Welcome, Guest: Register On Nairaland / LOGIN! / Trending / Recent / New
Stats: 3,150,574 members, 7,809,094 topics. Date: Thursday, 25 April 2024 at 10:52 PM

10 Words That Nigerians Use Daily But Do Not Exist In The Dictionary - Education (2) - Nairaland

Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Education / 10 Words That Nigerians Use Daily But Do Not Exist In The Dictionary (7130 Views)

20 Rarely Used English Words That We Need To Know / Top 10 Words Nigerians Use That Aren’t In The Dictionary / 10 Common Words Nigerians Use Everyday That Don't Exist (2) (3) (4)

(1) (2) (Reply) (Go Down)

Re: 10 Words That Nigerians Use Daily But Do Not Exist In The Dictionary by LaiveNg: 11:49pm On Aug 17, 2017
"Delayance" is also in common use.
Re: 10 Words That Nigerians Use Daily But Do Not Exist In The Dictionary by gulfer: 6:28am On Aug 18, 2017
6. Cunny:
“Cunny” is not found in authoritative dictionaries, but it can be found in some slang dictionaries. Over there, it is a slang used to refer to a woman’s v**ina. The correct term to use is cunning (which is used to describe someone that is being deceitful or crafty) and not “cunny.”
@OP, it is Cunning and not cunny cool cool cool cool
Re: 10 Words That Nigerians Use Daily But Do Not Exist In The Dictionary by TheLogicalMind(m): 6:57am On Aug 18, 2017
BBBlaze:
Here's a list of words that do not exist in the English Dictionary which Nigerians use on a daily basis without realizing that those actual words do not exist and even those that exist are not exactly what they think it means.

1. Installmentally:
This “word” is a favourite of many Nigerians, but, sadly, it simply does not exist. You won’t find it any reputable dictionary. The correct thing to say when “installmentally” comes to your mind is in instalments or by instalments.

2. Plumpy:
Nigerians use “plumpy” when they want to say that someone is chubby or slightly fat. The correct expression is plump.

3. Disvirgin:
This particular “word” is used severally on a daily basis, especially by Nigerian men when they intend saying that a woman has lost her virginity to a guy. The correct word to use, however, is deflower, because “disvirgin” is not a word.

4. Crosscarpeting:
This is a favourite of Nigerian politicians and political analysts alike. They use it when they want to say that a politician has dumped his political party for another party, usually a rival party. The right terms to use when describing this scenario are party switching, defection and crossing the floor and not “cross-carpeting” or “crosscarpeting.”

5. Go-Slow :
The word go-slow exists, but not in the way Nigerians use it. A “go-slow,” in the peculiarly Nigerian context, is a situation in which road traffic is very sluggish due to vehicle queues. However, go-slow in the English language actually means an industrial tactic used by employees whereby they intentionally reduce activity, productivity and efficiency in order to press home some demands. When this happens, you say that work in the office, factory or organization is at a go-slow. The correct terms to use when road traffic is very sluggish due to vehicle queues are traffic jam, traffic congestion, gridlock, and (less technically) hold-up, not “go-slow.”

6. Cunny:
“Cunny” is not found in authoritative dictionaries, but it can be found in some slang dictionaries. Over there, it is a slang used to refer to a woman’s v**ina. The correct term to use is cunning (which is used to describe someone that is being deceitful or crafty) and not “cunny.”

7. Opportuned:
There is nothing like “opportuned” anywhere in the English language, but that has not stopped its blatant use by all and sundry in Nigeria, including journalists and writers. The correct word is opportune. The word opportune is an adjective; therefore it has no past tense. An adjective has no past tense. However, some verbs can function as adjectives or adverbs in a sentence. These verbs are called participles and they do have past tenses. They are not pure adjectives. Examples of participles are fattened, amused, disgusted, mystified, overwhelmed, upset and bored. Be that as it may, opportune is a pure adjective and not a participle, therefore it has no past tense. Opportune means appropriate or well-timed.

8. Alright:
“Alright” is a misspelling of the term all right. All right is used when you want to say that something is adequate, acceptable, agreeable or suitable. To hardcore English language linguists, “alright” is not a word. However, its usage is gaining traction and it’s increasingly becoming acceptable. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary – which is considered the gold standard among American English speakers – has recently drawn a lot of criticisms for its permissiveness when it began indexing some otherwise colloquial and street language terms, including “alright.” Most linguists disagree with the gradual acceptance of “alright” as a word by the public and even the media, while those in the minority are “alright” with it.

9. Wake-Keeping:
“Wake-keeping” exists only in the imagination of a few English speakers. As a matter of fact, there is no such thing as “wake-keeping.” The correct word is wake and not even “wake-keep.” Both “wake-keeping” and “wake-keep” are ungrammatical.

10. Screentouch:
This bad grammatical expression gained currency in Nigeria and neighbouring West African countries with the influx of made-in-China stylus pen touchscreen not-so-smart phones in the mid 2000s. It was a novelty then; many in Nigeria had not seen it – or even thought such advanced technology was possible – before. So, they looked for a name to call it and “screentouch” came to mind, after all you just touch the screen and it starts working. In case you’ve still not figured it out yet, the correct thing to say is touchscreen and not “screentouch.”
********************
You can add yours!


You left out the word "explanciate". This Nigerian coinage was even used by my English language teacher back then.
Re: 10 Words That Nigerians Use Daily But Do Not Exist In The Dictionary by Wizaugpet(m): 8:45am On Aug 18, 2017
Mehn! This is Real...
I thank u for this.
They also call that small Police Radio, "Walking Talking", whereas the correct word is "Walkie Talkie."
Naija ehn, i fear una o!
Re: 10 Words That Nigerians Use Daily But Do Not Exist In The Dictionary by georgeben205(m): 9:37am On Aug 18, 2017
ezzylee:


Didn't you read in his post where he said its gradually gaining acceptance as a word?
oops, skipped that part. grin
Re: 10 Words That Nigerians Use Daily But Do Not Exist In The Dictionary by Iamzik: 10:38am On Aug 18, 2017
muller101:
Goods arriving from ship is called CARGO. But good transported by trucks are called SHIPMENT.

Hmm
English sef!
Re: 10 Words That Nigerians Use Daily But Do Not Exist In The Dictionary by Don4mark: 12:34pm On Aug 18, 2017
have considered reading NIGERIAN 7 WRONG PHILOSOPHIES MOST PEOPLE STILL ADHERE TO.
https://www.thepagemagazine.com/2017/08/06/7-wrong-philosophies-people-still-adhere/
Re: 10 Words That Nigerians Use Daily But Do Not Exist In The Dictionary by Healer007: 5:09pm On Aug 18, 2017
geunik:
Honestly op you try. Do you know that the word 'indigene' is not in the English dictionary? So when people say am an indigene of this village, it is wrong. It is 'indigenous' that is correct.
shocked Like serious
I saw it oo in my phone's dictionary
Re: 10 Words That Nigerians Use Daily But Do Not Exist In The Dictionary by Wizaugpet(m): 10:11am On Aug 23, 2017
internationalman:
is it nor human being dat formed d words in the dictionary. And they keep adding more words to d dictionary everyday. What's stopping them from adding these ones formed by Nigerians.?

If engaged is disengage
if member is dismember
if interesting is disinteresting
if respect is disrespect
if obey is disobey
Then what's stopping virgin from being disvirgin. And to think disvirgin even sounds better than deflower.
Bro, u are Automatically Correct.
I cut Cap for u jorrr!

1 Like

(1) (2) (Reply)

Learn how to Speak (Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba) Fluently anywhere in Nigeria / These Photos Will Make You Question Your Existence / Solutions To Examination Malpractice

(Go Up)

Sections: politics (1) business autos (1) jobs (1) career education (1) romance computers phones travel sports fashion health
religion celebs tv-movies music-radio literature webmasters programming techmarket

Links: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10)

Nairaland - Copyright © 2005 - 2024 Oluwaseun Osewa. All rights reserved. See How To Advertise. 22
Disclaimer: Every Nairaland member is solely responsible for anything that he/she posts or uploads on Nairaland.