₦airaland Forum

The citizens are not smiling

...it is irresponsible and criminal to fight a law enforcement agent

sageb:
Educative

It is, reason to help push to be moved to front page

Since 2015, every August 26 has been observed as “Hausa Day” (or “Ranar Hausa” in the Hausa language) by Hausa-speaking people all over the world. In honour of this day, I highlight 20 Nigerian English—and Nigerian Pidgin English— expressions that owe debts to the Hausa language.

As with every language that leaves its primordial shores, the Hausa words that make it to Nigerian English are often contorted from their original forms and meanings.

1. “Jaara.” Most speakers of Nigerian English recognize this word as an additional, often small, quantity that a merchant gives to a customer who purchases goods in the market as a show of appreciation for the customer’s business. It is derived from the Hausa “gyara.”

The word’s corruption to “jaara” in Nigerian (Pidgin) English) is a consequence of the absence of the Hausa phoneme “gy” in most Nigerian languages.

Interestingly, in the U.S. state of Louisiana, when I lived for almost two years before moving to Georgia, people use the term “lagniappe” (pronounced Lan-Yap) to signify what Hausa people call “gyara” and that Nigerian English speakers call “jaara.”

No other part of the United States has a culture of merchants giving a small gift to their customers after a transaction. I once speculated that the Louisiana “lagniappe” culture may be traceable to enslaved Hausa people in the state hundreds of years ago.

2. “Babban riga.” The resplendent, broad-sleeved, flowing gown that has now become the attire of choice of Nigerian politicians of all ethnicities is often called “babban riga” in Nigerian English. It’s a slight distortion of “babbar riga,” its Hausa name.

3. “Megad.” This Nigerian English word for what native English speakers call a door guard, a gatekeeper, a uniformed doorman, or a hall porter came to us from a distortion of the Hausa “maigadi,” itself a blend of the Hausa “mai” and the English “guard.”

The fact that most doorkeepers in Nigerian urban centers used to be—probably still are—Hausa or Hausa-speaking northerners helped to admit “megad” into the pantheon of unique Nigerian English expressions.

4. “Buka.” This word now means a cheap, casual, ramshackle eatery that sells already prepared food. It came from the Hausa word “bukka,” which means a temporary, tumble-down hut or tent.

Since most roadside or dirt-cheap eateries in Nigeria used tents (many don’t these days), Nigerians neologized the word “bukateria” from “bukka” on the model of cafeteria, itself an American English word borrowed from Spanish.

5. “Burantashi.” Most Nigerians know this word to be the Hausa word for an aphrodisiac, that is, the bitter herbal concoction that reputedly stimulates sexual desire in men. “Bura” is the Hausa word for the male reproductive organ and “tashi” is the Hausa word for rising, waking up, etc. Curiously, however, the word “buratashi” (which is probably how it would have been
Menu

In everyday conversational Hausa, at least among Hausa Muslims, “bura” is rarely used except in vulgar insults such as “bura uban ka/ki” (which is now rendered as “borobanka” in some varieties of Nigerian Pidgin English).

I’m genuinely curious how “burantashi” came to be if it’s almost absent in the demotic repertoire of native Hausa speakers. Hausa people call aphrodisiacs “maganin karfin maza” or “gagi.”

6. “Fadama.” This Hausa word for a fertile wetland is now a widely used terminology in agriculture in Nigeria and beyond.

7. “Do guy.” To “do guy” in Nigerian English is to preen, to show off with elaborate sartorial care. That expression owes provenance to the Hausa “gayu,” where it means the same thing. A dandy is called “dan gaye” or “dan danyu” in Hausa.

But it seems like there is a circular sociolinguistic loop in the emergence of this expression from Hausa to Nigerian English. Since “gayu” itself doesn’t seem to be native to Hausa, it’s reasonable to assume that it’s a loan to the language from the English “guy.”

Guy means an adult male in English, and men who wore shirts and trousers (as opposed to the more common Hausa attires of kaftans and babbar riga) were referred to as “guys.” So, “guy” might have changed meaning from just being men attired in Western clothes to dandies, from where it made its way to Nigerian Pidgin English and later to Nigerian English to simply mean preening.

8. “Long leg,” the Nigerian English idiomatic expression for connections (which even Wole Soyinka used in one of this iconic plays) is said to be the direct translation of the Hausa dogon-kafa. Dogon-kafa can mean long-established, and it can colloquially mean (unfair) advantages that come with knowing people in high places.

9. “Kaya mata” or “kayamata” (which native Hausa speakers would write as “kayan mata”) has come to mean sexual stimulant for women and is now widely known by that name in southern Nigeria.

10. “Mudu,” the unit of measurement that most Nigerians use in the market, is a Hausa word.

11. To “see gobe” in southern Nigeria is to be in trouble, sometimes good trouble. It’s the title of Davido’s 2013 hit song. It may have been derived from the Hausa “sai gobe,” which literally translates as “until tomorrow.” I am also curious to know how the semantic transition occurred from “until tomorrow” to “being in trouble.”

12. “Suya” literally means frying in Hausa, but it has become the name for barbecued meat in Nigeria, which Hausa people call “tsire.” Since most non-Hausa Nigerians can’t faithfully pronounce the phoneme “ts” in Hausa, it’s entirely possible that Hausa tsire sellers encouraged the popularization of suya, an easier word to pronounce among non-Hausa-speaking people.

13. “Dogon yaro” (which literally means tall child) is the Hausa word for neem tree, but it is almost universally known by that name in Nigeria.

14. “Wahala.” Although “wahala” is an Arabic word, it came to Nigerian (Pidgin) English most likely through Hausa. It’s derived from the Arabic “wahla,” which means fright or terror, and is now firmly established in most Nigerian languages—and in the West African Pidgin English spoken in Nigeria, Ghana, and Cameroon

15. “Waaka.” In Nigerian Pidgin English, “waaka” is a popular insult often uttered in moments of extreme exasperation with all five fingers stretched out. It’s a corruption of the Hausa “uwar ka” (male) “uwar ki” (female). Uwa means “mother” in Hausa, so “uwar ka” is “your mother!”

16. “Mugu.” Nigerian 419 email scammers popularized this expression in Nigeria and beyond. It is understood to mean a chump, that is, a fool who can easily be tricked to part with his or her prized possessions under false pretenses. But this meaning of the word departs from its original Hausa meaning of “sadist.” Now, mugu has other variations such as “maga.”

17. “Haba!” This exclamation of astonishment or disappointment that has crept into Standard Nigerian English is native to the Hausa language. But a British linguist by the name of Roger Blench observed that “Habahaba! was a common expression of joking amazement in the US in the 1940s,” and wonders if there is any relationship between the Nigerian “haba!” and the obsolete American English “habahaba!” in light of the phono-semantic similarities between both expressions. I doubt that there is.

18. “Shikenan” (often rendered as “shikena” in southern Nigeria), the Hausa term for “that is it,” is now almost universally used in Nigerian (Pidgin) English.

19. “Shege.” This means bastard in Hausa, although it can also be used as an intensifier. It is now widely understood and used in the same context in Nigerian Pidgin English.

20. “Zobo” (short for zoborodo), a kind of drink originally limited to Hausa land is now probably the most pan-Nigerian locally produced drink. It is sold in African shops in Europe and North America.

Bonus: Turenchi, usually dogo turenchi, (which would be turanci, dogon turanci in Hausa), is now widely used in Nigerian Pidgin English and in informal standard Nigerian English to mean long, boring, ineffective harangue in English by politicians and academics.
Source: http:///d8391a2220827en_ng?link=1&client=news

Alphafeezay:
God be praised

Amen.. thanks

Some in March, 2021, I posted that my friend's teenage brother was missing in Kubwa, Abuja.
https://www.nairaland.com/7020103/teenage-boy-missing-kubwa-abuja

After about five months, we want to announce to the world and friends who were sympathetic and joined us prayers, that the boy has returned home in good health.

The boy had left home to join a church bus, along Kubwa Express, to a certain Church in the city centre where he normally attend with neighbours, so that day he went along, but perhaps he entered the wrong vehicle, he found himself in Mararaba Area of Abuja and could not locate his way back to the Church or back to Kubwa and was wandering about.

A good Samaritan, a man found him and took him in to his house and has been with him since then and because of the boy's difficulties in talking properly, according to the man, he could not understand what the boy was saying in order to extract words from him as regards where he was living in Kubwa.

How the man later understood how the boy explained Kubwa to him is what we could not begin to ask him, as they entered Kubwa and driving along Arab Road, the boy was able to point at his sister's boutique shop where the man took him to and found the sister.

He has been taken for medical check up, nothing is wrong with him.

We thank Almighty God and everyone for the support and prayers. To God alone be the glory.

Thank God Burna boy ran away early

Why are they meeting in London and not Nigeria? Same way they corner our commonwealth to foreign countries and leaving our economy down.

Come to think of it... Tinubu and Woke met in London, Atiku and Wike met on London, Peter Obi is meeting with Diaspora Nigerians in abroad.

What really is the problem with Nigerians?

Gadetimese:
Tinubu is a PLACEHOLDER for Gov Shettima, the earlier you people realize this, the better.

Most of the people pushing escoBAT do not know there's an agenda to just install him by fire by force, and when he is tired and sick before 2 years, Shettima will be sworn-in as President and more Kabiru Sokoto will be hiding in his house.

Even Yaradua was way stronger than him before he became president.

Every Attempt To Convert Aso Rock To Retirement Home For The Elderly & Sick , We Cancel & Destroy in Jesus Name.

A sick country does not need a sick president

Does it or will work that way in a country like ours?

Is she mad?

Zydote:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuTct-QgojI
Even Peter Obi applauded His economic plans




https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vanguardngr.com/2022/08/follow-man-wey-know-road-shettima-tells-nigerians-at-2022-nba-conference/amp/

Is that not Malami that looks like body guard following Shetima so?

The right time for corporate sponsorship for her. Call out to Dangote, Globacom, Bua, Zenith Bank plc, NNPC Ltd

bennybuhari:
https://independent.ng/as-president-tinubu-will-address-problem-of-corruption-in-nigeria-yuguda/

This is mockery, abi joke?

[quote author=Laidewiess post=115893165]

The NAF today plays the central role in the war on terror, and for good reasons. Speed. The air force can reach the enemy faster than any other component of the military. It can cover much greater distances with speed and lethality. Synegize this capability with ground forces pic.twitter.com/55jJk2OOqB

— Defense News Nigeria (@DefenseNigeria) August 20, 2022

is your message with this post?

Nemere2020:
https://dailypost.ng/2022/08/20/ex-pdp-chair-secondus-dares-wike-for-threatening-him-over-atiku/?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1661014135

Wike is over stretching a matter he should have tactically retreated and accepted all the entreaties to him by Atiku and PDP since. He will soon lose the value

Kagd10:
What are you saying exactly? Can you even read yourself? So you would have preferred cultism didn't reduce at Uniben? Someone helped cultists to reduce yet you're still spewing gibberish.

I don't think you can comprehend simple English. Maybe you are not on ground in Edo. For emphasis... I said the Rainbow Coalition that was introduced by Oshiomole, a platform through which he made the different cult groups to unite as brothers and sisters and to eschew violence helped in curbing the nefarious and violent activities of cultism in Edo, for example the reduction of cultist activities in your UNIBEN.

If you still find my English too complicated for you to comprehend, kindly tell me or better, ask informed person or contact in Benin the concept of Rainbow Coalition as initiated by Oshiomole government in Edo then.

Kagd10:
That's a huge lie. It's on record that cultists in Uniben reduced the moment Oshiomhole became the governor.

Read and comprehend my comment and you will know that the Rainbow Coalition helped in reducing cultism and violence during the reign of Oshiomole as Governor.

ChangetheChange:
Wike has completely gone mad, he needs to be taken to psychiatric hospital.

Psychiatry Hospital is in Uselu, Benin City in Edo State

Kagd10:
Funnily the people saying gibberish were the same ones lauding sea pirates the other time. The hypocrisy.

Kabaka isn't a cultist. He's a businessman. In fact it was under Oshiomhole, that cultists reduced in Uniben. Get your fact right.

Meanwhile, Tinubu remains the best candidate.

Let each candidates list their legacies in relative to how they would improve the country or shut up with their noisemaking. Simple as ABC. We're not gonna ride on blind faith like before. Let us improve the country. Tinubu is the only one who can.. The only progressive competent liberal Leader among all the candidates.

Oshiomole initiated the Rainbow Coalition (an umbrella body that brought about peace among the different cult groups in Edo State) and this brought relative peace in Edo State, but Obaseki could not continue with it which failure resulted in increased cult killings in the State.

stmayor:
After lots up's and down and disappointment finally am tying the knot

Congratulations to you, No allow these your bushy bears catch fire one day o

He has come to bargain for his vehicles too, just as Niger got theirs from "big brother Africa"

Abfinest007:
.
https://www.legit.ng/politics/1486832-after-visit-hometown-angry-youths-wash-atikus-footsteps-perform-cryptic-cleansing/

Are these youths or rogues?

Betternext:
A woman died because she couldn't afford 1k to meet hunger need. You will save a life if you help me with any amount. I have not eaten since 2 days now. Help a sister please. May you richly be bless
00.154.428.45, Sterling Bank.

Don't hide your identity, otherwise no one will attend to your cause or concern. Be open and real, then may people including me will key it to your concern

fergie001:
SOURCE

Pampering that could turn out poisonous to your electoral fortune in 2023

This Oni of Ife just dey waka upandan like a school child

If it's a joke, she should stop it. The ground is not ready to be opened for you yet

TMSMedia:
https://www.instagram.com/p/ChSmGgYLzw6/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Betting is not criminal. Better than going to steal or beg

Maxymilliano:
I think he is actually an armed robber who tried to cover up with prank. Let the law take it course so that other that normally do stupid pranks would take correction.

Same with a comedian called Iamtrinityguy that is notorious for expensive pranks

The pranks by iamtrinityguy are too expensive. He will receive a shocker soon

Virgohills:
8months registered 3.1m
2006 G300

Chat 08171542705

2.5m?