Pidgin English is the lingua-franca of many parts of Western Africa which were formerly British colonies. I think a strong case can be made for this language to be formalised and taught more widely across the continent. One of the reasons it is not is that it is despised in the minds of those educated in the Anglo-saxon tradition and therefore lacks intellectual champions. Further, there is also the concern that attempts at structuring the language may make it similar to the mother language, English. So I am curious, does any sabi the origins of some pidgin words;

Example:

1) Sabi: as in , You sabi my name? You know by name?

I think this word derives from the English word, savvy, meaning knowledge, or know-how.


Can you think of some more.

I thought it was left by the Portugese: "saber" meaning "to know" in english.

I'm chewing over another one: "consign" which is used for concern (e no cosign me). Was this originally simply a confusion with the similar sounding english word "concern" (it doesn't concern me) or is it really cosign as to be consigned (or to be assigned) with something?

pikin from pickaninny- a colloquial exression for child.

Make you COMOT - Come Out (to make an EXIT, LEAVE, DEPART, REMOVE)


I dey comot - I am exiting
Comot for hia - Leave here
E don comot for London - He has departed London
Comot ya hand for mah pocket quick quick - Remove your hand from my pocket immediately

Eyeball -

Go across road go eyeball wetin dey happin come tell me - Go and look
Take ya time o, no eyeball me like dat again o - Don't belittle me with your eyes
I dey dere eyeball de ting mahself nah - I witnessed it

bodi dey inside cloth - I'm fine.

okolo - nought, zero
The guy get okolo for the test

kukuma or kuku - just, barely
I kukuma manage the transport money wey im give me

hala - shout, scream
My babe too hala, small thing she go dey hala anyhow

Richy,

Could "hala" have evolved from "holler" ?

Mugu - (Richyblack's middle name) Meaning: gullible, unintelligent. 

_{Richie abeg na play o}

Negro_Ntns:

Richy,

Could "hala" have evolved from "holler" ?

You're right, it's quite possible.

davidylan:

Mugu - (Richyblack's middle name) Meaning: gullible, unintelligent.

_{Richie abeg na play o}

davidylan,

Na real craze dey worry you

wetin - from "what is". Example: Wetin dey happen? (What's happening?)

baff - from "bathe". Example: I dey go baff. (I'm going to take a shower)

I go treat your f*ck up - i'll deal with you

pepper gas rest - money/wealth's gotta come

fear get levels -

Hmmm--I tend to think "sabi" might have a Romance-based origin. After all, the word "savez" is French and even sounds somewhat like "sabi." And, yes, it's a form of the verb "savoir" which means "to know" or "to have knowledge of."

"Baff" could be a corruption of "bath."

"bodi dey inside cloth" might refer to a state of being as to having clothes, and thus, by extension, doing well.

Let me say that I do not speak, read or in most cases, understand Pidgin. I would really learn to do so, as I'm sure many of the postings here would be more interesting to me. I do hope that those of you who have familiarity with the language will continue this thread. I feel as though I'm learning!

NAK - to hit

If u near me, i go NAK u
NAK am for head

I think "NAK" derives from the English word "knock".

Body full ground - I am here
I day kamkpe I am not going anywhere. I think Kamkpe is a Yoruba word not sure?


Una- You people--possible a mispronouciatin of "you are"

Jamaican patois (which, growing up in London and having parents only speak Yoruba, never Pidgin, I am more familiar with) is very similar. 'Pickney', 'unu', I always find that fascinating.

Carry on

tpia:

pikin from pickaninny- a colloquial exression for child.

funny we used to recite a poem with that word in primary school

"sweet little picaninny one of africa's gems" etc lol it makes sense that pikin was derived from that word

chamotex:

NAK - to hit

If u near me, i go NAK u
NAK am for head

NAK can also mean another thing. something kinky. i wan NAK toto!

Given that Pidgin is such an agglomeration of multifarious languages, perhaps it's close to being considered a "world" language, such as Esperanto?

Goodnight.

tpia:

pikin from pickaninny- a colloquial exression for child.

Pikin is also from Pequeno, meaning 'small' in Portuguese.

Perhaps 'hala' originates from 'palaver'?

I'm pretty sure 'konk' is from knock - junior konk am for head!

'Dey' as in where u dey? Beats me right now. I'll think abt it and come back.

''Una'' is derived from an igbo word ''unu'' which still retains its original form in jamaica.Unu means you(plural)

Pidgin sentences might sometimes consist of 100% english words but arranged in a different way.eg. ''I say make you come this side''(you should come this way)

iceblue:

'Dey' as in where u dey? Beats me right now. I'll think abt it and come back.

A linguist was saying that 'Dey' may have come from the Igbo 'di'.

@ Eze: the phonemas is from Igbo but the phonological analysis shows that the narrow transcription i.e allophonic supports the possible phonetics that pidgin is from the ganja world, 'Jamaica'.

wetin u eat wey make your head dey shake? U no dey baff at all.

Any girls in the house? abi no b girl make u throw wey big big teaching? abi pidgin english get any gramatical syntax? make I no fall ur hand , u try for ur age.