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Why Do Most Nigerians Fail To Pronounce These Words Correctly? - Literature - Nairaland

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Bound To Fail / 51 Words You Should Know How To Pronounce [part 2] / Suprisingly Common Mispronounced Words And How To Pronounce Them Correctly (2) (3) (4)

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Why Do Most Nigerians Fail To Pronounce These Words Correctly? by maclatunji: 4:01pm On Sep 26, 2011
I am just tired of hearing people pronounce 'Ask' as 'Axe' and 'Session' as 'Section'.
Re: Why Do Most Nigerians Fail To Pronounce These Words Correctly? by Ybutterfly: 1:30am On Sep 27, 2011
That is true Nigerians are fond of that, I guess it's just ignorance
Re: Why Do Most Nigerians Fail To Pronounce These Words Correctly? by ronkebp(f): 3:37pm On Sep 27, 2011
So many words are pronounced upside-down in Naija, i guess the 'tongue'( native language spoken) interfares with the way people pronounce words;

torch/ touch- torsh/ toush
rice - lice
light- right
chicken - sicken
they are many, can't type them all out.
Re: Why Do Most Nigerians Fail To Pronounce These Words Correctly? by maclatunji: 4:01pm On Sep 27, 2011
ronkebp:

So many words are pronounced upside-down in Naija, i guess  the 'tongue'( native language spoken) interfares with the way people pronounce words;

torch/ touch- torsh/ toush
rice - lice
light- right
chicken - sicken
they are many, can't type them all out.

I know, but there is no excuse for the two I posted. I can understand if your local dialect corrupts your pronunciation but there is no 'X' in Yoruba for example so why pronounce 'Ask' as 'Axe'. You obviously have 'SH' sound in Yoruba; why in the world would you call 'Section' instead of 'Session'? It is just laziness and mass-ignorance that pervades our land- it really irritates me.
Re: Why Do Most Nigerians Fail To Pronounce These Words Correctly? by ronkebp(f): 4:10pm On Sep 27, 2011
^^^^^^^^^FUNNY, wink winkDo not worry you will get used to it grin grin grin grin
Re: Why Do Most Nigerians Fail To Pronounce These Words Correctly? by Nobody: 7:27am On Sep 28, 2011
umbrella=umblerra
champion=sampion or yampion
chance-sance

the list is endless,
Re: Why Do Most Nigerians Fail To Pronounce These Words Correctly? by Plumkin(f): 7:28am On Sep 28, 2011
I think a lot of people mispronounce words because they do not know their meanings and probably they never care to find out.
I understand when they know that they are not well educated and are open to learning.
The most annoying are the BSc English,MBA & other fancy degrees parading ones. They would boldly ask you to expantiate angry on a topic, demand for visibility undecided studies, want to know your[b] itinery [/b] undecided and wants to[b] satisfy [/b] cry my work! So damn annoying.[color=Black][/color]
Re: Why Do Most Nigerians Fail To Pronounce These Words Correctly? by OperaMini1(m): 7:59am On Sep 28, 2011
Bros, remember say this language no bi we own, so we dey try any how.
Re: Why Do Most Nigerians Fail To Pronounce These Words Correctly? by Nobody: 8:07am On Sep 28, 2011
Also, flunctuate instead of fluctuate and phanthom instead of fathom, majikshan instead of magician. More soon.
Re: Why Do Most Nigerians Fail To Pronounce These Words Correctly? by ogogo24(m): 8:10am On Sep 28, 2011
Some people also pronounce 'Chevron' as 'Shevron'
Re: Why Do Most Nigerians Fail To Pronounce These Words Correctly? by Nobody: 8:12am On Sep 28, 2011
ogogo24:

Some people also pronounce 'Chevron' as 'Shevron'

Isn't that correct? The Ch is pronounced like that of Chicago.
Re: Why Do Most Nigerians Fail To Pronounce These Words Correctly? by Nobody: 8:28am On Sep 28, 2011
Lol, This thread is a ticking bomb waiting to happen cos someone will soon come along to yab one tribe's pronounciation, lol
Re: Why Do Most Nigerians Fail To Pronounce These Words Correctly? by Akanbiedu(m): 8:35am On Sep 28, 2011
LMAO

You guys should thank us sef, for speaking your fre-aking language.
Re: Why Do Most Nigerians Fail To Pronounce These Words Correctly? by Martmore: 8:42am On Sep 28, 2011
E no konsign me.i cant speak their own as they speak, as they cant speak my own as i speak.Go find out whether chinese dey speak english like britons
Re: Why Do Most Nigerians Fail To Pronounce These Words Correctly? by oyinmama(f): 8:47am On Sep 28, 2011
What about "go down on your kneels" and "praise thy Lord" 'staffs, cutleries and furnitures??   lipsrsealed lipsrsealed
Re: Why Do Most Nigerians Fail To Pronounce These Words Correctly? by komek(m): 8:50am On Sep 28, 2011
These tins ar perculiar 2 a particular tribe and they knw themsefs. It is been caused by 2 much familiarity wif native language
Re: Why Do Most Nigerians Fail To Pronounce These Words Correctly? by muystoy(m): 8:58am On Sep 28, 2011
Re: Why Do Most Nigerians Fail To Pronounce These Words Correctly? by maclatunji: 9:02am On Sep 28, 2011
muystoy:

i had a friend in school dat i always pray he didnt engage me any public discussion because of his terrible pronounciation skills,i mostly played deaf and dump dumb wit him especially wen its time to form 4 d chicks dem,imagine u looking all tushed up and your supposed friend mispronouncing Siasia as Shiashia,tax-task vice versa,any Sh word starts wit S vice versa,chair-siar,name-lame etc,i cant rember all,but it wasnt funny sha
Re: Why Do Most Nigerians Fail To Pronounce These Words Correctly? by oyinmama(f): 9:08am On Sep 28, 2011
^^rotflmao!! ;d ;d
Re: Why Do Most Nigerians Fail To Pronounce These Words Correctly? by maclatunji: 9:11am On Sep 28, 2011
^^^ Laughter is medicine.
Re: Why Do Most Nigerians Fail To Pronounce These Words Correctly? by sleekch1c(f): 9:21am On Sep 28, 2011
Damn retardeens!
Hw does the chinese,indians and arabs speak english?they have accents too,but dnt kill themselves because of that.nigerians and inferiority complex.english na ur language?original mugus!
Re: Why Do Most Nigerians Fail To Pronounce These Words Correctly? by capsogiga(m): 9:46am On Sep 28, 2011
maclatunji:

I am just tired of hearing people pronounce 'Ask' as 'Axe' and 'Session' as 'Section'.
Ybutterfly:

That is true Nigerians are fond of that, I guess it's just ignorance

Bloody neo-colonialists !!!  Can an American say AJANAKU TIN MI GBO KIJI KIJI (the elephant that shakes the forest---yoruba)  fluently and correctly ?

Can a Briton say MAGANA JARI CE (wisdom is an asset---hausa) fluently and correctly?

When a frenchman speaks English with a funny accent nobody complains. But when a black African speaks tongue-twisting English everybody laughs.

let an Irishman say EYELE ONI BA ONILE JE, KO BA ONILE MU, KOWA DI OJO IKU KO YERI make we see.

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Re: Why Do Most Nigerians Fail To Pronounce These Words Correctly? by jaybee3(m): 9:47am On Sep 28, 2011
^^^
English is meant to be our official language though, No?

Your comparison is somewhat flawed sir
Re: Why Do Most Nigerians Fail To Pronounce These Words Correctly? by PBundles(m): 9:47am On Sep 28, 2011
One more bird is bed grin

But in all fairness its no real big deal, its simply has to do with dialects and articulation. As someone rightfully pointed out, english is not our language, it was forced upon us. I have had the opportunity to travel a lot because of my work and speak to many nationalities and its the same everywhere. Have you heard a french guy or german speak english, its worse. Or even a spanish person. If an amereican from the south starts talking you will not understand a word he says, and for anyone who has been in Glasgow will tell you you vant understand them yet they are speaking english. The Chinese cannot pronouce the V, they speak it as B, so gravy is graby and very much is berry much.

You will notice that when we speak our own dialects, no problems or as we say no qualms abi.

Love were you come from accept it is what its love. Believe me when I say, Ive been all over the world and nothing compares to 9ja, good or bad. Peace out my peeps.

3 Likes

Re: Why Do Most Nigerians Fail To Pronounce These Words Correctly? by 2sleek2NV(m): 9:52am On Sep 28, 2011
@ OP that is very common among yoruba folks
Re: Why Do Most Nigerians Fail To Pronounce These Words Correctly? by chubbya2(f): 10:05am On Sep 28, 2011
We should try and understand that most English Language speakers in Nigeria dont know the difference btw a long vowel sound and a short vowel,so when the words ask /a:sk/ and axe /aeks/ are pronounced we can hardly detect the difference.
The most important aspect of spoken words is for communication,so if both words are used ,depending on the context they are used then i dont think we should have a probelm with how they are pronounced.
Re: Why Do Most Nigerians Fail To Pronounce These Words Correctly? by ritzz: 10:10am On Sep 28, 2011
I guess even the teachers of English language don't know how to pronounce many words, so can't teach what they don't know. Many don't know how to pronounce these words.
Depot   -    Depor
Curse   -   Kerse
Film      -   Feelm
Re: Why Do Most Nigerians Fail To Pronounce These Words Correctly? by maclatunji: 10:13am On Sep 28, 2011
2sleek2NV:

@ OP that is very common among yoruba folks

Well, I don't really know about that. I first really noticed the 'Ask'/'Axe' debacle whilst watching the TV show 'The Debaters' . One of the judges was correcting one of the contestants (she is Igbo). I think it transcends tribe and has become a Nigerian problem. Calling 'Session' 'Section' is a national embarrassment. You don't agree? Walk into any Nigerian campus and ask them what academic session they are running and you will hear overwhelming responses of '2011/2012 SECTION.'

For those claiming Afrocentrism, this has little to do with that. It is just an unwillingness to read and learn some basics of English Language.

I know of a secondary school were there is overwhelming failure of English Language in O-Levels every year. And the teachers and students tell themselves that it is because they had a (phantom) fight with WAEC in the 80s and WAEC has vowed that students of that school will never pass English Language in its exams.

Let's face it, mediocrity is mediocrity.
Re: Why Do Most Nigerians Fail To Pronounce These Words Correctly? by PBundles(m): 10:13am On Sep 28, 2011
Interesting to note that it seems that the US president may ALSO not know how to pronounce English words. He is educated, right? Just butressing what I stated earlier.

[url][/url]http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/cutline/associated-press-transcription-obama-cbc-speech-racist-173438340.html
Re: Why Do Most Nigerians Fail To Pronounce These Words Correctly? by PBundles(m): 10:18am On Sep 28, 2011
maclatunji:

Well, I don't really know about that. I first really noticed the 'Ask'/'Axe' debacle whilst watching the TV show 'The Debaters' . One of the judges was correcting one of the contestants (she is Igbo). I think it transcends tribe and has become a Nigerian problem. Calling 'Session' 'Section' is a national embarrassment. You don't agree? Walk into any Nigerian campus and ask them what academic session they are running and you will hear overwhelming responses of '2011/2012 SECTION.'

For those claiming Afrocentrism, this has little to do with that. It is just an unwillingness to read and learn some basics of English Language.

I know of a secondary school were there is overwhelming failure of English Language in O-Levels every year. And the teachers and students tell themselves that it is because they had a (phantom) fight with WAEC in the 80s and WAEC has vowed that students of that school will never pass English Language in its exams.

Let's face it, mediocrity is mediocrity.


Um dont seem to agree to your Afrocentrism rebuttal nor mediocrity. In some cases its the latter, but sometimes its really dialect and the fact its not your mother language/tongue. A good friend of my lady who studied linguistics actually told me that its very hard for certain people to speak (take note I say speak since the issue was ppronunciation a language due to among other things their dialect.
Re: Why Do Most Nigerians Fail To Pronounce These Words Correctly? by maclatunji: 10:24am On Sep 28, 2011
If you have read my posts well from the beginning you will know that I am not quarreling with people over their accents or their native dialects masking their English. I am more irked by the wanton lack of care in pronouncing words that you inherently have the capacity to pronounce correctly wrongly just because you don't want to make an effort.

Read this again:

maclatunji:

I know, but there is no excuse for the two I posted. I can understand if your local dialect corrupts your pronunciation but there is no 'X' in Yoruba for example so why pronounce 'Ask' as 'Axe'. You obviously have 'SH' sound in Yoruba; why in the world would you call 'Section' instead of 'Session'? It is just laziness and mass-ignorance that pervades our land- it really irritates me.
Re: Why Do Most Nigerians Fail To Pronounce These Words Correctly? by agitator: 10:25am On Sep 28, 2011
jay bee:

^^^
English is meant to be our official language though, No?

Your comparison is somewhat flawed sir

there is a big difference between official language and mother tongue.  undecided undecided undecided

Ghanians have accent, English Language is also their official language and Ghanians don't whine about it. Same for Kenya and other countries.

Nigerians are something else.

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