Kccheechy:
I'm from the east but I was born and brought up in Lagos. I passed out from the university in my home town. Even though I spent 4 years in my hometown going to the university from my village home, living with my grandma and being surrounded by people who only converse in igbo, I still find it difficult to speak my native language. I understand the language well enough but I have a challenge conversing with it. I always make a jest of myself anytime I try to converse with it because my people end up laughing at me with the conclusion that I can't speak my native language and tag me as "my mama say I be igbo " They see me as though I'm not really one of them. My parents complain about my inability to fluently speak igbo. Funny enough I have two millionaire uncles who are members of my family by extension who don't even hear "come" let alone speak the language. Any time they visit, everyone converses with them in English. Even my grandma who has a hard time speaking English will try to speak broken English with them and everyone respects them a lot. No one ever complains about their absolute ignorance of their native language. But when it gets to me, I will be mocked If I try to speak igbo. The thing just taya me o. I have decided to just forget about trying to speak igbo and continue with my English. (but my children must learn how to speak my language.) Anybody wey no hear English na I'm Cup of tea be dat. I can't kill myself o. Is anyone in this same situation?

Your uncles are rich do they can even speak in French and it will not be a shame as his status matters more than speaking the igbo language yet money will not come out of it

They your uncle has the money to spend on them, that alone is enough respect

Now back to your case, you have to keep trying not to impress anyone but for you to learn it

If you can hear the language, you have the ability to speak if you are devoted to learning it

If non yorubas, like the Igbos can hear yoruba and speak yoruba, then I don't see why you shouldn't

I blame your parents who weren't speaking Igbo language to you guys even as you live in Lagos

A lot of attention have been given to the dangers faced by Igbo culture and language by local and international institutions. It is only an Igbo man that takes pride in announcing to the world how disconnect he is to his culture, and expects to be respected. Some ignorant parents bar their children from learning and speaking the language because it will "diminish" their potential to be "civilised."

The tradgey is that most Igbo people who claim they cannot speak or understand the language -- especially in this graveyard -- have a poor grasp and understanding of the English language, which makes them to be "languageless." To learn a language, you don't necessarily have to be domiciled in the environment where it is mainly spoken.

mrblessed:
A lot of attention have been given to the dangers faced by Igbo culture and language by local and international institutions. It is only an Igbo man that takes pride in announcing to the world how disconnect he is to his culture, and expects to be respected. Some ignorant parents bar their children from learning and speaking the language because it will "diminish" their potential to be "civilised."

The tradgey is that most Igbo people who claim they cannot speak or understand the language -- especially in this graveyard -- have a poor grasp and understanding of the English language, which makes them to be "languageless." To learn a language, you don't necessarily have to be domiciled in the environment where it is mainly spoken.

Graveyard cha? Ha! Iwe oku!

I balance on this table. My dear, you are not alone. We are many. Myself, my siblings, and my cousins. I mean all my cousins. I have like 25 cousins including my maternal and paternal cousins. All of us are on this table. The only cousins that can speak Igbo are the ones that grew up in the east. The rest of us grew up in Lagos. We all sit down and balance on this table.
Me I am 23 oo and I have cousins who are in their early 30s and late 20s and cannot speak Igbo. So my dear, you are not alone.

But the Ironic thing is that I speak and write English and French at very professional levels. But my Igbo get K-leg. I don't even speak Yoruba too. I understand Yoruba and Igbo at the same basic level but I cannot speak either languages. One thing I have decided is that my husband must speak Igbo. That is one criteria my husband must have

pocohantas:
Understanding is the most important thing.

Igbo language is the most difficult major language to learn because they are never willing to teach. The worst are those ones in SE states. Very angry in their dealings with Lagos bred Igbos . They will just sit on their high stool and keep pointing errors, offering no solution.

Say you want to learn Yoruba/Hausa, be you an indigene or foreigner and see how many will come to your aid. Try it with Igbos and tell me how it goes.

Absolutely, the language itself is Difficult.. Some are too Nasal meanwhile the folks don't really want you to learn their language.. An average Igbo folk is very secretive... he/she doesn't want you to know what he saying when talking to Family.

Igbo and Chinese, I don't know which one hard pass

pocohantas:
Understanding is the most important thing.

Igbo language is the most difficult major language to learn because they are never willing to teach. The worst are those ones in SE states. Very angry in their dealings with Lagos bred Igbos . They will just sit on their high stool and keep pointing errors, offering no solution.

Say you want to learn Yoruba/Hausa, be you an indigene or foreigner and see how many will come to your aid. Try it with Igbos and tell me how it goes.

This is not true poco. I teach Igbo to my friends that do not know how to speak. And most atimes, some of these Lagos brought up always have a way of thinking that speaking English makes one posh.

Dande55:

This is not true poco. I teach Igbo to my friends that do not know how to speak. And most atimes, some of these Lagos brought up always have a way of thinking that speaking English makes one posh.

You are just one in a thousand. The majority would first put you down before anything. I maintain my stand.

DonroxyII:
Absolutely, the language itself is Difficult.. Some are too Nasal meanwhile the folks don't really want you to learn their language.. An average Igbo folk is very secretive... he/she doesn't want you to know what he saying when talking to Family.

Igbo and Chinese, I don't know which one hard pass

Lol, it is definitely whatever the Chinese speak. There are just a handful that will teach you willingly. Even on NL, check any thread where something Igbo is being discussed or argued. The ones that know will first jump in to tell you how they are embarrassed at your ignorance. That is before they start shoving their knowledge down your throat- arrogantly.

pocohantas:


You are just one in a thousand. The majority would first put you down before anything. I maintain my stand.



Lol, it is definitely whatever the Chinese speak. There are just a handful that will teach you willingly. Even on NL, check any thread where something Igbo is being discussed or argued. The ones that know will first jump in to tell you how they are embarrassed at your ignorance. That is before they start shoving their knowledge down your throat- arrogantly.

I can teach you if you are willing to learn. And I haven't seen any Igbo that's not willing to teach another.

I have always wondered why parents who know how to speak Igbo will deliberately deny their Children their roots, leaving the children confused at the end.
My sister that's always speaking English to her child cos she married from SS, I've told her to let the child learn either Igbo or the husband's language.
Please, English isn't a measure of intelligence or how posh people are.

Speak the little you sabi.
If u speak and they cannot hear, that's their cup of tea.
That means they cannot hear igbo

Dande55:

I can teach you if you are willing to learn. And I haven't seen any Igbo that's not willing to teach another.

I have always wondered why parents who know how to speak Igbo will deliberately deny their Children their roots, leaving the children confused at the end.
My sister that's always speaking English to her child cos she married from SS, I've told her to let the child learn either Igbo or the husband's language.
Please, English isn't a measure of intelligence or how posh people are.

I am not willing to learn, no be me create thread. The one I know is okay for me.

Not speaking native language to a child doesn’t mean a parent is denying the child his/her root, even though I do not support it- especially when it isn’t done with bad intentions. My own parents speak to me and that is the only time you will hear me speak. Even at that, I can’t speak Central Igbo, the only Igbo I can speak is my dialect and I still have oversabi Igbo speakers trying to correct me on my own dialect too. Somehow they think they know it all.

English isn’t a measure of intelligence, but proficiency in written/spoken English helps. Not like knowledge of the two is mutually exclusive.

pocohantas:


I am not willing to learn, no be me create thread. The one I know is okay for me.

Not speaking native language to a child doesn’t mean a parent is denying the child his/her root, even though I do not support it- especially when it isn’t done with bad intentions. My own parents speak to me and that is the only time you will hear me speak. Even at that, I can’t speak Central Igbo, the only Igbo I can speak is my dialect and I still have oversabi Igbo speakers trying to correct me on my own dialect too. Somehow they think they know it all.

English isn’t a measure of intelligence, but proficiency in written/spoken English helps. Not like knowledge of the two is mutually exclusive.

If that is not one of ways to deny a child her/his root, what else is?
It's one of the factors that leave children confused.
There are people who speak Igbo/English correctly, then why deny your child the basic thing that wasn't deny to you by your parents. I have a neighbour here in Lagos that gets angry whenever someone tries speaking Igbo to her children. Lol.
To Me, these things don't just add up.

Dande55:

If that is not one of ways to deny a child her/his root, what else is?
It's one of the factors that leave children confused.
There are people who speak Igbo/English correctly, then why deny your child the basic thing that wasn't deny to you by your parents. I have a neighbour here in Lagos that gets angry whenever someone tries speaking Igbo to her children. Lol.
To Me, these things don't just add up.

That one is a different case. She has her own issues or reasons. I know a family that did that, not Igbo though. They claimed they didn’t want their children to have a particular pronunciation problem that is common with their tribe.

I don’t know how that works.

Kccheechy:
I'm from the east but I was born and brought up in Lagos. I passed out from the university in my home town. Even though I spent 4 years in my hometown going to the university from my village home, living with my grandma and being surrounded by people who only converse in igbo, I still find it difficult to speak my native language. I understand the language well enough but I have a challenge conversing with it. I always make a jest of myself anytime I try to converse with it because my people end up laughing at me with the conclusion that I can't speak my native language and tag me as "my mama say I be igbo " They see me as though I'm not really one of them. My parents complain about my inability to fluently speak igbo. Funny enough I have two millionaire uncles who are members of my family by extension who don't even hear "come" let alone speak the language. Any time they visit, everyone converses with them in English. Even my grandma who has a hard time speaking English will try to speak broken English with them and everyone respects them a lot. No one ever complains about their absolute ignorance of their native language. But when it gets to me, I will be mocked If I try to speak igbo. The thing just taya me o. I have decided to just forget about trying to speak igbo and continue with my English. (but my children must learn how to speak my language.) Anybody wey no hear English na I'm Cup of tea be dat. I can't kill myself o. Is anyone in this same situation?

I told my family members to blame my parents whose job it was to teach me the language and they failed. Am I expected to teach myself the language?
They don't bother me anymore.

pocohantas:


That one is a different case. She has her own issues or reasons. I know a family that did that, not Igbo though. They claimed they didn’t want their children to have a particular pronunciation problem that is common with their tribe.

I don’t know how that works.

Some people are funny.

it's good you don't know how to speak your native language because it won't make u have that whack and disgusting Igbo accent

[s]

EbenezerTriumph:
it's good you don't know how to speak your native language because it won't make u have that whack and disgusting Igbo accent

[/s]

pocohantas:

Lol, it is definitely whatever the Chinese speak. There are just a handful that will teach you willingly. Even on NL, check any thread where something Igbo is being discussed or argued. The ones that know will first jump in to tell you how they are embarrassed at your ignorance. That is before they start shoving their knowledge down your throat- arrogantly.

Eggsactly, An average Igboman is highly conservative ... Teaching you his Language is considered a privilege not an art ...

I begged my friend victor from Imo to teach me , see Yanga everywhere and the day he feels like teaching , that's when Okechukwu from Anambra (A friend too ) will start correcting victor on correctness and pronunciation ... then fight would ensue ... They started blasting each other in Igbo and English beating their chest .... Everything wud turn to Anambra vs Imo

Anytime I see both of them speaking Igbo coolly and calmly without Argument, I already know they are back biting me and my co-Yorubas ...... Due to the freedom of tatafoing us even before our face, they would never teach me (I was the only one interested in learning) ...

I learnt from Nairaland sha around 2011/2012 , A thread was created to teach Igbo but was also marred by fight and supremacy battle ... I picked some words then though ...

I am more interested in this topic.
A family friend called my wife last week and spoke with her. Fortunately our first son was there, so he felt like talking to him. My wife handed the phone to the boy and he conversed with the person in Yoruba language. He did this because I had made a decree in my home that only Yoruba Language should be spoken while he is at home. He can speak English language outside if he likes.
I told my wife that our culture is our life. Why must we lose our language to the white after losing our economy to them?
This is a call to all parents especially those in this millennia.
If we are not careful our children will only know if Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, Kanuri, Igbira and other indigenous languages existed in the museum and in books.
Let us demand that our children learn their indigenous languages. Speaking these languages isn't a crime but pride. You are not inferior if you know them.

olawalepopoola:
I am more interested in this topic.
A family friend called my wife last week and spoke with her. Fortunately our first son was there, so he felt like talking to him. My wife handed the phone to the boy and he conversed with the person in Yoruba language. He did this because I had made a decree in my home that only Yoruba Language should be spoken while he is at home. He can speak English language outside if he likes.
I told my wife that our culture is our life. Why must we lose our language to the white after losing our economy to them?
This is a call to all parents especially those in this millennia.
If we are not careful our children will only know if Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, Kanuri, Igbira and other indigenous languages existed in the museum and in books.
Let us demand that our children learn their indigenous languages. Speaking these languages isn't a crime but pride. You are not inferior if you know them.

if only my parents started speaking igbo to me when I was still young...but now, no matter how hard I try, it's challenging!! I have to process the whole thing before I speak out and it's quite frustrating atimes. But I will make sure my children start speaking from the time they start learning how to speak o

EbenezerTriumph:
it's good you don't know how to speak your native language because it won't make u have that whack and disgusting Igbo accent

� are you igbo?

HiFreda:


I told my family members to blame my parents whose job it was to teach me the language and they failed. Am I expected to teach myself the language?
They don't bother me anymore.

they must have taunted you so much!!

AnonymousRebec:
I balance on this table. My dear, you are not alone. We are many. Myself, my siblings, and my cousins. I mean all my cousins. I have like 25 cousins including my maternal and paternal cousins. All of us are on this table. The only cousins that can speak Igbo are the ones that grew up in the east. The rest of us grew up in Lagos. We all sit down and balance on this table.
Me I am 23 oo and I have cousins who are in their early 30s and late 20s and cannot speak Igbo. So my dear, you are not alone.

But the Ironic thing is that I speak and write English and French at very professional levels. But my Igbo get K-leg. I don't even speak Yoruba too. I understand Yoruba and Igbo at the same basic level but I cannot speak either languages. One thing I have decided is that my husband must speak Igbo. That is one criteria my husband must have

My dear, I have made that resolution that my woman must be able to speak. If not, my mom will teach me children right from the time they start learning how to speak. I just want to focus now on securing the cash

hinere:
Speak the little you sabi.
If u speak and they cannot hear, that's their cup of tea.
That means they cannot hear igbo

Na wetin dey my mind now o. I can't kill myself abeg!!!

Growing up outside the east is never an excuse not to teach the child Igbo language...

I grew up in the west Sha and i can speak both languages fluently.

[s]

Biglittlelois:
It's not a crime, I can't speak my native language either, but i can speak Hausa, it's funny to me sometimes......

[/s]

Kccheechy:
Whenever I remember those my big uncles that don't hear anything and yet still gather respect even in the midst of chiefs in the village I feel like say make I just bon the thing. Whenever they are in the midst of those chiefs Na so everybody go Dey speak English. Nobody dare mock them.

by all means possible please learn your language.

Kccheechy:
I'm from the east but I was born and brought up in Lagos. I passed out from the university in my home town. Even though I spent 4 years in my hometown going to the university from my village home, living with my grandma and being surrounded by people who only converse in igbo, I still find it difficult to speak my native language. I understand the language well enough but I have a challenge conversing with it. I always make a jest of myself anytime I try to converse with it because my people end up laughing at me with the conclusion that I can't speak my native language and tag me as "my mama say I be igbo " They see me as though I'm not really one of them. My parents complain about my inability to fluently speak igbo. Funny enough I have two millionaire uncles who are members of my family by extension who don't even hear "come" let alone speak the language. Any time they visit, everyone converses with them in English. Even my grandma who has a hard time speaking English will try to speak broken English with them and everyone respects them a lot. No one ever complains about their absolute ignorance of their native language. But when it gets to me, I will be mocked If I try to speak igbo. The thing just taya me o. I have decided to just forget about trying to speak igbo and continue with my English. (but my children must learn how to speak my language.) Anybody wey no hear English na I'm Cup of tea be dat. I can't kill myself o. Is anyone in this same situation?

You ain't alone nigga