perambulator:


Nigerians are actually very bad at english especially the new generation. Just read articles on Nairaland. A good example is the common use of the word "staffs" instead of "staff"

I have noticed that Ghanaians and south African countries Zambia, Tanzania etc have a better grasp of English than Nigerians. Dont assume when speaking to a young Nigerian that they actually understand what you are saying. Nigerians have a habit of hearing one word and construing another meaning to it. Today Someone was trolling me because he clearly did not understand the meaning of the word "viable".

I can understand loose use of English on the internet and social media (we all do it) but my issue is a lot of Nigerians dont actually understand the meaning or proper use of everyday English words. While we all speak in English it is sometimes difficult to communicate with the typical Nigerian in English. Very often I have to ask my staff to repeat what I just said so I know they understood what I meant. We've also bastardized so many words that very often when you use a word as intended, it is interpreted differently by many Nigerians.

authority2006:


Should we now focus on some issues/problems and neglect others? Your reasoning level is quite low.

abdsamad:


Maybe you're right but surely a person that passes Ielts shouldn't have to retake the test ever, or at least not after a decade.
Are we saying the person has suddenly forgotten how to speak the English after two years?

It's a good money making scheme hiding under the shell of standardisation

ariketalks:


Have you visited forums dominated by "native English speakers"? I guess not.

Any language proficiency test with a validity period attached is an avenue to rip people off.
Thanks to our population, Nigeria is a viable market for such business to boom but let's not make excuses for greed please.

Digmygold:


The so called white are even worse at speaking their own language

sojayy:
Fantastic ! Africa don suffer reach...... Some has attempted d exam like 4-5 times.....this is daylight fraud.......we no blame them, if our country is okay who'll think of migrating or studying abroad.

perambulator:


Nigerians are actually very bad at english especially the new generation. Just read articles on Nairaland. A good example is the common use of the word "staffs" instead of "staff"

I have noticed that Ghanaians and south African countries Zambia, Tanzania etc have a better grasp of English than Nigerians. Dont assume when speaking to a young Nigerian that they actually understand what you are saying. Nigerians have a habit of hearing one word and construing another meaning to it. Today Someone was trolling me because he clearly did not understand the meaning of the word "viable".

I can understand loose use of English on the internet and social media (we all do it) but my issue is a lot of Nigerians dont actually understand the meaning or proper use of everyday English words. While we all speak in English it is sometimes difficult to communicate with the typical Nigerian in English. Very often I have to ask my staff to repeat what I just said so I know they understood what I meant. We've also bastardized so many words that very often when you use a word as intended, it is interpreted differently by many Nigerians.

perambulator:


[s]Nigerians are actually very bad at english especially the new generation. Just read articles on Nairaland. A good example is the common use of the word "staffs" instead of "staff"

I have noticed that Ghanaians and south African countries Zambia, Tanzania etc have a better grasp of English than Nigerians. Dont assume when speaking to a young Nigerian that they actually understand what you are saying. Nigerians have a habit of hearing one word and construing another meaning to it. Today Someone was trolling me because he clearly did not understand the meaning of the word "viable".

I can understand loose use of English on the internet and social media (we all do it) but my issue is a lot of Nigerians dont actually understand the meaning or proper use of everyday English words. While we all speak in English it is sometimes difficult to communicate with the typical Nigerian in English. Very often I have to ask my staff to repeat what I just said so I know they understood what I meant. We've also bastardized so many words that very often when you use a word as intended, it is interpreted differently by many Nigerians[/s].

Myexdisturbs:

Self hating monkey , most of us have written the test and crossed but that doesn't mean we will not campaign for others. Some countries exempted don't speak English better than us. Ewu

perambulator:


That is my personal experience based on my travels and interactions with both their elite and the poor. It is actually because of the frustrations that I experience with Nigerians that I noticed that many of these African countries seem better educated at least in terms of communicating in English. Understanding English is not about intelligence or social status. My issue is effective communication in English i.e understanding what is being said. I lived in England for 17 years, I went to school in England, I was born there so dont try and school me on English people. In Nigeria we judge people by their ability to speak English but when you get to England you realise everybody speaks English even the dullard and the illiterate. Even the illiterate English man can communicate properly in English. However, like i said in one of my posts even an illiterate English man from a council flat will not use the word "couple" when he means few... when he says couple he means 2! However even a Nigerian with a Ph.d will say "couple" when he means "few". Those are the kind of things I am talking about. Many Nigerians misuse English words, many dont understand the true meanings or use similar words but with different meanings interchangeably or wrongly. That is my main issue with Nigerians and English...proper communication, using the right words and understanding the true meaning of words. There is always a risk of miscommunication when communicating with a lot of Nigerians in English and I am even talking here about so called graduates.

In my experience Nigerians (particularly the youth) have the poorest grasp of English of all the African countries I have visited and I have been to many. We speak English but many do not understand. IMHO it is down to the quality of our primary/secondary education, once you get it wrong there it is difficult to correct. Like I have said elsewhere it is like myself and yoruba. I speak youruba fluently but I cannot communicate effectively in yoruba or truly understand what is being said in all situations. Ask me to interprete a typical yotuba song and i cant. Thats the problem with many Nigerians they speak English but many do not really understand English words, even the ones they use frequently.

Imagine a crime scene were 3 culprits attacked a man. A Nigerian and an English man witnessed the event and are giving statements to the police. An English man even if he cannot read or write will always say "a few men" attacked the man, whereupon he may be probed as to how many because the police man also being an English man who understands the language knows "a few" is not specific. If you ask the Nigerian he will likely tell you "a couple" of men, whereas the police knowing the meaning of couple not understanding he is dealing with a Nigerian will start looking for 2 men instead of 3. I also used the example of the word "viable", that you say a candidate is viable does not mean you said he will win but you have to explain to many Nigerians that all you said and meant was he has a good chance.

This is the problem I have with Nigerians and English, you always have to clarify and not assume anything. To be clear having a good grasp of English does not make you intelligent but the lack of ability to communicate effectively in English can make you look dumb.

perambulator:


[s]The problem with the ignorant is the same as the problem with the poorly educated. Common sense would suggest to anyone capable of critical thought that the products of an education system that has been ignored, starved of funding and been on a steady decline produces will not be fit for purpose, including their understanding of the English language. There is a reason why children of the elite do not send their children to school in Nigeria anymore, before it was University, now many are not sending them to secondary schools.

I always say if you do not have children of people of stature in society in your institution, your school is almost certainly crap!!!!!


But go ahead and be an ostrich and live in denial!!! The good thing about Nigerians are their denial is that the International community will always put your nonsense and denials where it belongs.[/s]

mastermaestro:


Anyone who faults your valid points just wants to argue for pride. Many Nigerians surprisingly find it very difficult to understand clear information, instructions and rules communicated in plain English. You get to realise this when you see the shocking actions and reactions to a clear message that was passed in a language thought to be commonly spoken and understood.

Meanings of many words have been turned upside down. Idioms particularly suffer daily in the mouth of Nigerians. I think our people derive pleasure and take pride in breaking rules. Sincerely if you wholly followed the rules of English in Nigeria, you will be scoffed at by those who claim they are highly educated.

There is something here that resents simple rules.

perambulator:
Another example is the way Nigerian interchange the words "couple" and "few". I can tell you for free when a white man no matter how poorly educated even the ones in council flats and ghettos, tells you "couple" he means 2, if it is more than 2 and and undetermined multiple but not many, he will say "few" or whatever correctly describes the number. When a foreigner hears couple he hears "2" but when a Nigerian says "couple" he could mean any number, thats part of the problem of communication in English with a Nigerian!!!

I am yoruba and can speak yoruba but I do not understand the meaning of many yoruba words especially those spoken by those really hardcore yoruba elders. So when they use those words, sometimes I do not understand what they are saying or I have to guess what they are trying to say. In my experience, that is the exact problem many many Nigerians have with English. They can speak it but they really do not understand the true meanings of many of the words and so communication is lost!!

English is the universal language of instruction, of commerce etc. if you do not understand the true meaning of words and how and when to use them, there will always be miscommunication.

airsaylongcome:


Starting a sentence with "Because" already provides enough reason why you should be writing IELTS

perambulator:


Nigerians are actually very bad at english especially the new generation. Just read articles on Nairaland. A good example is the common use of the word "staffs" instead of "staff"

I have noticed that Ghanaians and south African countries Zambia, Tanzania etc have a better grasp of English than Nigerians. Dont assume when speaking to a young Nigerian that they actually understand what you are saying. Nigerians have a habit of hearing one word and construing another meaning to it. Today Someone was trolling me because he clearly did not understand the meaning of the word "viable".

I can understand loose use of English on the internet and social media (we all do it) but my issue is a lot of Nigerians dont actually understand the meaning or proper use of everyday English words. While we all speak in English it is sometimes difficult to communicate with the typical Nigerian in English. Very often I have to ask my staff to repeat what I just said so I know they understood what I meant. We've also bastardized so many words that very often when you use a word as intended, it is interpreted differently by many Nigerians.

TheSameGuy:
Signed this two weeks back.


Omicron007, u need to be spank seriously in the assss, is Dem manna you're talking to in that manner?
You dare see him and talk that nonsense to his face.

What insolence

vikstandon:



Hey fellow! You ain't getting your punctuations right. Do a proofread.

perambulator:


I am not writing an essay or a formal or official communication on nairaland. I do not have to be precise with my punctuation etc, that is not what I am talking about here. I am talking about communicating, understanding the language, understanding the real meaning of the words being spoken or written . If you do not understand the true meaning, or you use words wrongly, then you are not communicating because If i say one thing, you hear something else. I find for example it is a big issue on nairaland, I keep having to tell people to "read what I wrote again" because I always have so called educated Nigerians for some reason assuming I said something I didnt say.

If your punctuation is sloppy on social media, so long as the failure to properly punctuate does not distort the message, you will still understand what I am saying if i use the right words and you in turn understand the meaning of words I used. If I use the wrong words, or you do not understand the true meaning of the words in use then it doesn't matter whther i use capital letters, put comma in the right place or misspell especially on social media or forums etc. Thats the point.

In my last paragraph i spelt "whether" as whther but any fool knows what I mean, i used small "i" instead of "I" but you know what i mean therefore, i have communicated succesfully....that is what is meant by understanding English. the purpose of language is communication This is an informal setting no one cares about your punctuation. If my understanding of a word is different from yours we are not communicating. Thats my issue with Nigerians, many use words wrongly!!! If I say something is "viable" and you interpret that as my saying something will work then we are not communicating because thats not what i said....thats my problem with many Nigerians and English!!!

JohnAOne:
Virtually what I said in my comment. Nigerians DON'T KNOW English, talk less of communication skills, and they want to cancel IELTS.
Jokers!

vikstandon:



So all these epistle was just to respond to my few lines of text... You have a problem bro.
Commot body, you never leave Nigerian border.
Seeing that all your messages doesn't end without name calling shows you are sordid in mind. You are going senile and should be paid attention to.

You keep saying that's your issue with Nigerians...Are you a bastard?

airsaylongcon:


Agree. But does that mean they can't demand a minimum level of proficiency from those who want to come to their country? If I say you cannot wear your shoes in my house when visiting me does that mean I can't wear my own shoes in my house?

perambulator:
Another example is the way Nigerian interchange the words "couple" and "few". I can tell you for free when a white man no matter how poorly educated even the ones in council flats and ghettos, tells you "couple" he means 2, if it is more than 2 and and undetermined multiple but not many, he will say "few" or whatever correctly describes the number. When a foreigner hears couple he hears "2" but when a Nigerian says "couple" he could mean any number, thats part of the problem of communication in English with a Nigerian!!!

I am yoruba and can speak yoruba but I do not understand the meaning of many yoruba words especially those spoken by those really hardcore yoruba elders. So when they use those words, sometimes I do not understand what they are saying or I have to guess what they are trying to say. In my experience, that is the exact problem many many Nigerians have with English. They can speak it but they really do not understand the true meanings of many of the words and so communication is lost!!

English is the universal language of instruction, of commerce etc. if you do not understand the true meaning of words and how and when to use them, there will always be miscommunication.

WoundedLamb:


"Because English is the primary medium of instruction in Nigeria at all levels of education, we don't need IELTS at all."