Sorry according to the dictionary means Feeling or expressing sympathy, pity, or regret: but in Nigeria today we use the word anyhow,for instance a girl walked up to me today and the first word she spoke was "sorry where is david street?" My question here is why must sorry always be used before any statement is made in nigeria. If you meet anyone in a bank for instance and wants to make use of your pen heor she says "sorry can I use your pen?"Can't we do away with the "sorry" word?

Please enlightened nairalanders let us share why you feel or think we all use this word always even when it is not proper......

It is because we tend to be respectful when in the real sense, we are not.

The other reason is as a result of our grammatical missapropriation.

Acidosis: It is because we tend to be respectful when in the real sense, we are not.

The other reason is as a result of our grammatical missapropriation.

I may agree with you on the other reason but even the educated and enlightened ones says it as well.

Do you really want to know?follow me!

Very romantic

Mynd_44: Very romantic

Dis guy sef

The uasge is correct.
If you checked the dictionary,you would see
That the word "sorry" can also be used as an exclamation.
The usage in your examples is therefore correct.
English is not a rigid but an ever evolving language.
Blessed day.

cog1: The uasge is correct.
If you checked the dictionary,you would see
That the word "sorry" can also be used as an exclamation.
The usage in your examples is therefore correct.
English is not a rigid but an ever evolving language.
Blessed day.

God bless u! He barely finished elementary,so I understand d void.

cog1: The uasge is correct.
If you checked the dictionary,you would see
That the word "sorry" can also be used as an exclamation.
The usage in your examples is therefore correct.
English is not a rigid but an ever evolving language.
Blessed day.

Mr English,even the inventors faults its use here. Hw does exclamation concern questions or request?

@idowuogbo thanks love you are such
a darling. I'm just returning from a
rather short service!!!How you dey jare?!!!
Blessed sunday.

cog1: @idowuogbo thanks love you are such
a darling. I'm just returning from a
rather short service!!!How you dey jare?!!!
Blessed sunday.

I dey Jare! Have a blessed week bruda!

Idowuogbo:
God bless u! He barely finished elementary,so I understand d void.

OMG!!!!!!!!

Mynd_44:
OMG!!!!!!!!

Wetin? He called for it.

Idowuogbo:
Wetin? He called for it.

Yes he did

Mynd_44:
Yes he did

Bless u!

Amen!!!!!

Its because it translate in yoruba to a multipurpose word with broad range of wellwishing meanings....people who speak english,may also think in alternate grammar syntax and also in alternate semantic syntax....In this spanish speaking country,i am learning spànish in addition to my english and i speak yoruba...yoruba and pidgin have some Portuguese-spanish words like dame loun and sabi or sabir...many spanish words are the same as english but have different semantic use or i mean -they use the word in different meaning...it can be confusing but it helps me understand the roots of english and how words and thier meaning evolve..in english,to molest conotes a sexual violation,but in spanish molest means to cheat some one with money or to damage property or body harm...I was feeling strange when the money changer at the national border promised not to ¨molest¨ my money exchange deal with him,where in english i would worry he reach into my pocket beyond my money and into my prize jewels......

19naia: Its because it translate in yoruba to a multipurpose word with broad range of wellwishing meanings....people who speak english,may also think in alternate grammar syntax and also in alternate semantic syntax....In this spanish speaking country,i am learning spànish in addition to my english and i speak yoruba...yoruba and pidgin have some Portuguese-spanish words like dame loun and sabi or sabir...many spanish words are the same as english but have different semantic use or i mean -they use the word in different meaning...it can be confusing but it helps me understand the roots of english and how words and thier meaning evolve..in english,to molest conotes a sexual violation,but in spanish molest means to cheat some one with money or to damage property or body harm...I was feeling strange when the money changer at the national border promised not to ¨molest¨ my money exchange deal with him,where in english i would worry he reach into my pocket beyond my money and into my prize jewels......

Wetin happen? Won le yin ni

The topic here is more or less concerned
With semantics rather than syntax.
The op in particular is not concerned about
The order and arrangement of the element
"Sorry"in a logical statement;rather he is
Concerned with the semantics.
Now if a person inadvertently makes wrong
Transliterations,I mean,we all make mistakes
from time to time.
But it becomes a different ball game
entirely to actively defend the
wrong transliterations made in
his/her brain from one language to another;
that would be close to unforgivable!
The proverb says:"the fool is not the one
That does not know;rather the fool is the
One that does not know and knows not that
he know not!
Blessed evening.

cog1: The topic here is more or less concerned
With semantics rather than syntax.
The op in particular is not concerned about
The order and arrangement of the element
"Sorry"in a logical statement;rather he is
Concerned with the semantics.
Now if a person inadvertently makes wrong
Transliterations,I mean,we all make mistakes
from time to time.
But it becomes a different ball game
entirely to actively defend the
wrong transliterations made in
his/her brain from one language to another;
that would be close to unforgivable!
The proverb says:"the fool is not the one
That does not know;rather the fool is the
One that does not know and knows not that
he know not!
Blessed evening.

Yepa! Dis one enter o!

Poster, u see ur life?

Lmfaooooooooooooo!!

@moderator
Una try wella
Godis watching u

Na only my own una dey dey hide abi??
Nor be una fault na seun I blame

cog1: The topic here is more or less concerned
With semantics rather than syntax.
The op in particular is not concerned about
The order and arrangement of the element
"Sorry"in a logical statement;rather he is
Concerned with the semantics.
Now if a person inadvertently makes wrong
Transliterations,I mean,we all make mistakes
from time to time.
But it becomes a different ball game
entirely to actively defend the
wrong transliterations made in
his/her brain from one language to another;
that would be close to unforgivable!
The proverb says:"the fool is not the one
That does not know;rather the fool is the
One that does not know and knows not that
he know not!
Blessed evening.

Na wa ooo
A wise man always said"never say never"
I always tot u were one of the elites on nairaland but was very sure ido not idowu ooo was one of the most stupid pple here but you just confirmed it to day by the above gibberish. Smh. U fall my hand finally. Its a pity

ifihearam:

Na wa ooo
A wise man always said"never say never"
I always tot u were one of the elites on nairaland but was very sure ido not idowu ooo was one of the most stupid pple here but you just confirmed it to day by the above gibberish. Smh. U fall my hand finally. Its a pity

Stop halaring my name mehn! I dont roll wiv dullards.

I was taught when i was younger that syntax and semantics were not intertwined where there is one without the other...then i learned about syntax and morphology where all things in the universe have a shape and order of arrangement..Even meaning or semantics itself is subject to syntax...if you can change the meaning of something,then you have changed its semantic designation and therefore have changed its semantic syntax...1st comes syntax and then all things fall under syntax..even semantics has a syntactical basis....Syntax for genetics,spoken languages,math languages,computer codes/encryptions,positions of planets E.T.C......if the position can be altered in shape or placement,then its syntactical position is altered...if you can change your position on the meaning of something,then its semantic syntax is altered....No one is above being a fool,not even I,but it is good to hold back on ones own masterfulness so as not to easily fall into the position of the master fool.......