cos folks are myopic.

I have often said it,that we are a different generation of Nigerians,we believe in our country and cultural heritage,Thank you for this great post and every1's response i have read so far shows that we really are the future of this country.Bottom line,Lets pass on our heritage,and language to our children,They ll be thankful for it when they grow up esp if their parents are from different tribes,their joy of knowing how to communicate in both languages will know no bounds.

anonymous6:

Me & My siblings were born & raised in America; and we understand Yoruba when spoken completely. It depends on the Nigerian parents because many are not ashamed of who they are or training their kids the culture. Some of the Yoruba's I have bumped into that train their kids with the culture understand Yoruba and sometimes speak it. There is 3 Yoruba families I know who are also Yoruba, and their kids were born and raised in America like me and they understand and speak Yoruba like no mans business.

When it comes to Latino's/Hispanics, I need to correct you about that assumption you just made. The reason many Hispanics born and raise in the US know their parents language most of the time is because the only language their parents can speak is Spanish, many don't speak English in their homelands unless educated(because Latin American countries official language are Spanish, except Brazil); and so the kids have no choice but to speak spanish, if they want to communicate with their parents. Many times I have seen Hispanic kids follow their non-american parents to stores, and etc just to translate what their parents are saying because their parents can't communicate in English. Most illegal immigrants in America are Hispanics, especially from Mexico, and many Mexicans coming into America can't speak English at all.

When it comes to Nigerians, at least most of them know how to speak English or semi-english when they get into America because Their primary cultural/tribal language plus English is mandatory in Nigeria to be spoken; and some take advantage of it. Now I don't get why when some Nigerians get into America they forget themselves but some of the ones I am around know their cultural language.

My advise to you is talk to your parents about it, and if they still act the same way take it upon yourself to learn your language, go for classes or buy Books & CD-ROM in your language and teach yourself.

I know what i was talking about when i said that the Spanish kids don't know how to speak English. i remember once i was doing volunteer work for my park during a carnival and i was in charge of the games section and i remember at least 5 Mexican kids that their parents had to translate what they were saying into English, and i'm talking about litle kids that probably haven't started grade school.
Talking about getting some kind of CD-ROM or going to classes, I've tried Google and the only thing that i found was an online dictionary and i don't know how i'm going to learn my language using a dictionary. Thanks though, for your comment.

phuck_NL:

@OP

To teach your kids the language, you have to know the language youself!! How many parents abroad really speak/know their language sef. If you can have kids who live in Nigeria that only speak english, what do you expect from those abroad.

I am talking about the ones that actually know how to speak their language. Besides the only way someone would know how to speak their language from childhood is when someone passes it on to them. When i made the post i was mainly talking about those people that actually know how to speak their language.

Ubiero:

I've read all the replies that have been posted. From experience, I want to say ''I'm not happy that I can't speak my language'' but I wasn't taught the language. My dad's Urhobo. He has never, not once, spoken his language to any of us in the home. And when we tell him, he simply ignores us. As for my mum, She's Delta Igbo (kwale) , speaks yoruba fluently too but she never speaks her language to us. Not until recently and she doesn't speak it always. She'd probably just make a statement in her language and dt's it for d day. Why she even started speaking her language was cos I told her I hated wat they (my parents) did to me. And dt when they die,I would tell dat dey were lacking in one area. Not teaching us their language. Pple always tell me I could learn the language on d streets but hw many pple especially delta pple speak their language. We only know how to speak waffi. I'm sori my post was too long.

I feel you, thats how i feel sometimes.

chaircover:

English is becoming the order of the day and I know a number of kids who were born and bred in Lagos that cant speak yoruba, and these are not kids from mega rich familes.

I dont think that you "teach" kids a language, they just pick it up from people around them who speak it. My kids speak yoruba albeit with an English accent but you cant sell them in the market. They also go to Nigeria on holiday once a year. I know that some parents dont take their children to Nigeria because they say that the kids wont like it but that isnt an option I give my kids & they have no choice but to love it.

So unless the parents dont speak it in the home themselves, I dont see how a kid wont know enough of the language to be able to get by.

i know, i also have a friend who is Igbo living in Lagos and he doesn't know how to speak neither languages.

[size=16pt]Otu Nzọpụta Asụsụ Igbo [/size] (ONAIgbo)


Nke a Bụ Ọkwa Dị Ezigbo Nkpa, nke sitere n'aka ndị ONAIgbo.


Igbo bụ Igbo, ekelee m ụnụ.

Ọ bụ oke ihe nwute na anyị hapụrụ asụsụ anyị, o wee na achọ ila n’efu . Ọkwa mba dị iche iche na asụ asụsụ ha? Asụsụ ndị Bekee dịrị ha, nke ndị Japanụ dịrị ha. Ndị Chaina, ndị Fụrenchị, nakwa ndị Ndia na asụgbado asụsụ ha n’otu n’otu.

A bịa na obodo Naijiriya, asụsụ ndị Yoruba dịrị ha, nke ndị Awụsa dịrị ha. Ndi Ịjọ n’asụ be ha, ndị Tivi nakwa asụ be ha.

Igbo bụ Igbo bikonụ, a sịrị m ka m jụọ; gịnị mere asụsụ anyị? Kedụ ka anyị ga esi na aza ndị Igbo, mana anyị amaghị Igbo asụ? Igbo bụ Igbo, ọ bụrụ na anyị ejighị ehihie were chọọ ewu dị oji, ọbụ na chi jie ka anyị ga achọtanwu ya? Igbo na aba aha sị, AHAMEFỤLA! Ndị asụsụ ha furu efu, bụ ndị aha ha furu efu. Ọ bụrụ na asụsụ Igbo fue, ndị Igbo efuela!

Chineke ekwela ihe ọjọọ. Ọ ga ajọgbu udele na njọ, ma sigbukwa nkakwụ na isi, ma ọ bụrụ na anyị hapụ asụsụ anyị ka ọ nwụọ.

Ọ na bụ m hụcha, edemede ụfọdụ a na edezi ugbua na aha asụsụ Igbo, anya miri anachọzị ịgba m. Echekwara m na anyị bụ ndị nwere akọ na uche? Biko nụ, ka anyị were otu obi, were neba okwua anya.

ONAIgbo (Otu Nzọpụta Asụsụ Igbo), bụ otu ndị ihe gbasara ya bụ ajọ ọnọdụ asụsụ anyị nọ ugbua na e metụ n'obi rinne.

Na mgbe na adịghị anya, anyị ga eme ka ụnụ mata atụmatụ nakwa ebu m n'obi anyi gbasara ihe anyị nile ga eme, ka asụsụ anyị were dikwa ndụ ọzọ.


Ndewo nụ!

ONAIgbo kwenu! Igbo bụ asụsụ ọma!
ONAIgbo kwenu! Asụsụ anyị ga adịrị anyị!.
Igbo kwezuenu! Ọ gadịrị Igbo nma.


Kwado ONAIgbo.
Kpọtụrụ anyị na:
Igwe nkparị ụka (Kpọọ anyị ma ọbụ zitere anyị edemede): 0810 483 5458 (ngwụ, asatọ, otu, ngwụ, anọ, asatọ, atọ, ise, anọ, ise, asatọ)
Detara anyị ozi na "onaigbo@yahoo.com".
Anyị nọkwa na Akwụkwọ Ihu (www.facebook.com/ONAIgbo)
Alo gi ga abara anyị ulu.

razznaija:

[size=18pt]i know, i also have a friend who is Igbo living in Lagos and he doesn't know how to speak neither languages.[/size]

Even the only language you claim to understand, you cant communicate well in it. Shame!

razznaija:

I know what i was talking about when i said that the Spanish kids don't know ho to speak English. i remember once i was doing volunteer work for my park during a carnival and i was in charge of the games section and i remember at least 5 Mexican kids that their parents had to translate what i was saying into English, and i'm talking about litle kids that probably haven't started grade school.
Talking about getting some kind of CD-ROM or going to classes, I've tried Google and the only thing that i found was an online dictionary and i don't know how i'm going to learn my language using a dictionary. Thanks though, for your comment.

I know what you mean I have seen that to but most of the time those kids are not American citizens and if they are they take bilingual quick.
However, Sorry about your search problems finding tools to find your language though. Another advise I will give you is, is it possible for you to hire somebody that can teach you the language maybe certain hours of the day for a fee. I know a Yoruba female born and raised in the US, and her cousin is teaching her Yoruba but I am not sure if it is free or not.

I know what you mean about the dictionary issue, all languages tend to have that when you google it but sometimes it is hard to find a teaching guide for your cultural language.
What helped me is not only did I hear Yoruba like crazy from my parents but I watched Yoruba movies with them since I was a child, and music; so I would pick up what the words meant and how to say it. I am not good at speaking advanced yoruba but I speak basic Yoruba though and understand it when spoken; I am planning to teach myself how to read it when written though. I am planning to buy this book and 2 CD-ROM combo on Yoruba the end of this year actually. This is the book: There are many books I have seen for my cultural language but this one seems like the one I will chose.

here are some source's to learn how to understand & speak IGBO

http://www.igbofocus.com/html/learn_igbo.html

http://store.instantimmersion.com/product/level-1-igbo

Here are some sources to learn how to understand & speak YORUBA


http://www.yorubaforkidsabroad.com/

http://store.instantimmersion.com/product/level-1-yoruba
http://www.worldlanguage.com/Products/Talk-Now-Learn-Yoruba-108748.htm

Here are some sources to learn how to understand & speak HAUSA

http://store.instantimmersion.com/product/level-1-hausa

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Learn-Speak-HAUSA-NIGERIA-Language-Course-PC-DVD-New-/220728490147
http://www.languagequest.com/home/product.php?prodCode=TNHAU&lang=Hausa
http://www.flightline.co.uk/learn-to-speak/hausa/

Here are some sources to learn how to speak & understand EDO

http://www.edofolks.com/products/edocd1.aspx

Here are some sources to learn how to understand & speak ITSEKIRI, IGALA and etc

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/yoruboid-languages-books-llc/1103414158

Here are some sources to learn how to understand & speak EFIK
http://www.worldcat.org/title/vocabulary-of-the-efik-or-old-calabar-language-with-prayers-and-lessons/oclc/6397562
http://www.worldcat.org/search?q=su%3AEfik+language+Conversation+and+phrase+books.&qt=hot_subject


I don't know what tribe you are from but if you have a phone with internet that will allow you to download network applications, they have a application where they have most languages of Nigeria; and you download it to your phone, it was based upon a CIA fact book from what I have heard: http://www.amazon.com/21st-Century-Complete-Guide-Nigeria/dp/1422003647%3FSubscriptionId%3D19BAZMZQFZJ6G2QYGCG2%26tag%3Dsquidoo1434-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D1422003647

I had resently that some america came leaning our own language which is barbaric.and behold the days are coming when foreigners which teach us our own language.[color=#006600][/color]

Language doesn't not translate to identity. Left to me I would rather nobody spoke anything apart from English in Nigeria, all these languages are just an avenue or excuse for extending tribal discrimination.English all the way!!!!!!! Yippie

I was brutally beaten several times in Primary school for one single reason; VERNACULAR SPEAKING IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED!
What was vernacular? I don't know.
What is prohibited? No idea!
Thus i got more and more brutalized so much that by the time i was in Unilag, I could only speak English! I also can only feel rap music, R&B, classics, jazz & the usual pop. Until lately, any type of nigerian made music could only be referred to as gutter music. I am a Nigerian child of the 70's and 80's. CAN YOU BLAME ME?

showstopa:

Language doesn't not translate to identity. Left to me I would rather nobody spoke anything apart from English in Nigeria, all these languages are just an avenue or excuse for extending tribal discrimination.English all the way!!!!!!! Yippie

Language does translate to identity because certain things can only be described by your tribal language, like proverbs and history and etc. It is the same with Indians and Asians. Also I don't think language is a excuse to extend tribal discrimination, discrimination is based on the persons views whether they are speaking English, Hindi, Hausa or whatever and etc. So I feel that has nothing to do with it. Lets just thank God it was not left to you or every tribe in Nigeria would lose their tribal cultural language, and speak our colonizers language over our now. Don't get me wrong there is nothing wrong with speaking English but our cultural language should be number one(and thank God in certain parts of Nigeria it is; especially with the Yoruba and Hausa film industry booming).

@Anonymous,
Well said surely.
But I still maintain that language is just a barrier,lets all speak English, yippie.
What good is proverbs an idioms to me.Every single igbo,hausa or Yoruba proverb has an English version.On a serious note, I cannot tell you the advantage speaking some Nigerian Languages has given me in some places which is not fair. I should not know how to speak Hausa or Yoruba to be helped out, everyone should be treated fairly irrespective of dialect but I assume I am flogging a dead horse, so I no go even try.
English or Pidgin, way forward mate!!

meonbooty:

Even the only language you claim to understand, you cant communicate well in it. Shame!

Now, review the sentence that you constructed, and tell me if it was a 100% correct. Then quietly leave this thread. Mtchewwww

showstopa:

@Anonymous,
Well said surely.
But I still maintain that language is  just a barrier,lets all speak English, yippie.
What good is proverbs an idioms to me.Every single igbo,hausa or Yoruba proverb has an English version.On a serious note, I cannot tell you the advantage speaking some Nigerian Languages has given me in some places which is not fair. I should not know how to speak Hausa or Yoruba to be helped out, everyone should be treated fairly irrespective of dialect but I assume I am flogging a dead horse, so I no go even try.
English or Pidgin, way forward mate!!

That's your opinion & if English is a way forward for you then fine but in Nigeria NO, especially with the booming Yoruba and Hausa film industry becoming more big and popular in Yoruba and Hausa land, most tribal languages in Nigeria will always exist(because most of the yoruba's I know(including myself) prefer watching Yoruba movies then English nollywood movies; even Lagos primary language is Yoruba), so it will tell you that tribal languages are not going any where or will be over powered by English but at the same time English will always be existent in Nigeria, that won't go any where as well. To me language is not a barrier, and the pigeon English you say is the way forward is only prominent and known amongst the eastern and south-south tribes in Nigeria because they are the ones who really invented that. Language is part of identity to me.

anonymous6:

To me language is not a barrier, and the pigeon English you say is the way forward is only prominent and known amongst the eastern and south-south tribes in Nigeria because they are the ones who really invented that. Language is part of identity to me.

shwostopa isn't eastern or from the far south.

ezeagu:

shwostopa isn't eastern or from the far south.

I don't know where he is from but pigeon English is from eastern or south south of Nigeria, they are the Nigerians I tend to see converse in that language

"Nigerian Pidgin English, often known simply as 'Pidgin' or 'Broken' (Broken English), is also a popular lingua franca, though with varying regional influences on dialect and slang. The pidgin English or Nigerian English is widely spoken within the Niger Delta Regions, predominately in Warri, Sapele, Port Harcourt, Agenebode, Ewu, and Benin City."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigeria#Language

"Nigerian Pidgin is most widely spoken in the oil rich Niger-Delta where most of its population speak it as their first language"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigerian_Pidgin

Pidgin wasn't invented by any one group. Pidgin originated when people who were unfamiliar with English mixed what little grammar they knew with their own language.

everybody in Costa Rica speaks Spanish, etc,

Everybody in Costa Rica does not speak spanish!

Other languages include Mekatelyu, Boruca, and Bribri.


From around Latin America,
[size=16pt]
Colombia [/size]

Can you hear the women talking? That's not spanish! It's Palenquero

[flash=400,400]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZORbvVO3v60?version=3&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="960" height="720" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed>[/flash]

Honduras

[size=18pt]Garifuna[/size]

[flash=400,400]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUcjUsL-vVQ?version=3&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="960" height="720" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed>[/flash]

[flash=400,400]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBb4R95EAoI?version=3&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="1280" height="720" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed>[/flash]

Peru

[size=18pt]Quechua[/size]

[flash=400,400]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aL0xUvZAixg?version=3&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="960" height="720" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed>[/flash]

Our problem is colonial mentality and the belief that the English Language is more superior. In Lagos, I have witnessed a barely literate mother with that belief speaking to her small child in English! It is no surprise that those who raise children abroad do the same.

everybody in Costa Rica speaks Spanish, etc,

Everybody in Costa Rica does not speak spanish!

Other languages include Mekatelyu, Boruca, and Bribri.


From around Latin America,





The point is that spanish is the major language spoken in Costa rica. Google it now. Of course you have small tribes that speak a different language, but I wouldn't be suprised if those in the video know spanish as well their local language since spanish is the official language of Costa Rica and that's probably what they are taught in school. If you know Spanish and travel to Costa Rica, you will find your way around pretty easily. I know a couple of people that studied abroad in Costa Rica and the only requirement was for them to know spanish. Nobody ask them to learn Bribri or any other language that you have listed/ In contrast to Nigeria, will knowing Hausa help you find you way in the southeast? or knowing yoruba help you in Kaduna? We are fragmented in Nigeria. That is the point I am trying to make. Spanish is the official language of most Latin American countries. Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba are not the lingua Franca of Nigeria, English is.

This practice is becoming widespread with too many bad women with large doses of 'inferiority complex' turning out as mothers and house wives to careless nigerian men.

A friend once told me a rather sordid story of how her nephews resident back home in Lagos, Nigeria could not express theirselves in the kalabari language of their parents [who are both kalabari indigenes themselves] unlike their cousins who were born and being raised in the United states of America.

We are in the mess we find our selves in today because Nigerian Women have relegated their roles to the backstage and want to be beautiful only.

This practice is becoming widespread with too many bad women with large doses of 'inferiority complex' turning out as mothers and house wives to careless nigerian men.

A friend once told me a rather sordid story of how her nephews resident  back home in Lagos, Nigeria could not express theirselves in the kalabari language of their parents [who are both kalabari indigenes themselves] unlike their cousins who were born and being raised in the United states of America.

We are in the mess we find our selves in today because Nigerian Women have relegated their roles to the backstage and want to be beautiful only.

This practice is becoming widespread with too many bad women with large doses of 'inferiority complex' turning out as mothers and house wives to careless nigerian men.

dont let crayola here u talking like that.

kjhova:
I was brutally beaten several times in Primary school for one single reason; VERNACULAR SPEAKING IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED!
What was vernacular? I don't know.
What is prohibited? No idea!
Thus i got more and more brutalized so much that by the time i was in Unilag, I could only speak English! I also can only feel rap music, R&B, classics, jazz & the usual pop. Until lately, any type of nigerian made music could only be referred to as gutter music. I am a Nigerian child of the 70's and 80's. CAN YOU BLAME ME?

lol

Oba234:
Nigeria is a country with different ethnicities and languages. We can't compare ourselves to Hispanics who lack diversity in their home countries. All Latin American countries speak Spanish except for Brazil and Guyana. Everybody in mexico speaks Spanish, everybody in Costa Rica speaks Spanish, etc, but everybody in Nigeria does not speak Yoruba, Igbo or Hausa. Nigeria is so fragmented language wise and the only way to communicate with our fellow Nigerians is to speak English. There is not one dominating language in Nigeria like there is in Ghana where majority of their population speak Twi. We are too divided to speak one local language, so English is what we are stuck with.

Many of the younger generations of Nigerians don't speak their language because many of us are growing up in a "melting pot"with different ethnicities that we interact with on a daily basis and this is vastly different from our parents era where many of our parents stuck to their own kind or own group, so it was easier to learn their language. I grew up in the USA, I have Igbo friends, yoruba, ibibio and Niger deltans friends, so how am I going to interact with my fellow Nigerians in the diaspora if I don't speak English. I think this is why Pidgin is on the rise. It is the younger generation way of interacting with others while still maintain our culture.

Best response. Proponent of speaking one's mother tongue didn't consider what you posted. They think of themselves without considering what you opined

Oba234:
everybody in Costa Rica speaks Spanish, etc,

Everybody in Costa Rica does not speak spanish!

Other languages include Mekatelyu, Boruca, and Bribri.


From around Latin America,





The point is that spanish is the major language spoken in Costa rica. Google it now. Of course you have small tribes that speak a different language, but I wouldn't be suprised if those in the video know spanish as well their local language since spanish is the official language of Costa Rica and that's probably what they are taught in school. If you know Spanish and travel to Costa Rica, you will find your way around pretty easily. I know a couple of people that studied abroad in Costa Rica and the only requirement was for them to know spanish. Nobody ask them to learn Bribri or any other language that you have listed/ In contrast to Nigeria, will knowing Hausa help you find you way in the southeast? or knowing yoruba help you in Kaduna? We are fragmented in Nigeria. That is the point I am trying to make. Spanish is the official language of most Latin American countries. Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba are not the lingua Franca of Nigeria, English is.

Correct! I agree with you on this.

I don't know about you guys,but i'm proud i speak only English.My dad is Urhobo,mum is Estako from Edo but i can't speak any of the two languages other than English,Not even Pidgin English.Even though i am born and bred in Nigeria.One more thing,i think if we should abandon our languages,i think it would unite us as a Nation.