₦airaland Forum

Loluores:
There's a problem with offering translations in Yoruba in this way. It's prone to inaccuracies.

You've just implied above that ṣé means should. If the person you're teaching then goes on to accept that, they'd be making blunders everywhere! They'd say:


English: You should go.
Yoruba: O ṣé lọ. (ehn)


Ṣé is called a sentential modifier in Yoruba grammar, which is, it modifies the whole sentence. In this case, it's used simply to turn a whole statement into a question. In some cases when translating, you can never really find direct translations, only close equivalents between languages. Ṣé might be loosely translated as "Is it (that)...?" In French, they sometimes say "Est-ce que...?" in front of a statement to ask a question, similar to ṣé


Kín does not mean I. It's only the n part that means I, the kí is a separate word. So it's written as kí n, not kín
So, what is kí?



Kí is called an introducer or a complementizer marking the irrealis mood. Eeehn? What's all this grammar, you might ask.

Kí is also a word put in front of a whole sentence (that's why it is called an introducer). I'll leave out the explanation of complementizer, don't wanna get too complex. Irrealis nko? Irrealis talks about words that express concepts like wishes, prayers, fears, doubts, hopes, obligations, permission, commands etc. within the predicate of a sentence. Some languages like French might call it the subjunctive mood. The opposite of this is the realis mood, which might be called the indicative mood.


When I say, "should I go?" like in your example above, I'm expressing the need for someone's permission, maybe a doubt. That's what kí signifies. It's not only kí that can signify this irrealis mood in Yoruba, there are other words like gbọ́dọ̀ (must), ní láti (have to, need to) and lè (can), but lemme leave it at that.


When the first person singular subject pronoun is used with kí, it changes from mo to n. So it's kí n, not kí mo.

Now, see these examples illustrating these ideas.

I did it. = Mo ṣe é. (realis)

Did I do it? = Ṣé mo ṣe é? (realis. Weird, huh, since it's an expression of possible self doubt. I'll explain some other time)

Should I do it? = Ṣé kí n ṣe é? (irrealis, seeking permission or command)

Should I do it? = Ṣé mo gbọ́dọ̀ ṣe é? (irrealis, obligation as in "Must I do it?", "Have I to do it?", "Do I have to do it?" )

Should I do it? = Ṣé mo ní láti ṣe é? (irrealis, necessity as in "Need I do it?", "Do I need to do it?" )

To the learners, I'm sure by now you can say "Can I go do it?" in Yoruba. The words you need are here in this comment, put two and two together.


All these nuances, very interesting, shey (ṣé)? Maybe I should even just write a book (bóyá kí n tiẹ̀ kúkú kọ̀wé kan sílẹ̀ ni o).

Very elaborate. You are highly appreciated. Keep it up.

Loluores:
There's a problem with offering translations in Yoruba in this way. It's prone to inaccuracies.

You've just implied above that ṣé means should. If the person you're teaching then goes on to accept that, they'd be making blunders everywhere! They'd say:


English: You should go.
Yoruba: O ṣé lọ. (ehn)


Ṣé is called a sentential modifier in Yoruba grammar, which is, it modifies the whole sentence. In this case, it's used simply to turn a whole statement into a question. In some cases when translating, you can never really find direct translations, only close equivalents between languages. Ṣé might be loosely translated as "Is it (that)...?" In French, they sometimes say "Est-ce que...?" in front of a statement to ask a question, similar to ṣé


Kín does not mean I. It's only the n part that means I, the kí is a separate word. So it's written as kí n, not kín
So, what is kí?



Kí is called an introducer or a complementizer marking the irrealis mood. Eeehn? What's all this grammar, you might ask.

Kí is also a word put in front of a whole sentence (that's why it is called an introducer). I'll leave out the explanation of complementizer, don't wanna get too complex. Irrealis nko? Irrealis talks about words that express concepts like wishes, prayers, fears, doubts, hopes, obligations, permission, commands etc. within the predicate of a sentence. Some languages like French might call it the subjunctive mood. The opposite of this is the realis mood, which might be called the indicative mood.


When I say, "should I go?" like in your example above, I'm expressing the need for someone's permission, maybe a doubt. That's what kí signifies. It's not only kí that can signify this irrealis mood in Yoruba, there are other words like gbọ́dọ̀ (must), ní láti (have to, need to) and lè (can), but lemme leave it at that.


When the first person singular subject pronoun is used with kí, it changes from mo to n. So it's kí n, not kí mo.

Now, see these examples illustrating these ideas.

I did it. = Mo ṣe é. (realis)

Did I do it? = Ṣé mo ṣe é? (realis. Weird, huh, since it's an expression of possible self doubt. I'll explain some other time)

Should I do it? = Ṣé kí n ṣe é? (irrealis, seeking permission or command)

Should I do it? = Ṣé mo gbọ́dọ̀ ṣe é? (irrealis, obligation as in "Must I do it?", "Have I to do it?", "Do I have to do it?" )

Should I do it? = Ṣé mo ní láti ṣe é? (irrealis, necessity as in "Need I do it?", "Do I need to do it?" )

To the learners, I'm sure by now you can say "Can I go do it?" in Yoruba. The words you need are here in this comment, put two and two together.


All these nuances, very interesting, shey (ṣé)? Maybe I should even just write a book (bóyá kí n tiẹ̀ kúkú kọ̀wé kan sílẹ̀ ni o).

It's a problem that came up with this website while trying to put dot sign under the 'S'
"Should" means "S'̣e"
Should I: S'̣e kin?
Should I sing: S'̣e kin kọrin?
When using Should in form of interrogation (asking question) the above is the correct Yoruba form for "Should"
But when using "Should" in another form, for instance, "He should be there" Should will be translated as "Oyẹ ki"

(sigh...) I give up.

Loluores:
(sigh...) I give up.

I hope you have not given up in showcasing the skill you acquired from institution. You guys are appreciated, at least I am a fan of yours. Keep up the Yoruba language exposition going, it will definitely materializes into financial benefit. I wish you don't see this issues as rivalry but a healthy way to expose a lot of us who are deficient in Yoruba language. This is because, some of us are learning Yoruba Language via social media at times and I will appreciate if at your spare time you will continue to enlighten us more on Yoruba Language. Learning is an eternal thing. God bless !

Abdulbsd:
I want you if possible to teach YORUBA.
Musamman ma irin su kamar gaisuwa haka, da kuma dan sauran abubuwan da ba'arasa ba.
Kamar haka misali:

Good morning,
Good noon/day,
Good afternoon,
Good night.

How are you ?/I am fine,
How family ?/All are fine,
How market ?/Everything is fine,
How school ?/Nice !.

From where're you coming ?/From....(theatre).
Where're you going to ?/I'm(or we're) going to....(hospital).
What are you going to do there ?/I'm(or we're) going to....(see my doctor).

What is your name ?/My name is Abdul,
Your brother's, please !/His name is Nuurdin,
What about your sister's ?/Husnah is her name.

At school, which class are you ?/I'm in class 3,
What is your most-preferable subject ?/Science indeed,
Don't you hasten to step into science class as most students ?/Why should I ?,

Ina godiya !

cc:AfricanApple,Ayo199 and ennyforeal come and translate this one

mejorhofficial:
cc:AfricanApple,Ayo199 and ennyforeal come and translate this one

u sure say na me you wan call..