I speak three. How many do you speak? Whether they are national languages or international languages.

Question 2. Do you have problem switching to a language when you travel?
Me, not a serious problem but I experience these hics here and there. Sometimes I find myself pronouncing English words the French way when I'm in Nigeria. Or I might want to say something in one language but realize another one of the languages I know says it better. So I try to translate from one language to another.

Question 3. With what language do you think?
For me, it depends on the object of thought. If it is academical, I normally think with an international language. If it is domestic, I'm most likely to think in my native language.

Question 4. Do you think it is gainful having multiple languages?
-For me, yes. If you're into academics, you'll have better access to academic information. Why? Most books you read are a translation of the original version. If you understand the language in which the original version was written, you will have an authentic understanding of the book. Translated versions are never as authentic as the original versions.
-If you're an international traveller, the world will be a village for you.
-You can use languages to attract respect from people. The more languages you know, the more exposed people believe you are, and the more they respect you.
-Lastly, languages are mirrors through which cultures are viewed. The more languages you know, the more cultures you know and the better you understand people.

Two
Official
And mother tongue

I thought with 500 languages most Nigerians would be multilingual, I'm surprised you speak so few. Probably why the country suffers from such extreme tribalism.

In South Africa we have 11 official languages and most black people can comprehend around 8 of them - with Afrikaans (among the youth), Tsonga and Venda perhaps being most uncommon.

Q2 - I don't know any other global language apart from English. Tried out French in varsity for a semester, but can't remember half the stuff, even counting to 10 The way they construct their sentences is time consuming, also with feminine and muscular versions of words. Very difficult language.

Swahili has recently been added to SA primary school curriculum in an effort to assist with African integration.

Q3 - I think in English slightly more than my mother-tongue, Sotho (51% vs 49%).

Q4 - SA languages are also spoken throughout Southern Africa so it helps - Afrikaans, Zulu, Sotho, Tswana, Tsonga, Ndebele and Swati.

TMKsouth:
I thought with 500 languages most Nigerians would be multilingual, I'm surprised you speak so few. Probably why the country suffers from such extreme tribalism.

In South Africa we have 11 official languages and most black people can comprehend around 8 of them - with Afrikaans (among the youth), Tsonga and Venda perhaps being most uncommon.

Q2 - I don't know any other global language apart from English. Tried out French in varsity for a semester, but can't remember half the stuff, even counting to 10 The way they construct their sentences is time consuming, also with feminine and muscular versions of words. Very difficult language.

Swahili has recently been added to SA primary school curriculum in an effort to assist with African integration.

Q3 - I think in English slightly more than my mother-tongue, Sotho (51% vs 49%).

Q4 - SA languages are also spoken throughout Southern Africa so it helps - Afrikaans, Zulu, Sotho, Tswana, Tsonga, Ndebele and Swati.

That's because your languages in SA are Mutually intelligible but down here, no two languages are mutually intelligible except they are a dialect of a single language. Yoruba and Igbo language for example do not even have up to 1% of their words in common. I speak 4 languages if we want to include pidgin. I speak Igbo, Yoruba, English and Pidgin English.

orlahtohbadt:
That's because your languages in SA are Mutually intelligible but down here, no two languages are mutually intelligible except they are a dialect of a single language. Yoruba and Igbo language for example do not even have up to 1% of their words in common. I speak 4 languages if we want to include pidgin. I speak Igbo, Yoruba, English and Pidgin English.

Okay, that makes sense and true.

But don't you pick up new languages from watching TV, for example? That's how most South Africans learn other languages, coz all our national shows have multicultural casts speaking different languages (with English subtitles), so you can learn even if living in another province. That's a role NTA should be playing as the public broadcaster.

Lol , I thought Igbo and Yoruba were mortal enemies, so how did u master both languages? You must be rare.

Beautiful.

TMKsouth:
I thought with 500 languages most Nigerians would be multilingual, I'm surprised you speak so few. Probably why the country suffers from such extreme tribalism.

Tribalism in Nigeria is 90% political.

TMKsouth:

In South Africa we have 11 official languages and most black people can comprehend around 8 of them

Why did you mention only the Blacks? And others?

TMKsouth:


Okay, that makes sense and true.

But don't you pick up new languages from watching TV, for example? That's how most South Africans learn other languages, coz all our national shows have multicultural casts speaking different languages (with English subtitles), so you can learn even if living in another province. That's a role NTA should be playing as the public broadcaster.

Lol , I thought Igbo and Yoruba were mortal enemies, so how did u master both languages? You must be rare.

They make you believe Igbo and Yoruba are mortal enemies on nairaland with those ethnic bigotry comments but in the real world they are not. The most intertribal marriage happens between Yorubas and Igbos. I believe so because I see that a lot. Yorubas are actually a tribe that can intermarry without much fuss, I can't say for other tribes. So, how I can speak both languages, I am a product of an intertribal marriage just like Davido's parent and grandparents. I am predominantly Yoruba anyway. About NTA and their acts, they are not trying at all and people hardly watch that television station. They really need to put their $#!7 together maybe then it will work.

HealerH:
Beautiful.

Tribalism in Nigeria is 90% political.

Why did you mention only the Blacks? And others?

Whites suffer from a superiority complex because of apartheid, so very few of them speak African languages - just English, Afrikaans and Western languages. Its mostly the ones on farms and mines that speak vernacular.

Indians speak English and their own languages, few understand Afrikaans. Indian traders are usually the ones that speak African languages.

Coloureds (mixed race) predominantly speak Afrikaans and English. Some will pick up a provincial language, like Xhosa in Cape Town.

Most African migrants prefer to learn Zulu, but it also depends on the province you land in (we have 9 diverse provinces).

I get how politicians use tribalism to gain and retain power all over Africa, so you're right. Jacob Zuma is the perfect example in SA, Zulu tribalism was at its height during his presidency.

TMKsouth:
I thought with 500 languages most Nigerians would be multilingual[/b], I'm surprised you speak so few. Probably why the country suffers from such extreme tribalism.

In South Africa we have 11 official languages and most black people can comprehend around 8 of them - with Afrikaans (among the youth), Tsonga and Venda perhaps being most uncommon.

Q2 - I don't know any other global language apart from English. Tried out French in varsity for a semester, but can't remember half the stuff, even counting to 10 The way they construct their sentences is time consuming, also with feminine and muscular versions of words. Very difficult language.

Swahili has recently been added to SA primary school curriculum in an effort to assist with African integration.

Q3 - I think in English slightly more than my mother-tongue, Sotho (51% vs 49%).

Q4 - SA languages are also spoken throughout Southern Africa so it helps - Afrikaans, Zulu, Sotho, Tswana, Tsonga, Ndebele and Swati.

Nigerian languages aren't the way you thought they were.. they are not mutually intelligible like someone said up there.. except they are a dialect.which is even difficult to comprehend at times...
Tribalism in Nigeria has nothing to do with the languages, my opinion is that it's political

orlahtohbadt:
They make you believe Igbo and Yoruba are mortal enemies on nairaland with those ethnic bigotry comments but in the real world they are not. The most intertribal marriage happens between Yorubas and Igbos. I believe so because I see that a lot. Yorubas are actually a tribe that can intermarry without much fuss, I can't say for other tribes. So, how I can speak both languages, I am a product of an intertribal marriage just like Davido's parent and grandparents. I am predominantly Yoruba anyway. About NTA and their acts, they are not trying at all and people hardly watch that television station. They really need to put their $#!7 together maybe then it will work.

Yeah, we receive NTA International on DSTV and it really sucks for real. Can't watch for 5 minutes before changing the channel. I enjoyed TVC News online, but haven't watched it in a while.

It's true that different communities tend to inter-marry, it's impossible not to unless it's legislated against like during apartheid over here. Even with the xenophobia some South Africans marry other Africans, including Nigerians (our most difficult guests ). Is it true most of the ones in SA are Igbo? I got this from the insults you hurl at each other.

I know Davido a bit, but not his music. I truly can't stand afrobeat music, no offence.

enigma0:


Nigerian languages aren't the way you thought they were.. they are not mutually intelligible like someone said up there.. except they are a dialect.which is even difficult to comprehend at times...
Tribalism in Nigeria has nothing to do with the languages, my opinion is that it's political

TMKsouth:


Yeah, we receive NTA International on DSTV and it really sucks for real. Can't watch for 5 minutes before changing the channel. I enjoyed TVC News online, but haven't watched it in a while.

It's true that different communities tend to inter-marry, it's impossible not to unless it's legislated against like during apartheid over here. Even with the xenophobia some South Africans marry other Africans, including Nigerians (our most difficult guests ). Is it true most of the ones in SA are Igbo? I got this from the insults you hurl at each other.

I know Davido a bit, but not his music. I truly can't stand afrobeat music, no offence.

TVC is a privately owned station and so they have varieties but NTA I believe is old fashioned and there is no much effort by the Federal Government to revamp it. I don't have the statistics but I myself tend to believe there are a lot of Igbo's down south as each major tribe has a tendency to be predominant in a country like you'd see a lot of Yorubas in the UK and maybe Hausas are a whole lot in Saudi Arabia. About Afrobeats, I understand. everybody should have their preferences and stick to it but you can still be versatile, there are some good aftobeats songs that might appeal to you but not to another person.

orlahtohbadt:
each major tribe has a tendency to be predominant in a country like you'd see a lot of Yorubas in the UK and maybe Hausas are a whole lot in Saudi Arabia.

Hmmm, very interesting. I get the Hausa and Saudi Arabia link. The UK and SA one is quite interesting indeed. Thanks man.

Aside from English
Zulu
Xhosa
Tswana
Sotho

IronGalaxy:
Aside from English
Zulu
Xhosa
Tswana
Sotho

I thought o moNdebele.

All these mzansi people sef!

I have a question though: why do southies tend to have a semblance in look? Do you guys inbreed?

TMKsouth, are you not mzansi again? Or you busy listening to amapiano and gqom?

Prodigee:
All these mzansi people sef!

I have a question though: why do southies tend to have a semblance in look? Do you guys inbreed?

Childish.

TMKsouth:


I thought o moNdebele.

lol,why?

IronGalaxy:
lol,why?

I think coz of something u said during that Ndebele mall saga, I'm not sho myself.