I'm from the east but I was born and brought up in Lagos. I passed out from the university in my home town. Even though I spent 4 years in my hometown going to the university from my village home, living with my grandma and being surrounded by people who only converse in igbo, I still find it difficult to speak my native language. I understand the language well enough but I have a challenge conversing with it. I always make a jest of myself anytime I try to converse with it because my people end up laughing at me with the conclusion that I can't speak my native language and tag me as "my mama say I be igbo " They see me as though I'm not really one of them. My parents complain about my inability to fluently speak igbo. Funny enough I have two millionaire uncles who are members of my family by extension who don't even hear "come" let alone speak the language. Any time they visit, everyone converses with them in English. Even my grandma who has a hard time speaking English will try to speak broken English with them and everyone respects them a lot. No one ever complains about their absolute ignorance of their native language. But when it gets to me, I will be mocked If I try to speak igbo. The thing just taya me o. I have decided to just forget about trying to speak igbo and continue with my English. (but my children must learn how to speak my language.) Anybody wey no hear English na I'm Cup of tea be dat. I can't kill myself o. Is anyone in this same situation?

Power of money
Your language is your identity so try your best to learn it.

Kccheechy:

Funny enough I have two millionaire uncles who are members of my family by extension who don't even hear "come" let alone speak the language. Any time they visit, everyone converses with them in English. Even my grandma who has a hard time speaking English will try to speak broken English with them and everyone respects them a lot. No one ever complains about their absolute ignorance of their native language. But when it gets to me, I will be mocked If I try to speak igbo.

I am in the same shoe with you op

Me i don't even hear shhi....

But the conclusion of the whole matter is to be Successful and every other things will fall in place.

#iCantkillMySelf
#ICan'tComeAndKillMySelf
#ICan'tComeAndGoAndKillMySelf

Why should your parents complain about your fluency, growing up what was the prevalent language spoken in your home?

Also from the East, born and raised in Lagos but I and my siblings can very comfortably converse in Igbo language because my parents were very intentional about Igbo being the only language spoken at home despite the fact we could easily switch to English and Yoruba. My parents said they didn't' want to "lose" their children to Eko!

When I got an opportunity to be involved in some agricultural projects in rural Anambra and Enugu, I took it up sharp, sharp as I was very confident nobody go yab me there for my inability to communicate.

It saddened me when I was listening to a BBC documentary titled "Forgetting Igbo" which is the dilemma of children of Igbo parents born outside igbo land who are disconnected language- wise

It is not a crime against humanity, tho your language is part of your identity

Don't give up man. Keep trying to learn.

Yap. I'm in the same situation. I can't speak my native language and this makes me feel so bad.

This especially when ever I am interacting with some family relatives and friends who prefer to only speak native to me despite being aware of my ineptitude. Previously, I used to avoid them.

But I don't do that anymore.
I see them as my private tutors.

Please try to remember it.... It helps



In as much as u or ur uncles are rich... U won't truly be respected and will never be accepted over someone who actually speaks it...



I have seen a case of igbo boys termed Alhaji or onye Yoruba because the grew up somewhere and couldn't speak their indigenous language....


The language is just spoken words.... If u want to live in a foreign land till u die... U don't have a problem...

But if u wish to one day come back to your place... Especially when u are of age.... U go like need to learn the language.


Not speaking the language isn't the problem after all everybody will understand that u didn't grow up home.... The problem is not learning it afterwards....

I was born in Lagos, but grew up in Portharcourt. My parents communicate mostly in igbo to me but I reply with English and they never tried to correct me or tell me to reply with igbo.

I am studying in one of the universities in the East and I remember feeling left out as my friends would speak Igbo and I would reply with English.

So I decided to speak it like that no matter how funny I sounded and luckily for me, my friends were the type that encouraged me to keep on speaking, cuz the more you practice the better you become plus you're surrounded by people who speak the language so you're learning subconsciously too.

I can proudly say that am better now. I can even write Igbo.

Kccheechy:
I'm from the east but I was born and brought up in Lagos. I passed out from the university in my home town. Even though I spent 4 years in my hometown going to the university from my village home, living with my grandma and being surrounded by people who only converse in igbo, I still find it difficult to speak my native language. I understand the language well enough but I have a challenge conversing with it. I always make a jest of myself anytime I try to converse with it because my people end up laughing at me with the conclusion that I can't speak my native language and tag me as "my mama say I be igbo " They see me as though I'm not really one of them. My parents complain about my inability to fluently speak igbo. Funny enough I have two millionaire uncles who are members of my family by extension who don't even hear "come" let alone speak the language. Any time they visit, everyone converses with them in English. Even my grandma who has a hard time speaking English will try to speak broken English with them and everyone respects them a lot. No one ever complains about their absolute ignorance of their native language. But when it gets to me, I will be mocked If I try to speak igbo. The thing just taya me o. I have decided to just forget about trying to speak igbo and continue with my English. (but my children must learn how to speak my language.) Anybody wey no hear English na I'm Cup of tea be dat. I can't kill myself o. Is anyone in this same situation?

It's the same with my brother. He can understand the language clearly, but finds it difficult to speak it.
I'll tell you what I told him: keep on trying even if they make jest of you.
Practice makes perfect.
The problem is not that you're unable to learn, but you're too afraid to try. You're afraid of failing and being laughed at. Nobody is perfect or above mistakes.
You know what? Just keep on trying regardless, and when people laugh, you laugh with them. Before you know it, they'll get used to it and get over it.

I have this issue too...it's the reason why I made a decision few years back to marry only from my place, so that the woman's influence...speaking the language and taking the kids home will make them fluent in it...but then again,I thought"me that don't know how to speak I am doing fine...no need to subject myself to marry from a community/clan just because of language".

Somehow I have made my peace with my inability to speak the language,I am fine with it now.

Righteousness89:
I was in that shoes..

I was able to Hear to an extent but not able to speak..

Thank God, I can speak better now although not perfect! I hear much more than I speak..

At least you should be able to do one..

can I pm you sir?

campbell118:


can I pm you sir?

yeah

Righteousness89:
yeah

Done

James39:
I am in the same shoe with you op

Me i don't even hear shhi....

But the conclusion of the whole matter is to be Successful and every other things will fall in place.

#iCantkillMySelf
#ICan'tComeAndKillMySelf
#ICan'tComeAndGoAndKillMySelf

Honestly na wetin dey my mind oo because it's challenging for me...the little I try to speak, they make fun of me...

oceanized25:
I have this issue too...it's the reason why I made a decision few years back to marry only from my place, so that the woman's influence...speaking the language and taking the kids home will make them fluent in it...but then again,I thought"me that don't know how to speak I am doing fine...no need to subject myself to marry from a community/clan just because of language".

Somehow I have made my peace with my inability to speak the language,I am fine with it now.

Whenever I remember those my big uncles that don't hear anything and yet still gather respect even in the midst of chiefs in the village I feel like say make I just bon the thing. Whenever they are in the midst of those chiefs Na so everybody go Dey speak English. Nobody dare mock them.

Mariangeles:


It's the same with my brother. He can understand the language clearly, but finds it difficult to speak it.
I'll tell you what I told him: keep on trying even if they make jest of you.
Practice makes perfect.
The problem is not that you're unable to learn, but you're too afraid to try. You're afraid of failing and being laughed at. Nobody is perfect or above mistakes.
You know what? Keep on trying, and when people laugh, you laugh with them. Before you know it, they'll get used to it and get over it.

At one time I tried reading igbo literature stories just to boost my igbo vocabulary. After sometime the thing just tire me. I feel they always laugh at me probably because I'm pronouncing the words in a funny way. Some will even think Im not speaking igbo

Lazycyndy:
My parents communicate mostly in igbo to me but I reply with English and they never tried to correct me or tell me to reply with igbo.

tmmy parents communicated with me mostly in English and I think that's where the problem is.

@Op hw do u want 2 ur kids to learn wen u dont even kno hw 2 speak .

nobody should quote me sayin by private tutor, hw many times will d tutor b around? U need more dan dat 4 dem 2 learn. So,i suggest u start saying it anyhw wif d errors nd with time u"ll b a pro

Kccheechy:
At one time I tried reading igbo literature stories just to boost my igbo vocabulary. After sometime the thing just tire me. I feel they always laugh at me probably because I'm pronouncing the words in a funny way. Some will even think Im not speaking igbo

The bolded helped me a great deal.
Growing up, I've always loved reading story books.
So, there was this story book I got that was written in Igbo language, it was very interesting, I had to patiently read and find out meaning to so many words. At the end, it was worth it.

It's not a crime, I can't speak my native language either, but i can speak Hausa, it's funny to me sometimes......

Kccheechy:
tmmy parents communicated with me mostly in English and I think that's where the problem is.

And yet they blame you for not learning igbo.

Their excuse is that I spent four years schooling in the village and still can't speak igbo

Lazycyndy:


And yet they blame you for not learning igbo.

Kccheechy:
Their excuse is that I spent four years schooling in the village and still can't speak igbo

You never had the foundation, that's why it's difficult for you. They shouldn't fault you on this.

My parents has been nacking Igbo in my head since I was small, so it was less difficult to speak since the words have been swimming in my head for a long time.

But still don't give up trying though, you know Igbo is a tonal language and has many words that are the same but sound different with different meanings, so you first start by getting the word right in your head before speaking.

this is exactly the situation i find myself now...we grew up in the north...but my parents made sure i could speak igbo...so i grew up learning how to speak two languages...hausa and igbo (i can speak the igbo but cant write)...now where the problem started is when i got married...my husband who is igbo prefers and is comfortable with my kids speaking english (he feels it makes them posh and modern)...he feels since they are growing up in a city like port harcourt they will pick up igbo at some time..of which am not comfortable with,...now whats the end result my kids can hear igbo but cant speak...my 5yr old daughter initially was speaking it but her daddy made sure he douse out any remenant of igbo in her...my two and half year old "hears" igbo but cant also speak....am with my parents now...and hopefully am trying to seize this opportunity to teach them how to speak igbo...i dont want to raise" My mama say i be igbo " kinda kids.

Alooone:
this is exactly the situation i find myself now...we grew up in the north...but my parents made sure i could speak igbo...so i grew up learning how to speak two languages...hausa and igbo (i can speak the igbo but cant write)...now where the problem started is when i got married...my husband who is igbo prefers and is comfortable with my kids speaking english (he feels it makes them posh and modern)...he feels since they are growing up in a city like port harcourt they will pick up igbo at some time..of which am not comfortable with,...now whats the end result my kids can hear igbo but cant speak...my 5yr old daughter initially was speaking it but her daddy made sure he douse out any remenant of igbo in her...my two and half year old "hears" igbo but cant also speak....am with my parents now...and hopefully am trying to seize this opportunity to teach them how to speak igbo...i dont want to raise" My mama say i be igbo " kinda kids.

Your husband got it all wrong. Kids can speak up to 5 languages by the time they are 12. You can Google this. Kids are language sponges. Many Igbos made and still make this same mistake of speaking only English to their kids so they don't turn out razz. Some believe it affords them some form of advantage in life. Absolute bunkum.

Chimamanda is in the US and speaks only Igbo to her daughter. She says her daughter will be able to pick up English when she starts schooling and interacting with others. Chimamanda was raised that way too by her parents. She and her siblings are well grounded in Igbo language and culture yet their spoken and written English is top notch.

Enough said.

Staying around people who speak igbo helps.igbo language is very difficult to learn. Very very difficult.

I bought igbo dictionary for a friend at a time.

If u will love to work in the east t will be easier. Banks, offices in the east use igbo to converse and when they notice you can't speak, they will ban English or other languages completely. This helped a friend that don't know how to start to learn by force.

I will also advice you to look for a home girl and befriend or marry. This helped my husband. Guy is only igbo by name. He don't know the language nor the tradition. But he has improved up to 50% now. Try and look for igbo movies with òsùòfia and co, igbo high life songs and sing along. If u have interest, u will learn.

Lazycyndy:


You never had the foundation, that's why it's difficult for you. They shouldn't fault you on this.

My parents has been nacking Igbo in my head since I was small, so it was less difficult to speak since the words have been swimming in my head for a long time.

But still don't give up trying though, you know Igbo is a tonal language and has many words that are the same but sound different with different meanings, so you first start by getting the word right in your head before speaking.

Yeah, igbo is hard. If an adult who is keen to learn igbo ask you questions on some certain things, u will be forced to get igbo dictionary. Very confusing. And add the dialects, so misleading.

Understanding is the most important thing.

Igbo language is the most difficult major language to learn because they are never willing to teach. The worst are those ones in SE states. Very angry in their dealings with Lagos bred Igbos . They will just sit on their high stool and keep pointing errors, offering no solution.

Say you want to learn Yoruba/Hausa, be you an indigene or foreigner and see how many will come to your aid. Try it with Igbos and tell me how it goes.

Damilola, that's his name. A Yoruba guy who always travelled with his parents whenever they are posted to a new state. Damilola learnt how to speak Igbo during few years stay in Aba. Currently he is back to South West. He usually calls during an Igbo radio programme for translation of English to Igbo. He translates very well to my amazement better than most Igbos.

If you put your mind into it, you will learn.