₦airaland Forum

Are Nigerians living in Nigeria also forced to speak english? I don't get you.


@RichyBlack, Yes Emeka would be easier to say than Chukwuemeka. That doesn't mean that the 'Emeka' would even be pronounced correctly, maybe close.

davidylan:
Chiogo, would you prefer sheniqua to chika?

No, which was why I stated that african names have different levels of difficulty. Some are just too long and contain too many syllables.
By the way, sheniqua isn't english. I recommend a name with actual meaning if opting for an english name.

Lolol, wow, I never said anybody should change their names because foreigners can't pronounce it afterall some africans can't pronounce other africans names. Even my yoruba friends find it hard pronouncing my name. Neither did I say I won't give my kids igbo names. FYI, the white folks actually pronounce it better than their black counterpart.

I'm just saying if you can avoid the whole name wahala for your child even if it means giving them an english first name, fine. and a native name for middle name. Your last name still tells your identity.

If the whole name thing bothered me so much, I woulda urged my parents to have it changed. Even my middle name is igbo, I have no english name whatsoever. I do have cousins who constantly blame their parents for not giving 'em english names. Some even claim their names deny them job opportunities.

It's funny how people talk indirectly instead of being straight-forward. Well, fine I can play that game too.

FYI, age has nothing to do with this. Trust Nigerians to always hide under being old to equal wisdom whereas the most idiotic people in Nigeria are the old frauds called leaders. spare me pls.

As for the one calling names, i won't descend to your level. This just proves my point. age is NOT equal to wisdom. With their way of thinking, it's no surprise they don't know the meaning of the word, local. It's the same as native/indigenous, not a condescending term. BTW, I wasn't the first to use it on this thread

If I go to school here, doesn't that put me in a better position to know? Instead of saying stuff i hear/see on TV, I actually experience what I say.

I never expected any better from nairaland folks anyway, so y'all can keep being what you are.

RichyBlacK:
Wetin chiogo dey yarn sef?

I'm sorry but the statement in bold makes you sound very ridiculous!

Are you saying that those Nigerians who insist on their children answering/bearing Nigerian names are stupid? That was a very callous comment by you!

Did you bother to read the sentence that followed that comment? I'm sure you didn't.

As to your question, go back and understand the actual argument. It has to do with the location.

And if you still don't get, you just won't get it. I'm done with this topic anyway.

@Afam, stereotype stereotype!! just like africa is a jungle, right? seriously, gimme a break. It's funny how Nigerians complain of the same thing they're guilty of.

@Sagamite, english is a universal language. Whether mauritania or china, an english name would be pronounced better by its indigenes than an igbo name would. Anyway, I have no intention of living in such countries so that's not my cup of tea.

Even if you desperately want to give your child a local name, at least make it short and simple. Nigerian names tend to be long and contain too many syllables which is why foreigners tend to have a hard time saying 'em. Asian names can be difficult too but they're usually short.

I'm done arguing with you. I don't even have an english name.

She kinda added weight, that's not too good, you're s'pposed to lose weight for your wedding.

I don't know why y'all are hating on their kiss. they're married, people. get over it!

Sagamite:
Sorry, I am really struggling to see the logic here.

So are you saying because English is our official language, we should give our children English names and not local names? Why?

Not necessarily. Pheww!! I mentioned the whole english name thingy only for those living abroad. Ofcourse local names have different levels of difficulty.

There are some easy-to-pronounce local names and there are some extremely difficult ones. Even though I'm Nigerian, I'm sure there are some Nigerian names from other ethnic groups that I'd have a hard time saying right.

If you're raising your child in the state and you gave your child two names, the first being a local name and the middle being an english name. However, people find it difficult to say the first name right, wouldn't you just let the child bear the middle name in public while the family addresses him/her by his/her local name? Would you say "No, we're Nigerians and therefore, my children must have Nigerian names"? Honestly, that would be stupidity because 99% of the time your child would be interacting with foreigners as you live in a foreign country and not Nigerians. Believe me, learning to say your name right isn't one of their problems.

I'd rather answer an english name which can be pronounced correctly than answer a local name that is constantly butchered because at the end of the day, they're not really calling you the local name you're supposedly bearing. Nnenna and Nena are totally different things, the latter has no meaning.

'Nuff said.

Sagamite

Chiogo, I completely disagree with your statement here.

[b]Would you give you children Yoruba names if you live in Abeokuta so that Yoruba people will not murder the Igbo name?[/b]Or will you give your child a Chinese name if you are transfered to China to work?

I don't have an English name, if anybody is struggling to say my name, at best, I will give them the leeway to used a shortened version.

I bet most parents will find it revolting to name their child a Chinese, Russian, Somali or Zimbabwean name but they are more than happy to use an English one. Why? Did I hear someone say inferiority . . . . .

Totally different scenario you've painted here. English IS Nigeria's official language. That can't be compared to chinese, which Nigeria has absolutely no business with. Personally, I would think that your fellow countrymen be it yoruba, edo, or hausa should be able to pronounce your name better than a foreigner would so I wouldn't necessarily give my child a yoruba name because I reside in Abeokuta, a city which is still within Nigeria.

RichyBlack

I totally disagree with that in bold!

1. Barack Obama
2. Chiwetel Ejiofor
3. Emeka Okafor (NBA - Charlotte Bobcats)

You don't need English names!

We're kinda digressing from the original topic but anyway. . .
I never claimed that bearing your native names would make you unsuccessful in the states as that is what your comment implies.
Ofcourse the above mentioned people made it without english names but I'm sure 2 out of 3 of them had some difficulties growing up especially in school with the way their names were pronounced. They've made it so obviously, it doesn't bother them that much but when asked, they'd tell you what they went through because of their names.

Barack Obama is not the typical african name, it's more muslim than it is african. And as we all know, there are muslims all over the world including America so i wouldn't consider his name very difficult to pronounce.
Emeka Okafor, the NBA star, i'm sure the full name is Chukwuemeka Okafor(compare that to just emeka). Mispronunciation of his full name would be a logical reason why he bears only Emeka.

Chiwetel Ojiofor, I don't know who that is but I'm sure it wasn't all smooth and gravy either. My point is giving your child your native name doesn't make you oh so patriotic afterall english is Nigeria's official language, there's nothing wrong with english names. And I'm sure you know the difference between American english names and Nigerian english names, the latter usually have meanings.

@Sagamite, I totally agree with you. Afam4eva is also right that it is rampant among igbo people.

However, for those living abroad, i can understand if parents give their children english names. Americans sure know how to butcher people's names, trust me. You can call them their native name at home but please, save yourself the headache, I'm so serious.

There's nothing wrong with bearing english names even in Nigeria, it's just when the name has no meaning whatsoever that it ticks me off. eg. names like Shanelle/chantelle like WTF?

Nigerians living in Nigeria who can't speak their native language are just hilarious, i mean the parents. Not being able to speak your language in your own motherland is just funny to me. I've NEVER met a hispanic person, [whether born in their country or not] here in Boston who cannot speak spanish.

ezeagu:
Well the music isn't listened to just in Lagos,  it's global. I think some Igbo people don't value what they have and in a bid to sow that they are 'with one Nigeria' they would easily throw away their own culture. You can see this not only in language, but in dressing as well.

Right, I'm also sure that the majority of those who do listen are from cities too maybe not only Lagos. I'm sure people in Imo, Anambra, and other igbo states barely listen to those music. And I'm darn sure hausa people, who are rarely in other states other than their own listen to those music. This leaves people in other cities like edo, maybe delta - they don't have much of a choice anyway as they're not among the 'main' ethinic groups in Nigeria. [no pun intended]

Basically, whatever lagos produces, people gotta accept because Lagos is filled with people of almost all the ethnic groups and the ones in other cities have to listen to what Lagos has to offer as their own city isn't producing any stars who actually reside in their city. For example 2face Idibia, his family back home(whatever state he's from) would be forced to listen to that Lagos music because that's where he's making it.

I agree with Afrocynic. when in rome, act like the romans.

Igbo artistes sing in yoruba because most if not all of them run their career in Lagos state, which is still a yoruba state no matter how 'cosmopolitan' people say it is. Though this whole singing in yoruba thingy isn't limited to just igbos, most artistes trying to make it in Lagos have sung at least one song with yoruba in the chorus. 2face is not igbo and I'm pretty sure he has used yoruba in a song.

I especially liked how D'banj did that 'igwe' song although the song didn't make a lotta sense, he tried. It shows some unity among the Nigerian ethnic groups, sorta. Y'all need to stop the ethnocentrism.

Genevieve.

I love that song!! I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

@Hesperus, an ordinary boyfriend/girlfriend is one you're just passing time with, no attachment or committment whatsoever while a 'special' boyfriend/girlfriend is one you're committed to such as a fiance.

He didn't type it, well he did type the title but the topic itself is a recent report. I saw it somewhere.

tope2000:
In other words u just dont like cooking??
Are u nigerian?

Where was that implied in my post and what does being Nigerian have to do with anything?
Yes, I am Nigerian.

Lemme reiterate myself, I would but he has to be some special kinda boyfriend not just any boyfriend.

wow, this is a new one. how to make your lips pink/red, huh?? lmao

And they say black is beautiful.

Hell no!!! 

Well, if we're committed, yeah but not just an ordinary boyfriend who am not sure of his feelings for me.

cooking to me, is a big task   and a big step in a relationship. I don't intend to play house without actually having a house, y'dig??

This is the reason why most guys end up not marrying some women who did all these for them. She's already doing what a wife would do so they figure, what's the point in marrying her? well, that's just my own opinion.

My parents call eachother "nkem", which is igbo for "my own" They've called eachother that since I was little up till now.

HeatFusion:
Why would I buy his album when limewires dey?

lmao, exactly!!

@poster, who cares if they marry their fellow AAs??

Aww, KG's wife is cute!! and umm, Steve Harvey's family is just adorable,

And does Allen Iverson's wife look black to you? tsk! he even put chris and rihanna, lmfao, what a joke!!

tpia:
how did snoop dog get that kind of nice looking woman.

I've been asking myself the same question. I first saw her on their family show, "Fatherhood". They supposedly started dating since high school, even went to prom together. I guess gangstas like good girls.

Greatest hits - 2pac
The Blueprint - Jigga

I love both gold and accesories, heck gold can be an accessory too such as a gold bracelet, belt, or bag.

I love gold ear-rings and necklaces. Ooh, pearls are good too.

For shirts, I wear size small or medium sometimes

For pants, I wear between the size range of 0-3

TOYOSI20:
Enter place and see if You know go carry belle!!! - Tu face enter the place

YES!! That's some retarded line right there!! He's actually proud of having baby-mamas all over the place. smh.

bawomolo:
she would be right behind her boo while heatfusion and chiogo buy the next chris brown album

Hahaha, very funny. I've NEVER bought an album in my life! not even Jay-z's much less chris brown. tsk!


[quote author=Busy_body link=topic=240845.msg3528043#msg3528043 date=1235851004]She did this as a cop-out, he was going to reveal damaging stuffs about her mental state, I can smell her guilt a mile off [/quote]Exactly plus I also heard another rumor that she might be pregnant for him, which was part of the reason for their fight. she can't leave her baby-daddy now if she's truly pregnant.

Ok, Mr. poster, Most Africans who bear english names have biblical names such as Mary, Samuel, David, etc, last time I checked white people didn't write the bible. And the others with english but not biblical names have names such as blessing, mercy, etc. Those are not western names. Western names are Brian, Jason, Brtiney, etc. Get it right.

On a personal note, I have no western or english name whatsoever! so what's up?

Lolz, I knew this was gonna happen from the beginning. Some people never learn. Well, at the end of the day, it's her face being battered not mine.
I don't even like her like that but I would never support a woman-beater.

hahaha, I heard this report too. Don't really believe it since I listen to lil' wayne and I know what my brain is capable of. 

The SAT score listed above for Beethoven listeners isn't really high, just average.

JeSoul:
Brady will not be the same, he will be better The football gods have spoken, weren't you listening?
False prophet! God forbid bad thing Cassel will remain here just in case Brady does something to displease the gods and they don't give him back his powers Good Qb's are hard to find these days, if you got one, you hold on to him for dear life.

Ah Jesoul, your man, Cassel has been stolen by Kansas city Chiefs  guess it's just Brady.