ChinenyeN:


Enyi okhno, ya mbuto otu whne nnu ye. Ya diriwa ye.

So, yes, I know I said I would respond quickly, but something really came that just required I prioritize. Anyhow, I can get into it now, without getting too technically in depth into it.

Anyhow, as it is, it turns out that many Igbo groups will find this syntax structure for Igbo is strange, and I guess they would be right since it is not represented in "archetypal Igbo". Archetypal Igbo only recognizes it when using the first-person pronoun m (eg. ana m abia). This structure with first person is practically ubiquitous. However, outside of that, you do not see the phenomenon occur with most Igbo groups. In fact, I'd hazard to say that you almost don't see it at all outside of a particular region, which has led some linguists to claim that this syntax is a different mode of speech must have existed in proto-Igbo that is now mostly faded, but that is an aside.

Ngwa is actually among the groups that utilize this "awkward" syntax, and we use if heavily. For groups like Ngwa, this syntax structure actually has a domino effect on tone. So, both the syntax and tone rules change when using this syntax structure.

I don't know how it applies to every group that utilizes the structure, but here is my experience as an Ngwa speaker, along with my familiarity with other dialects in the region that utilize the syntax structure.

How it applies: So far, this syntax applies primarily to first person singular and third person plural. 'Til date, I have yet to encounter a usage with any of the other pronouns. It's odd... as an aside, I personally have used the syntax with the other pronouns. It was fun, yet clumsy. I definitely intend on using it more in the future, but it's obvious that the language has developed conventionally to simply not do it that way. So, for now, it applies strictly to first person singular and third person plural.

The general syntax structure rule:
- When using it with first person singular: [conjugated verb] [first person singular]
- When using it with third person plural: [conjugated verb] [optional pronoun] [third person plural]

Using your "they did a lot for me" example, you would get the following...

"ihe emerela m hiri nne" (I have done a lot of things)
"ihe emerela m ha hiri nne" (they have done a lot of things to/for me)

Your example has the "ha" and "m" switched.

As far as the dialect groups that this applies to, it seems to be a heavily southern Igbo feature. Even in the video you showed with the Ogbuoja, from what I was hearing the orator was not using an archetypal Anambra speech pattern. In many ways, though the Isu sub-culture bleeds over into Anambra, Isu as a collective are considered a "central and southern Igbo" group. So, aside from first person singular, it seems as though this syntax does not apply to archetypal Anambra.

That's basically the gist of this syntax feature. It's odd, but cool and as a speaker, I sometimes do extend its applicability to the other pronouns as well, though I can confidently say that it is conventionally limited to first person singular and third person plural.

ChinenyeN:
I just decided to randomly poke my head into NL and to my amazement, I see this. I FINALLY have a reason to return back to NL, however brief. Nkaramngwa, ndaa? I am on the road now and so cannot effectively respond, but when I reach home I will.

bigfrancis21:


Hey, longest time. I find this characteristic unique to southern dialects (Imo, Abia etc.). I have tried to come up with something similar in my dialect but not been able to.

ChinenyeN:


I guess this would mean that I am at liberty to coin any new terminology for these elements. Anyone interested in joining me? Initially, I wanted to know this information so that I could coin an effective term for pencil, but now I'm feeling a little ambitious and want to tackle the entire periodic table. Anyone who's interested in joining me should feel free to let me know. We could start a thread here in the culture section. After all, a nyukalata mamirni onu, ya agba ufufu. Either way, I'm going to get this done.

ChinenyeN:


Eeeehn!? I gba erne la i tagh'ta akara ma kwugh'ta ugwo e to? (kikiki). Nnaa.. o buu ohna mgbutigh'ta ovo chekpo hnu. Ta i ka la i kwu la nde we mgbutigh'ta e? Odinma. Gama Nkaramngwa ntaa awhnurnawhnu; ta isi nkugba gh daidai ahu nunu. (kiki). I ka ma miirna gh nla nwaafo.. ma bii.

You want me to go deeper. I can dig deep. Really deep. Remember, Ngwa has multiple dialects (21, according to a 1979 study by an Ngwa linguist), and unknown to most, these dialects can be spoken in such a way as to obscure speech from even other Ngwa village-groups. Mine is no different. I can speak mine, and mix with speech patterns from other village-groups. I might We might just have a lot of fun with this.

ChinenyeN:
35 - 45%? That means you understood over half of what was said. Dang... I should have been much more obscure with my speech, but then I'd also run the risk of even Odumchi not understanding me. Oh well. Compromises have to be made, I guess.

NRIPRIEST:


Ok,i understand everything you wrote except this part.."ili ke gi 'u u'o biila onye owula ke wu urnu" . Sounds like you are talking about some paying a condolence visit a bereaved person.

AjaanaOka:
I get a mention, and I don't even understand 35 - 45% of what was said.

NRIPRIEST:

Kee udili ofufu ina ekwu makia? Is he actually missing or he just left Nairaland?

bigfrancis21:

Radoillo a pugokwa ebe anunwa. O norozi ebe a, kemgbe onwa ito kita.

ChinenyeN:
I kara ke oma, Nkaramngwa.

Whne Radoillo nsi fuo mbu sita whne aa ma nkara. Ñña na añarnala. O dila ñarna ñarna (tepid, lukewarm, so-so). Omamarna uka adii odo la NL. Ogwe ke m to ndi icho itoro. Ma i maala la Radoillo nlokwara? O buu la o di iti onu e la whne liile, ma o di e. AjaanaOka mbu awhna o di iza gbuo.

ChinenyeN:
Odumchi Nkaramngwa lei... O ñarnala. Uka adii odo. Ma ili na ma NL. O dii whne odo m ji we eme ma o buu inyo. O dii ili odo ma awhnuola l'akparala m nighi nighi nu la mgba ochnia. To o buu laani gh.

bigfrancis21:


Di ayi Odumchi, nwoke a mulu na mma! Ayi ncha nosi ofuma! Ngi kwanu? Anya yi! O tegokwa a nudebelu onu yi. A malu m na aru disi yi na ndi bee yi...Kee maka anwu obodo oyibo? Nya a chagbukwana yi!

Onye obuna a na-agbakili ana, ka chi yalu i jinali onye obuna.

Ngwanu diokpa, ka o dibazia ka ayi a furo!

itsik:
Let us start with igbo. Am a full igbo man. And let us make this fun and entertaining.
I wanna start with this.

Who can interpret these sentences or convert them to perfect igbo for me.
1. I miss you.
2. Its a penalty shootout,
3. He came out through the window,
4. Its 5.30pm
5. There is a rainbow in the sky
6. He learnt science and technology in the great university of Egypt.
7. I saw a hyena today.

I will bring more of I remember them. Feel free to add urs.
And guests who are none igbo why not use this opportunity to learn one or two or ask any question concerning things in igbo language.
Thanks

ChinenyeN:
Odumchi, whne ma amala ngbasaranu Ugadia/Ugadie mbu: ... la omelala Ngwa mgba ochnia, di njinu agu nnye e awhna ma e ncho. Awhna Ugadia/Ugadie la m ma nkwu la omelala kena. Ajuola m ajuo ma o dii onye nnwerne ikhe igwa m whne 'Uga' ahnu nfutara. Ikhekwa, o bu otu la 'colloquialism' nde madhu l'echefula. Amaa m ma Ugadie ahnu i whnurnu, ma o bu kena m di ika uka e.

Igba ibe mbu whne Bekee l'akpo 'mortgaging' ma o'u 'pawning'.

ChinenyeN:


Mgbaufo, ya aburu la ogwe anyi ndi icho iznutu okwu anyi. Ya emee anyi emefuta okwu ohnuu nde ke odo l'akotafu. Ma "umawhnam" ndi iche. Anyi nmefutara "umawham" sita ukpa "danger" anyi ndira acho ikowa. Mgba anyi nji mefuta "umawhnam", o dii okwu odo ogwe ke anyi l'amala a g'iji akowa ukpa "danger" o bu o bu. Ma o nula nwantakala "umawhnam" ad'aghola "danger" gburugburu.

ChinenyeN:
Anula m nunu.

Chaa... dikwanu awhna m g'igu gh gbuo, eh? I buu Odumchi Nwa Aru odo. I gasi id'aza awhna odo. Hmm... Onunkwurungwa? Ah! Amaala m. Nkaramngwa. Kaa mbu whne i gasi iza. Kaa mbu awhna m g'iji akpo gh oku hieta taana. Ta i kuznila nye odo whne l'i mutala. O buu madu liile nkwesiri ima okwu Ngwa ekwu. I shiri onwu biadu ńńana i biaduru. Ta nde odo nshia onwu ke we laani we.

ChinenyeN:
Laa lo lo! Whne kena o'u giri ye? Ehn, Odumchi lei!! Dikwanu nna i gatara gweta okwu Ngwa na i di igbara m gbuo na, ehn? Ga kaa la o bu anyi a laabu nkwu nwerne okwu na. Oonh ohn. O meghitagh. Chai... akotanda m whne o bu o bu gbuo. O'u maa nji aka m metosia uhiara ke m. Nna a si la ma ekwufuruu gh okwu Ngwa mgba ahnu.... Maa nkpatara whne ojoo na. Chai!

"Danger" la "Dangerous" enwee okwu ke we laani, sita la "danger" o bu nji adi iche iche. O bu otua "emotion" enwee okwu ke a laani, sita la o jikwanu adi iche iche. Ya eme, a g'ika uka "danger" ma "dangerous", a g'ile anya ukpa "danger" o bu. O bu la o bu ke ng'ibu l'ahu, o futara "meru". O bu "danger" ke "iba mba", o futara "whnam whnam" (udaolu nj'ada ada). O bu "danger" ke Bekee l'akpo "risk", o futara "fughita" (o fughita ...). O di odo, ma o bu whne ma ra umunne m la umunna m laani nj'akpo "danger". O bu "umawhnam" mbu ke madu l'amaa otu o g'imezu.