

This is where my basic effort will end on this. I will leave future refinement of this convention to those Igbo-speaking chemists.

This thought just occurred to me earlier today. In developing these element names, the same rules will apply, with the exception of one new additional rule, attempting to give the names a more proto-Igbo spin. In particular, I'm considering following what seems to be a general lack of n-/m- pseudo-vowels. So, for example, in developing the names for Sodium and Chlorine elements from salt (nnu), we could very well say something like Unum (Sodium) and Inum (Chlorine) (the lack of n/m pseudo-vowels). So, where a naming conflict arises, the proto-Igbo spin would be used to differentiate and coin a new, distinct term to avoid confusion.

Current element names, based on this new convention:

Umem (Oxygen), Unum (Sodium), Inum (Chlorine), Gbam (Zinc), Ola (Copper), Igwe (Iron), Erem (Sulfur), Inyim (I'm honestly not sure whether to go with 'inyim' or just 'nyim' ... Carbon), Uham (Hydrogen... I decided to change it a bit for the easier blending with the language), Jem (Silver), Tam (Lead).

Another thing I am unsure of is whether or not to include a vowel prefix as part of the naming convention. I believe a vowel prefix may be necessary to facilitate a more natural speech, but ultimately, I feel that will limit the possibility of more distinct names. No. I'll leave that out of the convention. Whether or not an element name begins with a vowel will be inconsequential. The system will remain as it is until Igbo-speaking chemists see reason to refine it in the future.

Nawa o! I doff my *hat (and hyperspastic veins ) for everyone on this thread and to the tireless brothers of chinenyen... blessing and co The goal is to find something in life that fires up my motivation to carry it out like this.

These new names for the elements - creative. Are we ditching the oki- names?

Anyway, gbam for zinc (from gbamgbam) made me think of another onomatopoeic expression we can adapt for tin. Tin cans (the type our cocoa powder and powdered milk come in) are generally called komkom or konkom. We can perhaps coin 'kom' for tin.

Just thinking about this now. Hydrogen is present in water. I think I'll substitute the systematic loan of Uham with Imim. Imim will be derived from water (the 'mmiri' lexical variant to 'imiri' to 'imim' ), as a way of extracting the idea of that Hydrogen component, putting a proto-Igbo twist to it the 'I-' prefix and concluding the element name with the low tone '-m' suffix.

Oh, you just reminded me. How could I have forgotten about komkom. We use that term all the time. So certainly, kom can be tin. The only thing will be that the -m will be a low tone rather than a high tone. Yes, we will be ditching the oki-proton-count name convention. Not that they will never be used. For instance, we can always refer to Umem as Okaasato (element 8 ), but they will not be primary usages. That seems to be the most intelligent route that I can conceive of right now.

So, update... Kom is now Tin.

Still over 100+ elements left to go...