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Could Anyone Translate This Igbo Phrase For Me? - Culture - Nairaland

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Could Anyone Translate This Igbo Phrase For Me? by Abagworo(m): 5:35am On Sep 13, 2009
Ihe ha nna akaralanne mee,nnu akwurum odu.
Re: Could Anyone Translate This Igbo Phrase For Me? by ChinenyeN(m): 7:06pm On Sep 13, 2009
Hmm. . . I would guess. .
"These things are too much to do, [and] I've got four hundred more standing behind me."

This is just a wild guess. I doubt my translation would even be close.
Re: Could Anyone Translate This Igbo Phrase For Me? by FACE(m): 11:01pm On Sep 13, 2009
Literal : If a huge effort is required to do a job, you should stand behind me.

Meaning: 1. Unity is strength 2.Together we shall achieve great feats.

Wild guess tho. I have a feeling you should have written it thus : Ihe ha nna a karala nne mee,nnu a kwuru m odu.
Re: Could Anyone Translate This Igbo Phrase For Me? by ChinenyeN(m): 12:29am On Sep 14, 2009
FACE, your translation of the second part of the sentence reminded me of something I read a while ago. There is a dialect that uses "ni" for "you" (singular) instead of the more common "gi". So, now that I think about it, your literal translation of the second part makes a lot of sense. So much so, that my second guess would be "there's too much to do, you should stand behind me" (as in, "I don't have what it takes to finish this task alone, so support me. Give me a hand.").
Re: Could Anyone Translate This Igbo Phrase For Me? by FACE(m): 8:19am On Sep 14, 2009
Yeah Chinenye, "nnu" is commonly used in place of "unu" around Owerri axis. I agree with your translation tho, unless Abagworo bursts our bubble.
Re: Could Anyone Translate This Igbo Phrase For Me? by Abagworo(m): 10:16am On Sep 14, 2009
@chinenyen.ur guess was close.so is 'face' but there is a missing link.if u can guess the meaning of 'nna' (not father in this instance) and 'akaralanne',then it becomes easy.
Re: Could Anyone Translate This Igbo Phrase For Me? by FACE(m): 12:23pm On Sep 14, 2009
"nna" = otu a (like this, such that) "nna" can also mean "take" in some dialects but I don't think it fits in this instance.

a karala nne (e hie la nne, e ri go nne) is very big. or (e hiri nne, e riri nne = Jointly, collectively, en masse)

If I heard you speak it, I would be able to tell you what you said tho as the key is in the tone.
Re: Could Anyone Translate This Igbo Phrase For Me? by ChinenyeN(m): 4:32am On Sep 15, 2009
Abagworo, which guess? The first, or the second one?

And when I think of "nna", I think of these. .
1. nna - father (but you said it isn't father).
2. nna[a] - one
3. nña - how

If I had to guess, I would say that maybe the "nna" in the sentence is #2, but this guess is based on my regional tongue, because I can't think of any other meaning for "nna", outside of my regional tongue, that could apply.

I'm also reminded of "ihi nne" when I read "akaralanne" (which I read as "akarala nne"wink, but I know that "ihi" and "ika" don't mean the same thing. So I read "akarala nne" as in "excessively, exceeding". I then read "akarala nne mee" as, "excessively, exceeding capability".

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