Hi not to sound ignorant here, but I want to know once and for all. When do you say Igbo and when do you say Ibo??

So is someone 'Igbo' or 'Ibo'? Is the language 'Igbo or Ibo' and lastly is the place 'Igbo or Ibo'?

Also if I want to say for example, 'this statue is not of yoruba origin, it is of 'Ibo' origin, is that correct?

Thank you!!

Ibo is NOT right in any way,form or manner.The right word is IGBO.

its igbo and not ibo

All are right depending on the writer because traditional Igbo writing is not in Roman but Nsibidi.Several of such spelling disagreements occur in many Igbo words.

Chukwu-Chuku

Oka-Okar-Okah

Ibe-Ibeh

Nwala-Wala

Nwachukwu-Wachukwu-Nwachuku

Emodi-Emordi

Akwa-Akua.

These are just but few cases of such spelling disagreement.

It is not peculiar to Igbo but is also noticeable in other African and European languages.Osogbo or Oshogbo are both right in Yoruba.

^^^^ understood, thanks

Abagworo:

All are right depending on the writer because traditional Igbo writing is not in Roman but Nsibidi.Several of such spelling disagreements occur in many Igbo words.

Chukwu-Chuku

Oka-Okar-Okah

Ibe-Ibeh

Nwala-Wala

Nwachukwu-Wachukwu-Nwachuku

Emodi-Emordi

Akwa-Akua.

These are just but few cases of such spelling disagreement.

It is not peculiar to Igbo but is also noticeable in other African and European languages.Osogbo or Oshogbo are both right in Yoruba.

Please since when did it become Ibo?How do u even pronounce that?
What u have up there are dialects.In schools,the language is known as Igbo. . . .the fact that it became corrupted to Ibo does not make it right.Nsibidi?huh? . . . http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nsibidi
Show me a part of Igboland where elders chant "Ibo kwenu" 

Agwo nokwa na akirika ma o buru na dimkpa nwoke Onye Igbo lechara anya kwe na isi na o bu onye Ibo.

igbo and ibo they mean the same thing

delta ibo not delta[b] igbo[/b]

ibo is even sounds better than igbo 

infact in some schools in anambra, some students spell igbo as ibo,.,. and the ibo teachers do not complain

it is only on NL they make it a big deal

but ibo is as good as igbo and they are one and the same

http://www.onlinenigeria.com/alumni/category2detail001.asp?itemCategory=Ibo National High School, Aba.

The link is to onlinigeria on a school known as Ibo national high school in Aba.

^^Whoever named his/her school Ibo national school then we suddenly become Ibo's?I have no problem when folks decide to use IBO but it does not change the fact that the right word is Igbo. . .which is what the OP wants to know.Go and look for Igbo novels,textbooks,Waec,Neco,Gce question papers and see how its spelt.@Alj harem,ijiji ha ndi singing.Aguwa ndi Igbo a gunye gi?akuko!

lelouchan:

Hi not to sound ignorant here, but I want to know once and for all. When do you say Igbo and when do you say Ibo??

So is someone 'Igbo' or 'Ibo'? Is the language 'Igbo or Ibo' and lastly is the place 'Igbo or Ibo'?

Also if I want to say for example, 'this statue is not of yoruba origin, it is of 'Ibo' origin, is that correct?

Thank you!!

This is an interesting question that you ask!

While Abagworo has posted information that can be debated, I honestly think that the majority of informed Igbo people would be most inclined towards using ‘Igbo’ to describe the name of the people, the language spoken and the land inhabited . . . irrespective of what some of the 'erroneous' information out there say!

So in answer to your question the politically correct terms would be:
Igbo person
Igbo language
Igbo land

'This statue is not of Yoruba origin, it is of 'Igbo' origin’ . . .

The use of ‘Ibo’ to describe ‘Igbo’ people or language is increasingly considered irreverent. Some educated Nigerians . . . Igbo speaking or not . . .  even find the term very insulting since they are aware that its one of those patronising relics, spilling over from the centuries when the colonialists had gone about telling their subjects how they should call themselves!

But as we gradually shed ourselves of the 'odious' mentality of those years, most of us have come to agree that we are Igbo are not 'Ibo' -it doesn’t matter whether the Igbo person is from the Igbo-speaking areas of Rivers or Delta states, or the Igbo speaking states of Abia, Anambara, Ebonyi, Enugu or Imo . . . it is still Igbo!  And that is how we wish to be called . . .

The few people that persist in using 'Ibo' are either being deliberately mischievous – as you may have observed, perusing the politics section of NL - or are just innocently, or in a few cases. . . i dare say, even. . .  irredeemably, ignorant!

beneli:

This is an interesting question that you ask!

While Abagworo has posted information that can be debated, I honestly think that the majority of informed Igbo people would be most inclined towards using ‘Igbo’ to describe the name of the people, the language spoken and the land inhabited . . . irrespective of what some of the 'erroneous' information out there say!

So in answer to your question the politically correct terms would be:
Igbo person
Igbo language
Igbo land

'This statue is not of Yoruba origin, it is of 'Igbo' origin’ . . .

The use of ‘Ibo’ to describe ‘Igbo’ people or language is increasingly considered irreverent. Some educated Nigerians . . . Igbo speaking or not . . . even find the term very insulting since they are aware that its one of those patronising relics, spilling over from the centuries when the colonialists had gone about telling their subjects how they should call themselves!

But as we gradually shed ourselves of the 'odious' mentality of those years, most of us have come to agree that we are Igbo are not 'Ibo' -it doesn’t matter whether the Igbo person is from the Igbo-speaking areas of Rivers or Delta states, or the Igbo speaking states of Abia, Anambara, Ebonyi, Enugu or Imo . . . it is still Igbo! And that is how we wish to be called . . .

The few people that persist in using 'Ibo' are either being deliberately mischievous – as you may have observed, perusing the politics section of NL - or are just innocently, or in a few cases. . . i dare say, even. . . irredeemably, ignorant!

May the peace of our Lord be with you.

Why do we have names such as:
Oluigbo.
Igboanugo.
Igbonekwu.
Igboamaka.
Igbokwe.
Please stop insulting Igbo people.
Even here in nairaland, most people who spell ibo instead of Igbo are secondary school drop-outs.

Okay from what I see, the correct term is Igbo! very good to know.

This Abagworo na real goon.

So because some people don't have "gb" in their language, it now becomes appropriate to write it in whatever form you deem fit?

Go and rewrite Gbenga as Benga and Drogba as Droba because as you claimed should be appropriate in Roman form. Silly!


@ lelouchan,

Name, language, and place are all Igbo.

Abagworo has a valid point, that aside though, I think it is 'Igbo' because the 'Igbo Language Council' (whoever the hell they are and whatever the hell their real name is) thought it best to distinguish between the bilabial plosive "b" and the bilabial implosive "b". Thus, "gb" (an attempt to recognize the bilabial implosive) was born. This further proves Abagworo's point that we are dealing with the Latin script, and not something designed for our tongues.

Obiagu1:

This Abagworo na real goon.

So because some people don't have "gb" in their language, it now becomes appropriate to write it in whatever form you deem fit?

Go and rewrite Gbenga as Benga and Drogba as Droba because as you claimed should be appropriate in Roman form. Silly!


@ lelouchan,

Name, language, and place are all Igbo.

"Mr I better pass you" when did it start being Igbo or Ibo?You cannot force everyone to spell the way you prefer.It is so wrong.

@bolded.I never claimed anywhere that it is the appropriate Roman form but I said we write Igbo using Roman letters instead of using Nsibidi.As a result we cannot force everyone to accept a particular spelling unless we are writing in Igbo.A typical example is Awka.Tell me if Awka,Okah or Oka is the correct spelling of the Anambra capital.


Awka-Oka-Umudiawka-Umudioka are all correct

Hmm. . . my earlier post seems to not be showing.


Abagworo has a valid point, that aside though, I think it is 'Igbo' because the 'Igbo Language Council' (whoever the hell they are and whatever the hell their real name is) thought it best to distinguish between the plosive and implosive forms of "b". Thus, "gb" (an attempt to recognize the bilabial implosive "b") was born. This further proves Abagworo's point that we are dealing with the Latin script, and not something designed for our tongues. The "gb" is still a "b" sound, albeit, a different kind of "b", but still a "b" nonetheless. So, if the language council hadn't thought to conjugate a solution, the "b" would have remained as is.

Abagworo:


"Mr I better pass you" when did it start being Igbo or Ibo?You cannot force everyone to spell the way you prefer.It is so wrong.

@bolded.I never claimed anywhere that it is the appropriate Roman form but I said we write Igbo using Roman letters instead of using Nsibidi.As a result we cannot force everyone to accept a particular spelling unless we are writing in Igbo.A typical example is Awka.Tell me if Awka,Okah or Oka is the correct spelling of the Anambra capital.


Awka-Oka-Umudiawka-Umudioka are all correct

thank you

lelouchan:

Okay from what I see, the correct term is Igbo! very good to know.

no no no no

it is not about using the correct term or not; because both spellings are right

ibo=igbo

fula = fulani

some people spell hausa to be awusa,.,,. they mean the same thing

it is only NL that it is made a big deal,.,.,., like it is some form word used to insult people

let me ask you something is delta ibo right or wrong

Abagworo:


"Mr I better pass you" when did it start being Igbo or Ibo?You cannot force everyone to spell the way you prefer.It is so wrong.

@bolded.I never claimed anywhere that it is the appropriate Roman form but I said we write Igbo using Roman letters instead of using Nsibidi.As a result we cannot force everyone to accept a particular spelling unless we are writing in Igbo.A typical example is Awka.Tell me if Awka,Okah or Oka is the correct spelling of the Anambra capital.


Awka-Oka-Umudiawka-Umudioka are all correct

The main difference is that Awka, Awkunanaw are still pronunced appropriately.
In the case of Ibo, if you write Ibo and pronunce Igbo, then you know they know how it is called. San Jose is not pronunced San "J"ose but San "H"ose.

The problem is that they will come to my face and say Ibo, when you, an Igbo man, tells them it is not Ibo but Igbo, they'll start arguing with you.
The English are now aware of "gb" letter and pronounce Drogba appropriately. So why not the Yoruba that have "gb" too? So it just a way for them to sound disdainful to the Igbos.
Have you ever heard a Yoruba say "Ijebu Ibo" or "Benga"?

@obiagu.You have finally understood my point.Maybe the I.B.O. spelling makes them pronounce it wrongly just like Dapo is spelled D.A.P.O. but pronounced Dakpo or Your San Hose example.

It should be Igbo, not Ibo.

And I take it as an insult from those who are West African and refuse to make the "gb" sound, which is common in all of our languages.

@OP:


It is Eebo or Ibo, but sometimes, especially at night, you can also call it Ebola

The Eebos on this forum are all clueless, so pay them no mind.

Most of them have no idea where ALaigbo is if you were to show them the map of Nigeria. Always pulling stuff from their stinking arse. Hihgly illiterate bunch.

Like i said, it is either Eebo or Ibo or Ebola!

fstranger1:

@OP:


It is Eebo or Ibo, but sometimes, especially at night, you can also call it Ebola

The Eebos on this forum are all clueless, so pay them no mind.

Most of them have no idea where ALaigbo is if you were to show them the map of Nigeria. Always pulling stuff from their stinking arse. Hihgly illiterate bunch.

Like i said, it is either Eebo or Ibo or Ebola!

Totally irrelevant.
RESPECT PLEASE.

Andre Uweh:

Totally irrelevant.
RESPECT PLEASE.

He can be quite a nuisance. Seems like he has been following me, which I find very unusual. Men should not follow other men, like men follow women.

Abagworo:

@obiagu.You have finally understood my point.Maybe the I.B.O. spelling makes them pronounce it wrongly just like Dapo is spelled D.A.P.O. but pronounced Dakpo or Your San Hose example.

We're not saying the same thing. You cannot change how a name of a people, place, and language is written. It's not for you to decide what to write. Igbos have corrected, in every means they could, how Igbo is spelt. It is I.G.B.O. You don't have a choice as an individual unless there are 2 forms that are acceptable to those bearing the name. However it is pronounced does not concern you.

You cannot go and write San "H"ose because you think that's how it should be or rewrite Marseille as it sounds in English or even Awka (if it's not purely on history of Igbo and culture) without an Awka man looking at you in amazement. It's not your choice, that's my point.

Igbos have said in every means that it is Igbo, so it has to be Igbo.

Obiagu1:

We're not saying the same thing. You cannot change how a name of a people, place, and language is written. It's not for you to decide what to write. Igbos have corrected, in every means they could, how Igbo is spelt. It is I.G.B.O. You don't have a choice as an individual unless there are 2 forms that are acceptable to those bearing the name. However it is pronounced does not concern you.

You cannot go and write San "H"ose because you think that's how it should be or rewrite Marseille as it sounds in English or even Awka (if it's not purely on history of Igbo and culture) without an Awka man looking at you in amazement. It's not your choice, that's my point.

Igbos have said in every means that it is Igbo, so it has to be Igbo.

Remember I am also Igbo and I accept Ibo.It is therefore not universal that all Igbos reject IBO.

Abagworo:

Remember I am also Igbo and I accept Ibo.It is therefore not universal that all Igbos reject IBO.

Please let's not go there. We have always been Igbo, and Igbo it shall remain. The colonialist have left long ago and our destiny is in our hands. The society for promotion of Igbo Lsanguage and culture (SPILAC) has made it known to the entire world that it is Igbo.
Also Igbos is wrong, but Ndiigbo, the Igbo, or the Igbo people is correct.

Too much efulefu in Igboland. Chai! Alu emee!!!Akwu achaa n'odu igu!!! Nwoke aturu ime!!! I weep in Ekwulobia dialect. All right, ''Umu Ibo" and "Ndi Ibo", make una carry go.

Ihe ndemede n'asusu Igbo na Bekee di iche n'iche.N'Igbo enwere mkpuruokwu an'akpo "gb" ma na enweghi ya na Bekee.

Abagworo:

Ihe ndemede n'asusu Igbo na Bekee di iche n'iche.N'Igbo enwere mkpuruokwu an'akpo "gb" ma na enweghi ya na Bekee.

Obulu na ezigbo afa gi be Abagworo, mee ngwa ngwa deyeharia ya ka o buru Abagoro maka na enweghi "gw" na Bekee.

Obiagu1:

Obulu na ezigbo afa gi be Abagworo, mee ngwa ngwa deyeharia ya ka o buru Abagoro maka na enweghi "gw" na Bekee.

Aha otu onye "enyemeaka n'ochichi" anyi (minister) bu Wogu ma na ufodu ndi ozo nakwa ede ya bu aha Nworgu ma o bu Worgu.