scholti:
The Igbo language is a great and beautiful language but it must undergo grammatical reinvention to enable it absorb and transmit knowledge. As it currently stands, it is ill-equipped to do so efficiently. Let's not kid ourselves, the Igbo grammar is too adapted to colloquial speech as opposed to serious academic writings for the obvious reason that for a significant portion of its existence, it was only spoken. It knew very little writing until missionary contact, hence its comfortability in speech than writing. The Igbo language that would be spoken and written in this century would be different from the one spoken in the seventeenth century. Below are affixes that would help tremendously in the fluent inflow and outflow of knowledge from the language. They have the potential of creating thousands of new words and literally creating an industry of creative activities. Ask an Igbo man to give you a compact Igbo word for 'hospitalization' and he would spill around words. But the English language didn't have to spill around words to coin the word. The word 'hospitalization' simply expresses the logic of being in an infirm state, in a hospital and it is achieved simply by affixing 'hospital ( a place)' with '-ization.' I propose that the Igbo equivalent of '-ization' should be '-mekọburu'; so 'hospitalization' would be 'mekọburu+ulọọgwu (hospital)’ = 'mekọburuulọọgwu.' Simple, elegant and economical. There are many English words whose meanings are expressed by affixes i.e. commun-ism’, ‘social-ism’ etc. English academic or advanced writings are filled with '-izations'' 'ized', 'ions', 'ous', that the Igbo language can't handle often, in a non-circuitous way. The English language has more than 1,200 affixes, that allows it create and transfer knowledge. Every language that aspires to serious learning must tweak its grammar a little, to aid the smooth transfer and outtransfer of knowledge. The absence of this impedes learning. Every language that has ever aspired to be a language of learning has artificially tweaked its grammar, Arabic, French, Russian etc. I propose underneath equivalents for some English affixes. (This is not an exhaustive list, I would be back for more.) Thanks for your reading time.

Phut:

I think this is a great idea. It needs a great many people to brainstorm to come up with the prefixes and suffixes that work in the most seamless manner.


I think you should post your list here. Not everybody is going to click on the link.

Cc: Ihuomadinihu
Radoillo

Phut:
For special(ist) you suggested "citi". So dentist would equal "ezeciti" and orthopedist equals Okpukpuciti.

In the Igbo alphabet there is "ch" and not "c"

My suggestion would be a broadening of the use of "di" or "dibia" an affix for special(ist) which already exists in the language. Already existing examples include:

Dibuno - Master of the home/housewife
Di mgba - master wrestler
Dibiaeze - dentist or it could be shortened to dieze and the "di" could be moved from being a prefix to a suffix

ChinenyeN:
Scholti, I've read through this thread as carefully and as thoroughly as I could to understand your project. To be honest, I don't know where to begin. There is a lot going on here. I will first say that I applaud your effort. It takes time and commitment to take on a task like this.

Now, I understand you underlying objective [modernizing/advancing the language], and you aren't the only who wants to achieve such an objective (or at least see it completed). However, I can't help but wonder about your method. Granted, you're correct. History is full of examples of whole communities actively engineering language to suite their needs. However, even in your given examples, the resulting change didn't represent too much of a deviation from what was the preceding language structure, unless over time.

Your efforts though, seem to show a full 180-degree turn from the inherent agglutinative, verb-based language structure. In essence, you're not just suggesting a tweak. You're suggesting a complete overhaul. I don't believe such an overhaul to be entirely necessary, and I'll explain why. Before I do though, I'm curious about something. If you don't mind, translate the below statement for me, using your affixes and the new, grammar structure you're suggesting.

Statement: Due to the irregularity of his symptoms, I recommend you visit a specialist. I know one with excellent diagnostic skills. I trust him to not misdiagnose your son. He does incredible work.

ezeagu:
There was a thread I made on affixes in Igbo, unfortunately nairaland suffered massive data loss which affected the thread and it's gone.

To summarise, Igbo already has its affixed. From my experience, the problem isn't with Igbo grammar in general, but modern vocabulary. I'm also wary that many words we think do not exist do exist but have simply gone obscure because of the influence of English. For example, there are Igbo words for citadel, crossbow and island, but many people don't know these words now.

The affixes we talked about that already exist in Igbo word creating were the vowels, u a i e o, and m and n.

For a quick example, I'll try and makeup words for the terms you were considering using the affixes.

Agronomist - òdóùgbó - o [affix of him/her/it] + do [arrange, maintain] + ugbo [farm]. alt òdúgbó, òdómúgbó.
Hospitalization - ǹdónańgwọ - n [affix for continuing] + do [place, keep, stay] + na [in] + n + gwọ [heal].

And so on.

ezeagu:
There was a thread I made on affixes in Igbo, unfortunately nairaland suffered massive data loss which affected the thread and it's gone.

To summarise, Igbo already has its affixed. From my experience, the problem isn't with Igbo grammar in general, but modern vocabulary. I'm also wary that many words we think do not exist do exist but have simply gone obscure because of the influence of English. For example, there are Igbo words for citadel, crossbow and island, but many people don't know these words now.

The affixes we talked about that already exist in Igbo word creating were the vowels, u a i e o, and m and n.

For a quick example, I'll try and makeup words for the terms you were considering using the affixes.

Agronomist - òdóùgbó - o [affix of him/her/it] + do [arrange, maintain] + ugbo [farm]. alt òdúgbó, òdómúgbó.
Hospitalization - ǹdónańgwọ - n [affix for continuing] + do [place, keep, stay] + na [in] + n + gwọ [heal].

And so on.

Phut:

@ ezeagu: what are the words for citadel, cross bow and Island?
And can you reproduce your thread from memory? We don't want summary.

ChinenyeN:
Ezeagu is hitting a point that I plan on discussing. Ezeagu, I remember that discussion very well and I actually made notes on it, fortunately before the data loss. That is something that I actually intended on including in my response to Scholti. Also, for hospitalization, I would actually suggest nno as opposed to ndo, due to the relationship -do has with inanimate object, but that is only a passing thought.

Scholti, there's no need to apologize. We all live lives outside of NL that would typically hinder us from immediate response. Also, this topic is loaded and requires thought. So, I don't expect you to always have an immediate response to a post I make. I don't have time now, but I will certainly be back to post my response. I believe it'll prove interesting.

ezeagu:
There was a thread I made on affixes in Igbo, unfortunately nairaland suffered massive data loss which affected the thread and it's gone.

To summarise, Igbo already has its affixed. From my experience, the problem isn't with Igbo grammar in general, but modern vocabulary. I'm also wary that many words we think do not exist do exist but have simply gone obscure because of the influence of English. For example, there are Igbo words for citadel, crossbow and island, but many people don't know these words now.

The affixes we talked about that already exist in Igbo word creating were the vowels, u a i e o, and m and n.

For a quick example, I'll try and makeup words for the terms you were considering using the affixes.

Agronomist - òdóùgbó - o [affix of him/her/it] + do [arrange, maintain] + ugbo [farm]. alt òdúgbó, òdómúgbó.
Hospitalization - ǹdónańgwọ - n [affix for continuing] + do [place, keep, stay] + na [in] + n + gwọ [heal].

And so on.

ezeagu:
You see things like 'beautifulness' are simply 'nma', from the verb 'ma' to be beautiful, for example.

scholti:


The Igbo language does have its native affixes like '-efe' (over, excess)', '-aria' (repeat), '-da' (reduction) etc, but more needs to be created that would span every field of human endeavour, the sciences, philosophy, economics etc as well mundane aspects of existence. We must have readily codified answers (affixes) to 'Hydro-', 'astro-', 'bathy-', 'chrono-', 'chromo-' 'mis-', 'dis-' etc. We must be able to translate the word 'deactivated' (Sepuomumewo) in one compact word rather sentences. 'Sepu-' or 'wepu-' is my proposal for 'de-'; 'omume' stands for action; while 'wo' is my proposal for unusual or unorthodox manifestations of past tense (-ed) in Igbo. 'Misdiagnosed' is 'Ajọnchọputaọriawo', one compact word, with 'ajọ-' standing for 'mis-'.'Underrepresented' is 'Okpurunnọchitewo, with 'Okpuru-' standing for 'under-'. I am working on a list of more than 1000 Igbo affixes that covers all aspects of human life. The Igbo language must move towards codification, certainty.

The affixes you have written are interesting. I have heard and used 'ǹdóna-' in a running way to signify keeping (dobe, ndobe); 'òdó' is great. As I have written, the affixes I have come up with are blueprints. I want to create a conversation, a movement, to take the Igbo language to a new level, gramatically and vocabulary-wise. I am quite happy with any affix created, codified or rediscovered and put back to popular written and spoken usage, as long as they are there. They must be there if the Igbo language would belong to this century. So if 'ǹdóna-' stands or '-ization', it is fine; in fact I can see it working with words like militarization (ǹdónaagha), internalization (ǹdónaime), internationalization (ǹdónammekọobodo) etc. It is a good prefix for '-ization.' 'òdó' is also a good prefix for '-ist': economist (òdóakunauba), physicalist ( òdómmetuanya), activist (òdóomume) etc.

Sentence example
2.It's a long-held internalization that I, and so many of us, have. Ọ bụ ǹdónaime jidewo-ologolo, mu na ọtụtụ n'ime anyị, nwere.

Many affixes in English do not have corresponding forms in Chinese, can only be expressed by content morphemes ,the same as the contrary. such as: 老婆(wife). One Chinese affix that can have more than one English affixes, such as: 超自然(Supernature), 超支(over-spend), 超现实主义(surrealism). Certain prefixes translated to another langue which are featured with suffixes, such as: 可爱(lovable), pre-war (战前).

scholti:

Yes, this is one instance, where the old Igbo grammar works well without the need for an affix (the new also works).
Her beautifulness shone throughout the room. (Mma ya chakwa na ulọime nile (traditional grammar)). I advocate for the intermingling between the old grammar and a new grammar. But in other instances appending '-ọnọdu (-ness)' is inevitable for a compact meaning.

Sample this sentence.The gameplay trailer was also unveiled prior to the release, showing the bread's quest to find the perfect level of crispiness and edibleness. (Egwuregwu ngosiizizi kpugherekwara tupu mwepụta, na-egosi ọchịchọ achịcha ịchọta larịị zuru okè nke ọnọduọhuru na ọnọduoriri.)

*trailer - ngosiizizi

scholti:

Yes, this is one instance, where the old Igbo grammar works well without the need for an affix (the new also works).
Her beautifulness shone throughout the room. (Mma ya chakwa na ulọime nile (traditional grammar)). I advocate for the intermingling between the old grammar and a new grammar. But in other instances appending '-ọnọdu (-ness)' is inevitable for a compact meaning.

Sample this sentence.The gameplay trailer was also unveiled prior to the release, showing the bread's quest to find the perfect level of crispiness and edibleness. (Egwuregwu ngosiizizi kpugherekwara tupu mwepụta, na-egosi ọchịchọ achịcha ịchọta larịị zuru okè nke ọnọduọhuru na ọnọduoriri.)

*trailer - ngosiizizi

scholti:


The Igbo language does have its native affixes like '-efe' (over, excess)', '-aria' (repeat), '-da' (reduction) etc, but more needs to be created that would span every field of human endeavour, the sciences, philosophy, economics etc as well mundane aspects of existence. We must have readily codified answers (affixes) to 'Hydro-', 'astro-', 'bathy-', 'chrono-', 'chromo-' 'mis-', 'dis-' etc. We must be able to translate the word 'deactivated' (Sepuomumewo) in one compact word rather sentences. 'Sepu-' or 'wepu-' is my proposal for 'de-'; 'omume' stands for action; while 'wo' is my proposal for unusual or unorthodox manifestations of past tense (-ed) in Igbo. 'Misdiagnosed' is 'Ajọnchọputaọriawo', one compact word, with 'ajọ-' standing for 'mis-'.'Underrepresented' is 'Okpurunnọchitewo, with 'Okpuru-' standing for 'under-'. I am working on a list of more than 1000 Igbo affixes that covers all aspects of human life. The Igbo language must move towards codification, certainty.

The affixes you have written are interesting. I have heard and used 'ǹdóna-' in a running way to signify keeping (dobe, ndobe); 'òdó' is great. As I have written, the affixes I have come up with are blueprints. I want to create a conversation, a movement, to take the Igbo language to a new level, gramatically and vocabulary-wise. I am quite happy with any affix created, codified or rediscovered and put back to popular written and spoken usage, as long as they are there. They must be there if the Igbo language would belong to this century. So if 'ǹdóna-' stands or '-ization', it is fine; in fact I can see it working with words like militarization (ǹdónaagha), internalization (ǹdónaime), internationalization (ǹdónammekọobodo) etc. It is a good prefix for '-ization.' 'òdó' is also a good prefix for '-ist': economist (òdóakunauba), physicalist ( òdómmetuanya), activist (òdóomume) etc.

Sentence example
2.It's a long-held internalization that I, and so many of us, have. Ọ bụ ǹdónaime jidewo-ologolo, mu na ọtụtụ n'ime anyị, nwere.

ezeagu:


From the little knowledge of other major, thriving languages in modernity I know, the Greek/Latin affix style in English isn't a necessity, in my opinion, to 'modernise' a language. For me, this transliterating the Greek/Latin/French prefixes doesn't modernise Igbo, but Anglicises it, and to be honest, it doesn't run smoothly with the current grammar of Igbo and I don't think people would pick this up. I can talk about Astrophysics in Igbo perfectly if you give me the vocabulary. There are ways Igbo handles words that English may handle in a different way, not because English is more 'modern', but because they are completely separate languages and should be left as such. For example certain words in Igbo do not have complete translations in English in terms of meaning, there may be words in Igbo that are more specific to something, there may be those that are more general than the English term, and because Igbo may use (compound) words instead of a single word doesn't mean it doesn't work. I would recommend looking at major languages from other language families if you haven't, and also looking at the etymology and development of the English language to see where I'm coming from. Look at Spanish: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verb#/media/File:Conjugaci%C3%B3n_de_correr.png

In my opinion English is more rigid and inflexible than Igbo, this inflexibility can seem more 'scientific' and hence 'modern', but I would disagree and say this comes from the bias of the status English language has in our education system. Chinese is like Igbo in the sense that it doesn't have these affixes and it uses compound words instead, yet it is spoken with minimum loan words by more than a billion people for instance who are sometimes leading in technology in recent times without knowing a word of English. English uses those affixes because it has to. And again, Igbo is actually a growing language, but the problem is only with a few vocabulary words like computer and other words which have been forgotten. Which brings me to my next point.


http://wenku.baidu.com/view/4d58d5240722192e4536f656.html

For the supposed needed affixes, the ones you listed such as da, aria, and so on are actually verbs that have adopted the role of an affix, this is unique to Igbo in terms of English, and in that way you can make any verb an affix, or correctly, a compound word. It's good you brought that up because this works for Igbo, and I honestly don't think anything needs to changed in Igbo because of this.

Phut:

Is the affix not "fe" instead of "efe"?
Me = Do. Mefe = overdo
Zuo = Buy Zufe = overbuy

Also the affix is "gharia" not "aria"
Me = do. Megharia = Redo
Zuo = buy. Zugharia = Rebuy
Efe and aria threw me off

Phut:
@scholti: some of us (me included) don't know much about affixes in Igbo language. So why don't you use this as a teaching tool?

Make up a list showing the already existing affixes and how they are used. If there is a shortfall in an area, point it out and what can be done to fill that need.
I think what you are doing is great. But people will not accept change for change sake. You have got to make a case for it

ezeagu:


I guess if you taught onodu and its words people would get it, but currently onodu is a word on its own so the compound words onodu ohuru and onodu oriri would mean 'new position' and 'eating position' currently, but I can see where you're going.

Phut:

I don't think "beautifuness" is a good test case
@ Ezeagu: Thanks for the translation.
Ezeagu and Scholti how do we say the following words. Is there an already workable affix for these words or is there a need to extend the already existing:

biliousness, wantonness, manliness, faithfulness, freshness, wretchedness, trimness, abruptness, aggressiveness, righteousness, attentiveness, craftiness, fastness, fieriness, genteelness, gratefulness, greasiness, grouchiness, haughtiness, humbleness, indebtedness, queasiness, spaciousness, squeamishness, awareness, graciousness, ọnọdu, braveness, brawniness