₦airaland Forum

Toymax88:
Hallway and gangway, are they the same?

If not that we learn everyday, i for tell you leave oyinbo for who get am

amoco:
No. Their intonation is closer to the Queen's English than Nigeria's intonation. But that is way different from knowing the English language. Nigerians are good at the English language even with not a good accent/intonation.

It's not.

amoco:
No. Their intonation is closer to the Queen's English than Nigeria's intonation But that is way different from knowing the English language. Nigerians are good at the English language even with not a good accent/intonation.

Are you joking or what?

Anyway, maybe there's another Ghana apart from the one I know.

brain54:
:::


I don't think their intonation is better though. Its overstressed more than the original language speakers. What is cam when you want to say come or cap when you want to say cup? I've listened to British and Americans speak and they don't sound like that.


What I know Ghanians do better is say the original English words better. Nigerians have a lot of fabricated words that are not in the English language dictionary.


Ghanians seem to overstretch the words. And the funny thing is if you speak anything outside than what they know or are used to then you go explain tire.


You go to a shop and say you want to buy cup instead of cap you go stand there explain tire for minutes. (Sometimes I think they do it purposely. I had to stylishly tell a woman to stop trying to correct my intonation all the time like a primary school teacher and sell for me. Indians, Chinese etc speak their English the way they do with stronger intonations but nobody insists on speaking a particular intonation) Nigerians are more used to different intonations maybe because of our population and diversity in intonation though.


:::

Heard of a Nigerian went there and ordered "cat fish". Only for them to serve him sliced Titus fish.

But, ma'am, I ordered cat fish

Yes, sir, that is cat [cut] fish. The fish is cat [cut].

brain54:
:::


Ghanians use gate instead of door. They usually say something like close the bus gate (bus pronounced as bas )


I had to check the meaning and difference between gate and door just a few days ago to be sure I wasn't the one that was out of place because it's so common. (Sometimes mistakes repeated so often and commonly will begin to confuse you to begin to think it's right)


And they are always proud of their English o. Always claiming they speak better English than Nigerians.

:::

Even now, this ancestor is still not understanding...

Which one is "bas gate" again....

Lwkmd 🤣🤣🤣

shoodboi2:
I see two reasons here. The first is that languages generally have regional flavors. Some call it "accent" as they do in the UK. But a better term is "dialect". Nigerian English has evolved over time to become its own dialect. So a Nigerian and Briton or American will have some problem understanding one another.

Secondly is the lack of English teachers, coupled with the general drop in educational standards in the 1970s and 80s. This meant our English got poorer. Listen to the accent and spoken English of even lower class Nigerians in the 60s and compare it to what we have today, and you'll see we have a long way to go. "Come and be going", "They are calling you", and "Nobody should come and be telling me that" are three very odd phrases /sentences that we Nigerians speak.

Yes, I agree with you. Nigerians spoke better English in the past compared to the current times.

Doorway gate...🤣🤣🤣

Neoteny:
Gate or door?

I am confusion

Rapmoney:
'Ground floor' is different from the meanings of the words 'ground' and 'floor'.

Nay...I believe it's better to say 'floor of the building.'

obiekunie01:
Ghanaians are right - it's a bus gate cause bus entrance is outside, and not inside the bus. You get ba?

Something you can touch when you're inside is definitely not outside. What happens when you're inside the bus and about to come down?

Toymax88:
Hallway and gangway, are they the same?

Nope they are not. A gangway is known as a passage between rolls of seat.

lighkas:
Having lived in both countries, I can tell you for a fact that nothing is farther from the truth. Ghanaian accent is nowhere near the neighbourhood of that of the Brits or Americans.

Every African country is claiming to speak better English than Nigeria these days.

Samantha125:
Doorway gate...🤣🤣🤣

😂

All you wrote about Ghanaians is true.

brain54:
:::


I don't think their intonation is better though. Its overstressed more than the original language speakers. What is cam when you want to say come or cap when you want to say cup? I've listened to British and Americans speak and they don't sound like that.


What I know Ghanians do better is say the original English words better. Nigerians have a lot of fabricated words that are not in the English language dictionary.


Ghanians seem to overstretch the words. And the funny thing is if you speak anything outside than what they know or are used to then you go explain tire.


You go to a shop and say you want to buy cup instead of cap you go stand there explain tire for minutes. (Sometimes I think they do it purposely. I had to stylishly tell a woman to stop trying to correct my intonation all the time like a primary school teacher and sell for me. Indians, Chinese etc speak their English the way they do with stronger intonations but nobody insists on speaking a particular intonation) Nigerians are more used to different intonations maybe because of our population and diversity in intonation though.


:::

brain54:
:::


I don't think their intonation is better though. Its overstressed more than the original language speakers. What is cam when you want to say come or cap when you want to say cup? I've listened to British and Americans speak and they don't sound like that.


What I know Ghanians do better is say the original English words better. Nigerians have a lot of fabricated words that are not in the English language dictionary.


Ghanians seem to overstretch the words. And the funny thing is if you speak anything outside than what they know or are used to then you go explain tire.


You go to a shop and say you want to buy cup instead of cap you go stand there explain tire for minutes. (Sometimes I think they do it purposely. I had to stylishly tell a woman to stop trying to correct my intonation all the time like a primary school teacher and sell for me. Indians, Chinese etc speak their English the way they do with stronger intonations but nobody insists on speaking a particular intonation) Nigerians are more used to different intonations maybe because of our population and diversity in intonation though.


:::

Nigerians speak good English and faster. Ghanaians have better pronunciation than Nigerians.

It's a fact even acknowledged by our old English teachers

JuanDeDios:
Heard of a Nigerian went there and ordered "cat fish". Only for them to serve him sliced Titus fish.

But, ma'am, I ordered cat fish

Yes, sir, that is cat [cut] fish. The fish is cat [cut].

Lol!

The average Ghanaian will pronounce words with the schwa sound like sun, cup, cut, love, etc better than an average Nigerian. But that doesnt take away the brilliance and great English speaking ability of a Nigerian.

If you listen to a well educated Hausa or Fulani speak English, you will see it is closer to the original English than that of a Yoruba or Igala or Igbo person.

Check it out please

Babamide:
How did they come up with 'ground floor'?

Floor that sits on the ground

Rapmoney:
Have you ever wondered why you were taught in English during your primary school days, secondary school days, and university days, but you are still required to write IELTS or TOEFL to gain admission to study in most western countries? Have you ever wondered why you are required to obtain extra foreign qualifications as a teacher to work in the UK, Canada, Australia, and the United States? It is because speaking standard English is required for such endeavours.

Some people might say '...but some people speak bad English over there'. Yes, but not in a formal setting. An educational institution operates in a formal setting, and teaching is a profession that requires standard English in those countries.

Today, we shall be looking at:

1. STAIRS/STEPS: If they are inside, they are called stairs, but if they are outside, they are called steps.

2. FLOOR/GROUND: If it is inside, it is called floor, but if it is outside, it is called ground.

3. HALLWAY/PATH: If it is inside, it is called a hallway, but if it is outside, it is called a path.

4. DOOR/GATE: If it is inside, it is called a door, but if it is outside, it is called a gate.

I hope you have learnt something today.

No 1 is misleading.
Staircase can be indoors or outdoors. Steps are the raised pavement or frames that guarantees a manual lift or transition between different floors or platforms within or outside the building. Staircase is the steps and banisters all put together as a unit.
See illustration below.

Where "Corridor" come dey nau

amoco:
Lol!

The average Ghanaian will pronounce words with the schwa sound like sun, cup, cut, love, etc better than an average Nigerian. But that doesnt take away the brilliance and great English speaking ability of a Nigerian.

If you listen to a well educated Hausa or Fulani speak English, you will see it is closer to the original English than that of a Yoruba or Igala or Igbo person.

Check it out please

I don't think Ghanaians pronounce English better than Nigerians. Nigerian pronunciation is not particularly bad. We pronounce some things wrongly, yes, but our accents and pronunciation are mostly good enough to be understood by native English speakers. It's in grammar that Nigerians aren't that good. Our grammar is terrible - and the problem seems to be getting worse every year.

JuanDeDios:
I don't think Ghanaians pronounce English better than Nigerians. Nigerian pronunciation is not particularly bad. We pronounce some things wrongly, yes, but our accents and pronunciation are mostly good enough to be understood by native English speakers. It's in grammar that Nigerians aren't that good. Our grammar is terrible - and the problem seems to be getting worse every year.

It is worst. Have you seen an average Nigerian pronounce ...ASSUMING?

JuanDeDios:
I don't think Ghanaians pronounce English better than Nigerians. Nigerian pronunciation is not particularly bad. We pronounce some things wrongly, yes, but our accents and pronunciation are mostly good enough to be understood by native English speakers. It's in grammar that Nigerians aren't that good. Our grammar is terrible - and the problem seems to be getting worse every year.

Our grammar in Nigeria is great.
Our pronunciation is not close to that of Ghanaians.
Our oral English teachers even said it while we were growing up.

Just same way a southerner in Nigeria will laugh at a Northerner when they speak English. But a Northerner who speaks well will almost speak English with a better pronunciation than an average southerner.

Please research about this. No sentiments

1. STAIRS/STEPS: If they are inside, they are called stairs, but if they are outside, they are called steps.

2. FLOOR/GROUND: If it is inside, it is called floor, but if it is outside, it is called ground.

Mmm

Houseofglam7:
Not me pushing the elevator to take me to the ground floor 🤭

Just be careful, some ground floors are the basement while first floor is the actual exit from the building.,

Skydivine:
Just be careful, some ground floors are the basement while first floor is the actual exit from the building.,

True that hunni
Thanks for the heads up.

Stephen0mozzy:
If you're talking about what you have (possessive), it is I'M NOT AM.

If you're referring to possessive of an object or concept it's ITS NOT IS.

IS cannot ever be used as IT'S in any place in the universe, nor does it start a non-question statement.

But this topic is likened to Properties section. $

what the difference between the verander and bancony

Bluna:
What about the one we call passage inside face-me-I-face-you house; is it the appropriate name?

I also noticed that people often misuse verandah for balcony

so he go be careful gate also be that, abi no be outside car day, all Hollywood movies I day see na door them day use ooo I never hear when them call either bus or car gate o

obiekunie01:
Ghanaians are right - its bus gate cause bus entrance is outside not inside the bus. you get ba?

Federalofficia:
what the difference between the verander and bancony

veranda is located on the ground floor as the main place of entry and exit to the building while balcony is attached to an upper floor.

Rapmoney:
Have you ever wondered why you were taught in English during your primary school days, secondary school days, and university days, but you are still required to write IELTS or TOEFL to gain admission to study in most western countries? Have you ever wondered why you are required to obtain extra foreign qualifications as a teacher to work in the UK, Canada, Australia, and the United States? It is because speaking standard English is required for such endeavours.

Some people might say '...but some people speak bad English over there'. Yes, but not in a formal setting. An educational institution operates in a formal setting, and teaching is a profession that requires standard English in those countries.

Today, we shall be looking at:

1. STAIRS/STEPS: If they are inside, they are called stairs, but if they are outside, they are called steps.

2. FLOOR/GROUND: If it is inside, it is called floor, but if it is outside, it is called ground.

3. HALLWAY/PATH: If it is inside, it is called a hallway, but if it is outside, it is called a path.

4. DOOR/GATE: If it is inside, it is called a door, but if it is outside, it is called a gate.

I hope you have learnt something today.

Used to bother myself until I discovered the natives care less

amoco:
Our grammar in Nigeria is great.
Our pronunciation is not close to that of Ghanaians.
Our oral English teachers even said it while we were growing up.

Just same way a southerner in Nigeria will laugh at a Northerner when they speak English. But a Northerner who speaks well will almost speak English with a better pronunciation than an average southerner.

Please research about this. No sentiments

Your oral English teachers (or teechairs, Ghanaians would call them) were clueless. They think that saying "cat" when you mean "cut" or 'berse" when you mean "bus" is good pronunciation. Why don't you listen to native English speakers (BBC Radio is free) and see if they say cat or berse?

amoco:
Our grammar in Nigeria is great.
Our pronunciation is not close to that of Ghanaians.
Our oral English teachers even said it while we were growing up.

Just same way a southerner in Nigeria will laugh at a Northerner when they speak English. But a Northerner who speaks well will almost speak English with a better pronunciation than an average southerner.

Please research about this. No sentiments

Can we pick a thread on Nairaland or anywhere you like and see if 80% of the posts won't contain one or more grammar errors? Would you bet money on it?

Nigerians that don't know how to use a dictionary and use words like a herd.

aestake:
It is worst. Have you seen an average Nigerian pronounce ...ASSUMING?

No. I've not met these Nigerians who particularly mispronounce "assuming". School me on how they say it.