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Titilayo :: The White Girl Tha Speaks Yoruba Fluently - Culture (2) - Nairaland

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How Many Languages Can You Speak Fluently? / American Girl That Speaks Yoruba Fluently / How Many Languages Do You Speak Fluently? (2) (3) (4)

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Re: Titilayo :: The White Girl Tha Speaks Yoruba Fluently by Princek12(m): 2:56pm On May 14, 2011
ekt_bear:

^-- Well said, bro.

I also hope that this motivates more US universities to offer Yoruba as the African language of choice.

Actually many universities in the United States are now beginning to offer it. The importance of Yoruba is not even appreciated by Nigerians. Yoruba culture is responsible for deities such as Sango, Obatala, Ifa, etc. The language's importance in world history is of significance.

I swear to God when I say this: I have not met a single American-born-and-raised person (of both Yoruba parents) who can speak Yoruba. This is shameful. Yet just about every Indian, Chinese, for example, who was born and raised in America can not only speak their respective native language but can also write it. I encouraged one Yoruba boy who could neither speak nor write Yoruba to take Yoruba classes, but he said I ain't learning that language.

Watch the end of the Titilayo in Oyinbo video and you will notice towards the end those kids who are Yoruba and said they preferred not to speak Yoruba. And those kids are in Nigeria. So can you imagine what the ones in America are doing?
Re: Titilayo :: The White Girl Tha Speaks Yoruba Fluently by ektbear: 2:57pm On May 14, 2011
kandiikane:

@ekt, I am sorry but is Yoruba the most influential language in Africa?

Not claiming it is. But for very selfish reasons, I'd like to see it offered more  smiley

Truthfully though, it is spoken in Nigeria, Benin Republic, and Togo. And there are some influences in countries like Sierra Leone. And of course Cuba, Brazil, and most of these afro-Latino cultures.

So I think it is a good choice if you want to teach an African language.

1 Like

Re: Titilayo :: The White Girl Tha Speaks Yoruba Fluently by Ojumiii(m): 3:00pm On May 14, 2011
whatever but it is an impressive thing on her part. so

anyway like we were taught in school language is a lean behaviour, anyone can speak any language, it all depend on intrest
Re: Titilayo :: The White Girl Tha Speaks Yoruba Fluently by Princek12(m): 3:01pm On May 14, 2011
kandiikane:

@ekt, I am sorry but is Yoruba the most influential language in Africa?

Is that the issue at hand? I believe it is not. But people learn languages that could be of importance to them. Presumably if you are a descendant of Yoruba people then it would make sense to learn Yoruba first.

But if you are someone who just wants to learn another African language then the most influential language factor should be taken into account; it should not be the controlling factor, however.
Re: Titilayo :: The White Girl Tha Speaks Yoruba Fluently by ektbear: 3:03pm On May 14, 2011
@Princek12: I know man. I don't really speak myself, to be honest. . . I understand probably 90%+ of spoken, but cannot say more than bits and pieces.

But there are some places where the American-born Yoruba are pretty good. Suburbs of DC, there is a large enough Yoruba community. So people can at least speak a bit there. Some places in Chicago and NYC area, I hear that the same is true too.

What we need to have is Saturday school or something where people can learn the language. It is kind of a hassle trying to learn it by yourself (at least in my experience.)
Re: Titilayo :: The White Girl Tha Speaks Yoruba Fluently by Nobody: 3:05pm On May 14, 2011
undecided WHts surprising in this?
The yoruba language is one of the easiest languages to learn and even Lebanese car dealers in Cotonou speak the language with ease.
Re: Titilayo :: The White Girl Tha Speaks Yoruba Fluently by kandiikane(m): 3:06pm On May 14, 2011
@ekt. Ok, alright.

Truthfully, I would like to see Mandinka being taught in Universities and their are some influences in countries like Sierra Leone, Mali, Mauritania, Guinea, Chad, Burkina Faso etc.

Oh and also Wolof because it has some influence on Western European Languages.


Or, maybe I am just being selfish. smiley
Re: Titilayo :: The White Girl Tha Speaks Yoruba Fluently by kandiikane(m): 3:07pm On May 14, 2011
.

1 Like

Re: Titilayo :: The White Girl Tha Speaks Yoruba Fluently by Madcow(m): 3:09pm On May 14, 2011
[size=28pt]what's the big deal? there are many Black Girls that speak English, Hello[/size]
Re: Titilayo :: The White Girl Tha Speaks Yoruba Fluently by ektbear: 3:10pm On May 14, 2011
kandiikane:

Btw, I am trying to learn Yoruba

There is this free FSI course that the US Diplomats use (used?) to learn Yoruba:
http://fsi-language-courses.org/Content.php?page=Yoruba%20Basic

Also this book on Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/Beginners-Yoruba-Hippocrene-Kayode-Fakinlede/dp/0781810698

Might be helpful.
Re: Titilayo :: The White Girl Tha Speaks Yoruba Fluently by tlops(m): 3:12pm On May 14, 2011
Lol! Was the white man colonized for 100 years by Yoruba people? The main reason Africans speak English and French is because of European colonization not by choice. You're comparing apples to oranges.

Obviously this girl has been "colonized" by some nigerian dudes, why Titilayo, the name her "colonial master" gave her.
Re: Titilayo :: The White Girl Tha Speaks Yoruba Fluently by kandiikane(m): 3:13pm On May 14, 2011
ekt_bear:

There is this free FSI course that the US Diplomats use (used?) to learn Yoruba:
http://fsi-language-courses.org/Content.php?page=Yoruba%20Basic

Also this book on Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/Beginners-Yoruba-Hippocrene-Kayode-Fakinlede/dp/0781810698

Might be helpful.

Thanks.
I think it will be easy to learn on my part because the Krio language is most influenced by the Yoruba language.
Re: Titilayo :: The White Girl Tha Speaks Yoruba Fluently by hooklover: 3:14pm On May 14, 2011
oh what a beautiful piece the babe really tried. the funny thisng is all those guys asking for marriage just after 2 questions do it mean that yoruba ppl dont know they will date first b4 marriage and they are loking haggard and poverty striken , how on earth can a babe like that marry them , its not possible
Re: Titilayo :: The White Girl Tha Speaks Yoruba Fluently by emofine(f): 3:15pm On May 14, 2011
Emofine: The Black Girl That Speaks English Fluently, so who go clap for moi? tongue
Re: Titilayo :: The White Girl Tha Speaks Yoruba Fluently by ektbear: 3:16pm On May 14, 2011
@kandiikane: Yeah I was about to say. . . if you are from Salone it won't be hard for you to learn Yoruba. Heck, you might be of Yoruba descent yourself, for all we know.
Re: Titilayo :: The White Girl Tha Speaks Yoruba Fluently by Princek12(m): 3:16pm On May 14, 2011
tom28:

undecided WHts surprising in this?
The yoruba language is one of the easiest languages to learn and even Lebanese car dealers in Cotonou speak the language with ease.

Se o gbo Yoruba? Nitori pe ti o ba gbo Yoruba, mo ma fun e ni ifoti t'o ma fun e ni ifori. Alai mo ore ni o. Fun mi ni esi ni ede Yoruba; ma lo ede Geesi.
Re: Titilayo :: The White Girl Tha Speaks Yoruba Fluently by Texther(m): 3:17pm On May 14, 2011
I've heard of it b4. Its no big deal, she learnt it in their university, after-all we all want 2 speak english.
Re: Titilayo :: The White Girl Tha Speaks Yoruba Fluently by kandiikane(m): 3:20pm On May 14, 2011
ekt_bear:

@kandiikane: Yeah I was about to say. . . if you are from Salone it won't be hard for you to learn Yoruba. Heck, you might be of [b]Yoruba descent [/b]yourself, for all we know.

Lol I don't know about that. I do know various tribes from which I am descended from but I will look into that.
Re: Titilayo :: The White Girl Tha Speaks Yoruba Fluently by isalegan2: 3:22pm On May 14, 2011
hmmm.  I'm going to post a video on YouTube of me speaking English fluently, and watch the ass-kissing commence.  Maybe someone will even create a thread about me on CrackaLand.com.  Whoopee!   grin

GUYZ,  SEE THIS ONE, HE IS A GUY, HIS NAME IS KAYODE smiley

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cURR0Aqc6So&feature=related

I clicked it, cos I thought he (Kolade, not Kayode) speaks better than the "fluent" girl, and had to turn it off halfway through.  But, he tried; he read phonetically from a script and is not proclaiming his fluency.  undecided
Re: Titilayo :: The White Girl Tha Speaks Yoruba Fluently by Princek12(m): 3:24pm On May 14, 2011
ekt_bear:

@Princek12: I know man. I don't really speak myself, to be honest. . . I understand probably 90%+ of spoken, but cannot say more than bits and pieces.

But there are some places where the American-born Yoruba are pretty good. Suburbs of DC, there is a large enough Yoruba community. So people can at least speak a bit there. Some places in Chicago and NYC area, I hear that the same is true too.

What we need to have is Saturday school or something where people can learn the language. It is kind of a hassle trying to learn it by yourself (at least in my experience.)

I understand your pain, for I was victimized for wanting to learn how to not only read Yoruba but to also write it fluently. I am very interested in linguistics, for I was motivated to do so having read the biography of Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther, a notable linguist of his time. In case you don't know, he actually translated the English Bible to Yoruba (dubbed as Bibeli Mimo).

I am writing two books on romance as we speak, and my goal is to simultaneously release both the English and Yoruba version of the book.

What you need to do is try to speak it more often, not worrying about how you think you might sound. Focus on the words, not the accent. Also try to buy a Yoruba dictionary if you can afford one. Check Amazon for deals.

I have motivated many Nigerians to learn Yoruba. When they see that someone like me can speak, read, and write both Yoruba and English at an advanced level, they get motivated. Professor Wole Soyinka is another person who does so. I haven't met that many.

I have also made lots of money doing so. Many times you get paid around $150/hour for being a court interpreter in the United States or for translation of legal documents.
Re: Titilayo :: The White Girl Tha Speaks Yoruba Fluently by jumobi1(m): 3:24pm On May 14, 2011
It's cool she knows Yoruba but people are reacting like its almost impossible for a white lady to speak an African language.
And what is the point of making videos of herself speaking Yoruba to Nigerians? Ok we know you speak Yoruba but making video after video of yourself doing nothing important while speaking Yoruba is pretty pointless.
Re: Titilayo :: The White Girl Tha Speaks Yoruba Fluently by Princek12(m): 3:32pm On May 14, 2011
jumobi1:

It's cool she knows Yoruba but people are reacting like its almost impossible for a white lady to speak an African language.
And what is the point of making videos of herself speaking Yoruba to Nigerians? Ok we know you speak Yoruba but making video after video of yourself doing nothing important while speaking Yoruba is pretty pointless.

If it is pointless to you, it may not be pointless to other people. Actually, if you follow her blog, Titilayo has now been invited to numerous events to speak about the importance of speaking Yoruba to---guess who?--Yoruba kids who don't like to speak Yoruba.

So if her YouTube videos motivate that Yoruba girl/boy in, say, America to start learning Yoruba, then her video is not pointless. At least we know another black, Yoruba person speaking it will not have the same motivating effect as Titilayo speaking it. Sad but true. Colo mentality in the works.
Re: Titilayo :: The White Girl Tha Speaks Yoruba Fluently by ektbear: 3:33pm On May 14, 2011
@Princek12:

Yeah I know about Bishop Crowther. Haven't read his biography though.

I have a dictionary (http://www.amazon.com/Yoruba-English-English-Yoruba-Modern-Practical-Dictionary/dp/0781809789), as well as the instructional book I linked to earlier.

Thing is I have no one to speak to here. . . not too many Yoruba folk where I live. That is what makes it somewhat hard.

Didn't know you did court interpretation stuff; that actually isn't bad at all.

I'm trying to convince my buddy to lead a Saturday school here. . . hopefully round up a bunch of other people in the area and get them to pay like $10-20/lesson. Much easier to learn if you have other people with the same goal, rather than just learning by yourself  undecided
Re: Titilayo :: The White Girl Tha Speaks Yoruba Fluently by Bijemi(m): 3:34pm On May 14, 2011
This is encouraging and we happy to be part of it.

bijemi.com is the first and only web service in the world to support Nigeria 3 major languages (Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba).

Please check it out. www.bijemi.com
Re: Titilayo :: The White Girl Tha Speaks Yoruba Fluently by Princek12(m): 3:39pm On May 14, 2011
ekt_bear:

@Princek12:

Yeah I know about Bishop Crowther. Haven't read his biography though.

I have a dictionary (http://www.amazon.com/Yoruba-English-English-Yoruba-Modern-Practical-Dictionary/dp/0781809789), as well as the instructional book I linked to earlier.

Thing is I have no one to speak to here. . . not too many Yoruba folk where I live. That is what makes it somewhat hard.

Didn't know you did court interpretation stuff; that actually isn't bad at all.

I'm trying to convince my buddy to lead a Saturday school here. . . hopefully round up a bunch of other people in the area and get them to pay like $10-20/lesson. Much easier to learn if you have other people with the same goal, rather than just learning by yourself  undecided

Yes. The court interpretation stuff for Yoruba language is not a full time gig because the demand for it in America is low; you are called as needed. only Spanish interpreters have full time gig for obvious reasons. You are right--learning it is easier if you have someone around with whom to speak it. Hopefully Rosetta Stone will create a Yoruba version.

Also do your parents speak it? If they do, maybe you should speak it to them more often.
Re: Titilayo :: The White Girl Tha Speaks Yoruba Fluently by jumobi1(m): 3:42pm On May 14, 2011
Princek12:

If it is pointless to you, it may not be pointless to other people. Actually, if you follow her blog, Titilayo has now been invited to numerous events to speak about the importance of speaking Yoruba to---guess who?--Yoruba kids who don't like to speak Yoruba.

So if her YouTube videos motivate that Yoruba girl/boy in, say, America to start learning Yoruba, then her video is not pointless. At least we know another black, Yoruba person speaking it will not have the same motivating effect as Titilayo speaking it. Sad but true. Colo mentality in the works.

I see your point but I doubt that was her goal. To me it seems she just wanted to show people she speaks an African Language. It's all good though.
Re: Titilayo :: The White Girl Tha Speaks Yoruba Fluently by Princek12(m): 3:44pm On May 14, 2011
ekt_bear:

@Princek12:

Yeah I know about Bishop Crowther. Haven't read his biography though.

I have a dictionary (http://www.amazon.com/Yoruba-English-English-Yoruba-Modern-Practical-Dictionary/dp/0781809789), as well as the instructional book I linked to earlier.

Thing is I have no one to speak to here. . . not too many Yoruba folk where I live. That is what makes it somewhat hard.

Didn't know you did court interpretation stuff; that actually isn't bad at all.

I'm trying to convince my buddy to lead a Saturday school here. . . hopefully round up a bunch of other people in the area and get them to pay like $10-20/lesson. Much easier to learn if you have other people with the same goal, rather than just learning by yourself  undecided


try to join the Yoruba Youth organization. http://yorubayouth.org/old%20index.html

They have more resources for people who want to learn Yoruba. I would have gone to their convention this year but will be unable to do so because I have an exam in July.
Re: Titilayo :: The White Girl Tha Speaks Yoruba Fluently by ektbear: 3:45pm On May 14, 2011
Princek12:

Yes. The court interpretation stuff for Yoruba language is not a full time gig because the demands for it in America is low; you are called as needed. only Spanish interpreters have full time gig for obvious reasons. You are right--learning it is easier if you have someone around it. Hopefully Rosetta Stone will create a Yoruba version.

I've never tried Rosetta Stone. Have you tried Pimsleur before? The idea is that you learn via repetition, purely via audio (no computer/textbook stuff really needed. Though they have some small exercises at the end of each 30 minute lesson.)

I used it to learn rapidly improve my Spanish in a few weeks. At my peak (4 years ago), I could go to the Mexican market and pretty much hold my own. My language skills have decayed now though.

Anyway, it is a pretty amazing system. If someone made a Yoruba version of it, I'd buy it.
Re: Titilayo :: The White Girl Tha Speaks Yoruba Fluently by Princek12(m): 3:46pm On May 14, 2011
ekt_bear:

I've never tried Rosetta Stone. Have you tried Pimsleur before? The idea is that you learn via repetition, purely via audio (no computer/textbook stuff really needed. Though they have some small exercises at the end of each 30 minute lesson.)

I used it to learn rapidly improve my Spanish in a few weeks. It is a pretty amazing system. If someone made a Yoruba version of it, I'd buy it.

I don't think Rosetta Stone has anything for Yoruba, not sure though. I am sure they all work. Determination and perseverance is key in learning a language.
Re: Titilayo :: The White Girl Tha Speaks Yoruba Fluently by Princek12(m): 3:49pm On May 14, 2011
jumobi1:

I see your point but I doubt that was her goal. To me it seems she just wanted to show people she speaks an African Language. It's all good though.

Why don't you go learn Chinese language or Indian language and post videos of yourself on YouTube when you become fluent? I am sure you will have a following from Chinese people, who recognize the difficulty in learning their language by someone who was not raised speaking it.
Re: Titilayo :: The White Girl Tha Speaks Yoruba Fluently by ektbear: 3:50pm On May 14, 2011
Princek12:


try to join the Yoruba Youth organization. http://yorubayouth.org/old%20index.html

They have more resources for people who want to learn Yoruba. I would have gone to their convention this year but will be unable to do so because I have an exam in July.

Damn. I didn't know about that. I'll join and see about attending. Thanks!
Re: Titilayo :: The White Girl Tha Speaks Yoruba Fluently by shadrach77: 3:57pm On May 14, 2011
when are we going to rid ourselves off inferiority complex and colonial mentality? what is the big deal about an oyinbo woman speaking yoruba? when have we ever heard about a white man celebrating a black man speaking english? may God deliver us cry cry cry cry

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