Re: Stop Asking People 'How Was Your Night', It Is Wrong English by MrSly(m): 10:16pm On Aug 15, 2019 |
Amanyanabo: Bullocks! How was ur nite in Nigeria English is a polite question. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Why should I care what a Briton or American thinks You should because English as a language and a field of study is originally and exclusively theirs not yours. We just borrowed. 1 Like |
Re: Stop Asking People 'How Was Your Night', It Is Wrong English by Sterope(f): 10:17pm On Aug 15, 2019 |
This man like oversabi. |
Re: Stop Asking People 'How Was Your Night', It Is Wrong English by Sterope(f): 10:19pm On Aug 15, 2019 |
Every country has its own variance. The question 'how was your night?' is a very valid question. MrSly:
You should because English as a language and a field of study is originally and exclusively theirs not yours. We just borrowed. |
Re: Stop Asking People 'How Was Your Night', It Is Wrong English by exlinklodge: 10:20pm On Aug 15, 2019 |
mu2sa2: How was your night seems to be literal translation from yoruba. To yoruba people and maybe other nigerians it's perfectly in order but it may be weird to say those words to an English person on a normal day. I think in nigeria we tend to think "good morning" is too short and something must be added - e.g " Good morning, sir. How was your night? How is madam? Hope you are hearing from grandma(in the village). Thank you, sir. Remain blessed in jesus name( or may Allah continue to guide and bless you and your family)." We have idle time, so we can afford to waste time on useless things. Why can't we just say "good morning" and move on? The worst part of it is that if you say "good morning" to some people and move on, they will consider it as insult. Look at how he said good morning and just waka pass. He or She is very full of him or herself. She lacks home training etc... This are the words u will hear most of the time if u greet someone just "good morning". I think Nigeria problem is inbuilt....lol |
Re: Stop Asking People 'How Was Your Night', It Is Wrong English by millionboi2: 10:23pm On Aug 15, 2019 |
gwarotango: Please you have to admit that the expression is wrong. I'm not an expert in the English language but it's just not proper ur mind is just not proper not d expression. |
Re: Stop Asking People 'How Was Your Night', It Is Wrong English by obailala(m): 10:24pm On Aug 15, 2019 |
darling4real1: I TRULY DON'T ANSWER THIS!!
*Do you know that asking a person “How was your night?” is wrong?* Well, if you didn’t know it until today, get to know with the help of Edward E Onoriode who shared the update on his Facebook wall. I felt it very necessary to spread the word and help people know about it too.
Here it is.... as posted by Edward E Onoriode.
I attended a IED (Improvise Explosive Device) fusion cell meeting with some US and British EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) experts yesterday to discuss all the IED incidences that had happened within the week across Somalia.
At the meeting hall, I saluted one of the British officers ‘Good morning sir’ and he responded back ‘good morning to you too’
My oversabi did not allow me to keep quiet so I went further with the Nigeria popular phrase ‘how was your night sir?’
Dude was shock. He looked at me in a weird way as if I’d said something out of the ordinary. Something that’s sacrilegious which is an abomination to his ears. After some sec, he said ‘how my night went is none of your business’!
I was awed in shock. Normally, I was expecting a simple ‘fine’ ‘Good’ ‘Splendid’ ‘ My night was great’ etc. But he didn’t say any of these but he told me ‘how my night went is none of your business’! I felt embarrassed.
For minutes, I couldn’t mutter a word back to him. I just buried my head in shame.
All through the meeting, I was lost in thought and I couldn’t concentrate on the meeting minutes. I kept asking myself within, ‘was my question wrong?’ ‘have I said something that offended this man?’ ‘could it be that he had a bad night rest and he decided to transfer the aggression at me?’
After the meeting, I did a little Google search and I couldn’t believe the answers I got.
Ladies and gentlemen, did you know the phrase “How was your night ” In English Language means “How was last nights sex?” “How was your night shift duty?” “How was your health during the night hours?”
Whenever you ask this question in the morning to healthy people who are not in sick bed, you’re invariably inquiring about their sexual comfort/activities during the night or how their night shift went and it’s rude to ask such mostly if you’re not closely related to the person. No wonder the British officer find my question condescending because he felt I was intruding in his private business since I’m not too familiar with him. But I asked that question with a sincere and innocent mind without any harm. Basically, how was your night is normally asked to people who are receiving treatments in the hospital or people who are on night shift.
Nigeria has really messed me up. Now, I’d be more careful whenever I want to speak with these white folks because I never can tell when I’d say something that’s offensive and invasive again. By the way, I need to un-learn so many English I’ve been proudly speaking, they’re wrong. My happiness is that I know the appropriate question whenever I want to enquire how a person’s night went now and it should be;
“Did you have a good night sleep?” or “Did you sleep well?
The answer to ‘ How was your night?’ Is actually ‘none of your business!’
I have checked our local languages. Even as literal translation goes, no Nigerian language asks ‘How was your night?’ I am checking because of this phrase, for those who know, was not in use in Nigeria as recent as 10 years ago.
As my Doctor friend said to me, it may have come from hospitals. It’s common knowledge according to the doctor that sick people often have rough nights and most deaths occur at night. So a doctor’s question to the patient during morning ward rounds is usually ‘How was your night?’ If we exported hospital vocabulary to the streets, are we now to assume, we are all at death’s door?
The proper address for mornings is simply ‘good morning’ and if you want to spice it up by being overly friendly, you may add ‘hope you slept well?’ A person’s night is not our business.
If we are Igbo it’s either, ibolachi– have you woken up. Ututuoma- good morning.
If Yoruba, 'ę karo' – good morning. You can go further as Yorubas are won’t do by adding “se daada l'ę ji’ – hope you woke up well?
None of these our local greetings intrusively asks ‘How was your night?’ So, No! It is not African either. Let us be well aware when we leave our lanes to go measuring that of others. ���������� *So now we know!* *Don't go asking me or anyone else "How was my night anymore?*
*Copied* All I can say is that your friend Edward Onoriode is suffering from a social illness called "INFERIORITY COMPLEX", and since you also agree with him that "how was your night?" is a wrong question all because he met one unexposed Brit, then that means you unfortunately also suffer from the same inferiority complex. Actually, a lot of Nigerians have this same problem, I wouldn't know if it's a Nigerian thing, or if its a general black thing; but we tend to automatically assume the white man is right and we wrong, even in the most obviously meaningless things like this one. It's really sad that we look down on ourselves. Different people from different countries and cultures have different manner of greetings, different idioms, idiolects, proverbs etc which may mean different things to people of other cultures. But one thing is sure, nothing of it is wrong, it's simply just the way my people say it. "How was your night" is a very common greeting in Nigeria, and there's nothing wrong about it; how could you the words/actions of one unexposed white man make you look down on yourself? You should have simply educated him that "how was your night" is a common greeting phrase in your part of the world and he would have been happy to learn that. The day we realise that Nigeria is one of the biggest English speaking countries in the world, maybe we will also realise that just as there's American English, Australian English etc, there's also Nigerian English. 1 Like |
Re: Stop Asking People 'How Was Your Night', It Is Wrong English by Nobody: 10:24pm On Aug 15, 2019 |
uuzba:
My day was good.
One is expected to go about doing good things during the day. Doing social activities. That is a normal thing. So one will answer you in a positive way. My day was good. I did good social activities.
Night is when one wishes to be alone, to sleep, to be with his wife...., To pray, to rest. For those who are enduring suffering/hardship/sickness that they have been keeping secret from public view. They suffer/endure everything in the night.
It is non of your business what a person does in their house in the night. If he wants to tell you, he can tell you. But if not, it is none of your business. Stop asking the question. Typing would be too long... If this discussion was brought up in a whatsapp group? Believe me, I for use V.M let some of una know say how was your night? Is OK... |
Re: Stop Asking People 'How Was Your Night', It Is Wrong English by millionboi2: 10:25pm On Aug 15, 2019 |
ubee:
Look at how pathetic you are. You are displaying the classical blame and finger pointing to white man as the cause of all your problems but are too empty and cocky to look within to see you are the cause. I'm far from feeling inferior to any other race. Did you not see I posted above I've called out my colleagues on that inappropriate greeting style as far back as 10 years. The greeting is wrong there are no two ways. But you can keep on wallowing in your tragic ignorance I'm not in argument with u Mr.......ur reasoning is wrong not how was ur night!!!Ok |
Re: Stop Asking People 'How Was Your Night', It Is Wrong English by Nobody: 10:26pm On Aug 15, 2019 |
Sterope: Every country has its own variance. The question 'how was your night?' is a very valid question.
100% valid... |
Re: Stop Asking People 'How Was Your Night', It Is Wrong English by uuzba(m): 10:27pm On Aug 15, 2019 |
Sunsets: You missed an opportunity to teach them Nigerian English instead your inferiority complex turned you to an emergency English lecturer - a failed one at that. Please, how was your night? Deal with it. OP has told you, that non of your local languages ever translates to "How was your night". Nigerian English is the English we speak speak when we translate word for word from our native tounge into English. It's a funny English. Yoruba will say, "Ejo, E ba mi sun" (inside the bus). Translated to Nigerian English, it means, "Please help me shift" - What it funny there is, I cannot HELP you shift. You have to shift with your own nyash, one by one British English will say, "Please could you shift" or "Please could you shift FOR me. (Shift your nyash by yourself, but do so because of me. I shall not HELP you push your GIGANTIC nyash.. You push your nyash by yourself) So, "How was your night ?" is not anybody's language. It is not Nigerian English either. As OP said, it intrudes upon one privacy . And the answer is still, NONE OF YOUR GADDEM BUSINESSES. 2 Likes |
Re: Stop Asking People 'How Was Your Night', It Is Wrong English by ChristianEast: 10:28pm On Aug 15, 2019 |
Lol.
FYI op, we have Nigerian English and "how was your night" is one of them. You should have explained that to the dude. 1 Like |
Re: Stop Asking People 'How Was Your Night', It Is Wrong English by gabsmilez(m): 10:29pm On Aug 15, 2019 |
darling4real1: I TRULY DON'T ANSWER THIS!!
*Do you know that asking a person “How was your night?” is wrong?* Well, if you didn’t know it until today, get to know with the help of Edward E Onoriode who shared the update on his Facebook wall. I felt it very necessary to spread the word and help people know about it too.
Here it is.... as posted by Edward E Onoriode.
I attended a IED (Improvise Explosive Device) fusion cell meeting with some US and British EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) experts yesterday to discuss all the IED incidences that had happened within the week across Somalia.
At the meeting hall, I saluted one of the British officers ‘Good morning sir’ and he responded back ‘good morning to you too’
My oversabi did not allow me to keep quiet so I went further with the Nigeria popular phrase ‘how was your night sir?’
Dude was shock. He looked at me in a weird way as if I’d said something out of the ordinary. Something that’s sacrilegious which is an abomination to his ears. After some sec, he said ‘how my night went is none of your business’!
I was awed in shock. Normally, I was expecting a simple ‘fine’ ‘Good’ ‘Splendid’ ‘ My night was great’ etc. But he didn’t say any of these but he told me ‘how my night went is none of your business’! I felt embarrassed.
For minutes, I couldn’t mutter a word back to him. I just buried my head in shame.
All through the meeting, I was lost in thought and I couldn’t concentrate on the meeting minutes. I kept asking myself within, ‘was my question wrong?’ ‘have I said something that offended this man?’ ‘could it be that he had a bad night rest and he decided to transfer the aggression at me?’
After the meeting, I did a little Google search and I couldn’t believe the answers I got.
Ladies and gentlemen, did you know the phrase “How was your night ” In English Language means “How was last nights sex?” “How was your night shift duty?” “How was your health during the night hours?”
Whenever you ask this question in the morning to healthy people who are not in sick bed, you’re invariably inquiring about their sexual comfort/activities during the night or how their night shift went and it’s rude to ask such mostly if you’re not closely related to the person. No wonder the British officer find my question condescending because he felt I was intruding in his private business since I’m not too familiar with him. But I asked that question with a sincere and innocent mind without any harm. Basically, how was your night is normally asked to people who are receiving treatments in the hospital or people who are on night shift.
Nigeria has really messed me up. Now, I’d be more careful whenever I want to speak with these white folks because I never can tell when I’d say something that’s offensive and invasive again. By the way, I need to un-learn so many English I’ve been proudly speaking, they’re wrong. My happiness is that I know the appropriate question whenever I want to enquire how a person’s night went now and it should be;
“Did you have a good night sleep?” or “Did you sleep well?
The answer to ‘ How was your night?’ Is actually ‘none of your business!’
I have checked our local languages. Even as literal translation goes, no Nigerian language asks ‘How was your night?’ I am checking because of this phrase, for those who know, was not in use in Nigeria as recent as 10 years ago.
As my Doctor friend said to me, it may have come from hospitals. It’s common knowledge according to the doctor that sick people often have rough nights and most deaths occur at night. So a doctor’s question to the patient during morning ward rounds is usually ‘How was your night?’ If we exported hospital vocabulary to the streets, are we now to assume, we are all at death’s door?
The proper address for mornings is simply ‘good morning’ and if you want to spice it up by being overly friendly, you may add ‘hope you slept well?’ A person’s night is not our business.
If we are Igbo it’s either, ibolachi– have you woken up. Ututuoma- good morning.
If Yoruba, 'ę karo' – good morning. You can go further as Yorubas are won’t do by adding “se daada l'ę ji’ – hope you woke up well?
None of these our local greetings intrusively asks ‘How was your night?’ So, No! It is not African either. Let us be well aware when we leave our lanes to go measuring that of others. ���������� *So now we know!* *Don't go asking me or anyone else "How was my night anymore?*
*Copied* what about goodmorning how market? |
Re: Stop Asking People 'How Was Your Night', It Is Wrong English by dreu2fine(m): 10:33pm On Aug 15, 2019 |
bros u try but the right word is how is ur nit. its less for d person to ans u its fine,ok best anyhow |
Re: Stop Asking People 'How Was Your Night', It Is Wrong English by Nobody: 10:33pm On Aug 15, 2019 |
In my primary school days, adding an S on names like Felix was very wrong but now it's 100% correct.. E.g "have you seen Felix's car"... Some of you claiming how was your night? Is a bad question would have argued if someone then had said it was OK to add an S at the end of Felix(depending on the sentence).. How was your night is 100% correct to me... |
Re: Stop Asking People 'How Was Your Night', It Is Wrong English by Ultimatezlant: 10:35pm On Aug 15, 2019 |
mu2sa2: How was your night seems to be literal translation from yoruba. To yoruba people and maybe other nigerians it's perfectly in order but it may be weird to say those words to an English person on a normal day. I think in nigeria we tend to think "good morning" is too short and something must be added - e.g " Good morning, sir. How was your night? How is madam? Hope you are hearing from grandma(in the village). Thank you, sir. Remain blessed in jesus name( or may Allah continue to guide and bless you and your family)." We have idle time, so we can afford to waste time on useless things. Why can't we just say "good morning" and move on? lol, in Nigeria adding something is what kick starts the conversation into multiple routes, 99% of Nigerians dey lock up their private life and we have the believe that you just have to dey talk all manner of crap just to show you are social and make friends. Oyibo no send, good morning is enough e nor mean say we must talk for talk sake, you still be friend to them |
Re: Stop Asking People 'How Was Your Night', It Is Wrong English by wallezee: 10:37pm On Aug 15, 2019 |
darling4real1: I TRULY DON'T ANSWER THIS!!
*Do you know that asking a person “How was your night?” is wrong?* Well, if you didn’t know it until today, get to know with the help of Edward E Onoriode who shared the update on his Facebook wall. I felt it very necessary to spread the word and help people know about it too.
Here it is.... as posted by Edward E Onoriode.
I attended a IED (Improvise Explosive Device) fusion cell meeting with some US and British EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) experts yesterday to discuss all the IED incidences that had happened within the week across Somalia.
At the meeting hall, I saluted one of the British officers ‘Good morning sir’ and he responded back ‘good morning to you too’
My oversabi did not allow me to keep quiet so I went further with the Nigeria popular phrase ‘how was your night sir?’
Dude was shock. He looked at me in a weird way as if I’d said something out of the ordinary. Something that’s sacrilegious which is an abomination to his ears. After some sec, he said ‘how my night went is none of your business’!
I was awed in shock. Normally, I was expecting a simple ‘fine’ ‘Good’ ‘Splendid’ ‘ My night was great’ etc. But he didn’t say any of these but he told me ‘how my night went is none of your business’! I felt embarrassed.
For minutes, I couldn’t mutter a word back to him. I just buried my head in shame.
All through the meeting, I was lost in thought and I couldn’t concentrate on the meeting minutes. I kept asking myself within, ‘was my question wrong?’ ‘have I said something that offended this man?’ ‘could it be that he had a bad night rest and he decided to transfer the aggression at me?’
After the meeting, I did a little Google search and I couldn’t believe the answers I got.
Ladies and gentlemen, did you know the phrase “How was your night ” In English Language means “How was last nights sex?” “How was your night shift duty?” “How was your health during the night hours?”
Whenever you ask this question in the morning to healthy people who are not in sick bed, you’re invariably inquiring about their sexual comfort/activities during the night or how their night shift went and it’s rude to ask such mostly if you’re not closely related to the person. No wonder the British officer find my question condescending because he felt I was intruding in his private business since I’m not too familiar with him. But I asked that question with a sincere and innocent mind without any harm. Basically, how was your night is normally asked to people who are receiving treatments in the hospital or people who are on night shift.
Nigeria has really messed me up. Now, I’d be more careful whenever I want to speak with these white folks because I never can tell when I’d say something that’s offensive and invasive again. By the way, I need to un-learn so many English I’ve been proudly speaking, they’re wrong. My happiness is that I know the appropriate question whenever I want to enquire how a person’s night went now and it should be;
“Did you have a good night sleep?” or “Did you sleep well?
The answer to ‘ How was your night?’ Is actually ‘none of your business!’
I have checked our local languages. Even as literal translation goes, no Nigerian language asks ‘How was your night?’ I am checking because of this phrase, for those who know, was not in use in Nigeria as recent as 10 years ago.
As my Doctor friend said to me, it may have come from hospitals. It’s common knowledge according to the doctor that sick people often have rough nights and most deaths occur at night. So a doctor’s question to the patient during morning ward rounds is usually ‘How was your night?’ If we exported hospital vocabulary to the streets, are we now to assume, we are all at death’s door?
The proper address for mornings is simply ‘good morning’ and if you want to spice it up by being overly friendly, you may add ‘hope you slept well?’ A person’s night is not our business.
If we are Igbo it’s either, ibolachi– have you woken up. Ututuoma- good morning.
If Yoruba, 'ę karo' – good morning. You can go further as Yorubas are won’t do by adding “se daada l'ę ji’ – hope you woke up well?
None of these our local greetings intrusively asks ‘How was your night?’ So, No! It is not African either. Let us be well aware when we leave our lanes to go measuring that of others. ���������� *So now we know!* *Don't go asking me or anyone else "How was my night anymore?*
*Copied* This is misleading, asking someone how their night went has nothing to do with sex or their state of health in particular, you are right in a way but your explanation and conclusion is erroneous, Its not right to just ask someone about their night without having a prior knowledge of something they would be doing that night, it does not have to be sex, working night shift or been ill, it can be anything, like you knowing that person was out partying that night. My conclusion, you can ask someone how their night went only if you were aware of something in particular they did that night. |
Re: Stop Asking People 'How Was Your Night', It Is Wrong English by DeLaRue: 10:41pm On Aug 15, 2019 |
My first and probably only experience of being asked 'how was your night', was from an employee. For a moment, I thought I misheard him. It really is a weird question to ask. Makes you a little irritated The first mistake OP made was to greet the British guy, 'good morning sir.' Nigerians are obsessed with calling everyone 'sir.' If nothing else, you straightaway belittled yourself. Outside of primary or high schools, the word 'sir' is rarely used in public discuss anywhere in the UK. You will never hear that word used in business or professional circles in the UK. Every one is on first-name terms, even your boss at work expects nothing more than first name. Even in Nigeria here, my employees cant complete a sentence without littering it with sir this, sir that When I return to the office, as I come out of the car, 2 of them will walk out of the office to collect my bag, laptop, even phone I have told them several times that this is totally unnecessary, and meaningless. They continue to do it. One even told me, 'Oga, ah, sir, no o, we cant allow that o.' If I get out of my desk in the office, at least one of them will jump up to see whether I need anything. Quite irritating. All of this overbearing 'respect' stuff adds up to nothing and creates unnecessary inefficiencies. 1 Like |
Re: Stop Asking People 'How Was Your Night', It Is Wrong English by Sunsets: 10:44pm On Aug 15, 2019 |
Am drawn to tears whenever I see my people lost in mental, intellectual and cultural slavery. What you see those expression are direct translation of our local languages in English. That is how we greet as a people. We ask ourselves lots of interesting questions. In Igbo, we have 'itele?' - 'are you awake?' when loosely translated. You are no longer aware of your uniqueness because you have been extensively damaged. Our language is a bunch of figures of speech. Unfortunately, each line is usually literally translated by us into English - a result of our poor proficiency in English usage. On the bright side though, we have turned it into an invention called Nigerian English. It is staying; we are slaying it. 1Sharon:
Tell me about it Or when they ask " have you eaten"
Nigerians speak terrible English but get offended when ppl call it out |
Re: Stop Asking People 'How Was Your Night', It Is Wrong English by Nobody: 10:44pm On Aug 15, 2019 |
wallezee: This is misleading, asking someone how their night went has nothing to do with sex or their state of health in particular, you are right in a way but your explanation and conclusion is erroneous, Its not right to just ask someone about their night without having a prior knowledge of something they would be doing that night, it does not have to be sex, working night shift or been ill, it can be anything, like you knowing that person was out partying that night. Or knowing the person stays in a cold environment or probably just moved into the apartment or a mosquito infested area and concerned how he or she was able to cope through the night.. They are a million reasons that makes "how was your night" a valid question... One thing to note is; if you're rude you're rude anything could piss u off including a simple good morning or even a handshake... |
Re: Stop Asking People 'How Was Your Night', It Is Wrong English by 9jaRealist: 10:45pm On Aug 15, 2019 |
|
Re: Stop Asking People 'How Was Your Night', It Is Wrong English by pinkygurl(f): 10:47pm On Aug 15, 2019 |
darling4real1: I TRULY DON'T ANSWER THIS!!
*Do you know that asking a person “How was your night?” is wrong?* Well, if you didn’t know it until today, get to know with the help of Edward E Onoriode who shared the update on his Facebook wall. I felt it very necessary to spread the word and help people know about it too.
Here it is.... as posted by Edward E Onoriode.
I attended a IED (Improvise Explosive Device) fusion cell meeting with some US and British EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) experts yesterday to discuss all the IED incidences that had happened within the week across Somalia.
At the meeting hall, I saluted one of the British officers ‘Good morning sir’ and he responded back ‘good morning to you too’
My oversabi did not allow me to keep quiet so I went further with the Nigeria popular phrase ‘how was your night sir?’
Dude was shock. He looked at me in a weird way as if I’d said something out of the ordinary. Something that’s sacrilegious which is an abomination to his ears. After some sec, he said ‘how my night went is none of your business’!
I was awed in shock. Normally, I was expecting a simple ‘fine’ ‘Good’ ‘Splendid’ ‘ My night was great’ etc. But he didn’t say any of these but he told me ‘how my night went is none of your business’! I felt embarrassed.
For minutes, I couldn’t mutter a word back to him. I just buried my head in shame.
All through the meeting, I was lost in thought and I couldn’t concentrate on the meeting minutes. I kept asking myself within, ‘was my question wrong?’ ‘have I said something that offended this man?’ ‘could it be that he had a bad night rest and he decided to transfer the aggression at me?’
After the meeting, I did a little Google search and I couldn’t believe the answers I got.
Ladies and gentlemen, did you know the phrase “How was your night ” In English Language means “How was last nights sex?” “How was your night shift duty?” “How was your health during the night hours?”
Whenever you ask this question in the morning to healthy people who are not in sick bed, you’re invariably inquiring about their sexual comfort/activities during the night or how their night shift went and it’s rude to ask such mostly if you’re not closely related to the person. No wonder the British officer find my question condescending because he felt I was intruding in his private business since I’m not too familiar with him. But I asked that question with a sincere and innocent mind without any harm. Basically, how was your night is normally asked to people who are receiving treatments in the hospital or people who are on night shift.
Nigeria has really messed me up. Now, I’d be more careful whenever I want to speak with these white folks because I never can tell when I’d say something that’s offensive and invasive again. By the way, I need to un-learn so many English I’ve been proudly speaking, they’re wrong. My happiness is that I know the appropriate question whenever I want to enquire how a person’s night went now and it should be;
“Did you have a good night sleep?” or “Did you sleep well?
The answer to ‘ How was your night?’ Is actually ‘none of your business!’
I have checked our local languages. Even as literal translation goes, no Nigerian language asks ‘How was your night?’ I am checking because of this phrase, for those who know, was not in use in Nigeria as recent as 10 years ago.
As my Doctor friend said to me, it may have come from hospitals. It’s common knowledge according to the doctor that sick people often have rough nights and most deaths occur at night. So a doctor’s question to the patient during morning ward rounds is usually ‘How was your night?’ If we exported hospital vocabulary to the streets, are we now to assume, we are all at death’s door?
The proper address for mornings is simply ‘good morning’ and if you want to spice it up by being overly friendly, you may add ‘hope you slept well?’ A person’s night is not our business.
If we are Igbo it’s either, ibolachi– have you woken up. Ututuoma- good morning.
If Yoruba, 'ę karo' – good morning. You can go further as Yorubas are won’t do by adding “se daada l'ę ji’ – hope you woke up well?
None of these our local greetings intrusively asks ‘How was your night?’ So, No! It is not African either. Let us be well aware when we leave our lanes to go measuring that of others. ���������� *So now we know!* *Don't go asking me or anyone else "How was my night anymore?*
*Copied* |
Re: Stop Asking People 'How Was Your Night', It Is Wrong English by Convention107: 10:49pm On Aug 15, 2019 |
Amanyanabo: Bullocks! How was ur nite in Nigeria English is a polite question. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Why should I care what a Briton or American thinks We learn everyday, no need to be arrogant |
Re: Stop Asking People 'How Was Your Night', It Is Wrong English by Sunsets: 10:53pm On Aug 15, 2019 |
How many local languages do you know? I hear as often as it is said, "iralukwalu ofuma?' That is Igbo for how was your night? uuzba:
OP has told you, that non of your local languages ever translates to "How was your night". Nigerian English is the English we speak speak when we translate word for word from our native tounge into English. It's a funny English.
Yoruba will say, "Ejo, E ba mi sun" (inside the bus). Translated to Nigerian English, it means, "Please help me shift" - What it funny there is, I cannot HELP you shift. You have to shift with your own nyash, one by one British English will say, "Please could you shift" or "Please could you shift FOR me. (Shift your nyash by yourself, but do so because of me. I shall not HELP you push your GIGANTIC nyash.. You push your nyash by yourself)
So, "How was your night ?" is not anybody's language. It is not Nigerian English either. As OP said, it intrudes upon one privacy . And the answer is still, NONE OF YOUR GADDEM BUSINESSES. |
Re: Stop Asking People 'How Was Your Night', It Is Wrong English by wisdomkid: 10:54pm On Aug 15, 2019 |
Amanyanabo: Bullocks! How was ur nite in Nigeria English is a polite question. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Why should I care what a Briton or American thinks Because they taught us how to speak their language? 1 Like |
Re: Stop Asking People 'How Was Your Night', It Is Wrong English by Bahddo(m): 10:57pm On Aug 15, 2019 |
Whoever wrote this is not very intelligent. When you say something is 'wrong English', you are saying it is grammatically (or perhaps syntactically) incorrect.
Just say it is misused over here and doesn't truly mean what we think it means.
That said, it high time people realized that African/Nigerian English is actually a thing. It should be rightly recognized as a valid context in which expression usage can differ from BrE or AmE and still be correct. |
Re: Stop Asking People 'How Was Your Night', It Is Wrong English by uuzba(m): 10:59pm On Aug 15, 2019 |
Sunsets: How many local languages do you know? I hear as often as it is said, "iralukwalu ofuma?' That is Igbo for how was your night? Before asking your question, make sure the person is from your exact village We are Nigerians from different tribes. Consider that you are speaking to someone NOT from your village To assist in this process, the white people gave us English, with its own rules. This is what me and you are currently using right now to communicate. I cannot spesk your native language. You cannot speak mine But we can both speak English Speak it with English rules. Let us equally face the challenge. If you keep speaking your version of English that offends me, I will reciprocate by speaking my version of English that will offend you Final result, we bothoffend each other and there is no communication anymore |
Re: Stop Asking People 'How Was Your Night', It Is Wrong English by Sunsets: 11:01pm On Aug 15, 2019 |
How else do you think that Americans, Canadians, Australians and their likes came up with their American English, Canadian English and Australian English. Once it is largely understood and accepted, it stays. Inferiority complex is a chronic disease. Because it is Yankee, it's automatically correct. Mbanu! uuzba:
OP has told you, that non of your local languages ever translates to "How was your night". Nigerian English is the English we speak speak when we translate word for word from our native tounge into English. It's a funny English.
Yoruba will say, "Ejo, E ba mi sun" (inside the bus). Translated to Nigerian English, it means, "Please help me shift" - What it funny there is, I cannot HELP you shift. You have to shift with your own nyash, one by one British English will say, "Please could you shift" or "Please could you shift FOR me. (Shift your nyash by yourself, but do so because of me. I shall not HELP you push your GIGANTIC nyash.. You push your nyash by yourself)
So, "How was your night ?" is not anybody's language. It is not Nigerian English either. As OP said, it intrudes upon one privacy . And the answer is still, NONE OF YOUR GADDEM BUSINESSES. |
Re: Stop Asking People 'How Was Your Night', It Is Wrong English by 1Sharon(f): 11:04pm On Aug 15, 2019 |
Sunsets: Am drawn to tears whenever I see my people lost in mental, intellectual and cultural slavery. What you see those expression are direct translation of our local languages in English. That is how we greet as a people. We ask ourselves lots of interesting questions. In Igbo, we have 'itele?' - 'are you awake?' when loosely translated. You are no longer aware of your uniqueness because you have been extensively damaged. Our language is a bunch of figures of speech. Unfortunately, each line is usually literally translated by us into English - a result of our poor proficiency in English usage. On the bright side though, we have turned it into an invention called Nigerian English. It is staying; we are slaying it. Intellectually, mentally & culturally enslaved ? Definitely not me. I did already state this a few posts back that there is nothing wrong in Nigerian English amongst Nigerians. But when among the Brits who are custodians of the language you would need to switch up some words and phrases cos they would call you out for that. Deal with it Who else is more of an authority on English than the English themselves? Majority of you here are missing the point and are feeling attacked. |
Re: Stop Asking People 'How Was Your Night', It Is Wrong English by uuzba(m): 11:06pm On Aug 15, 2019 |
Bahddo: Whoever wrote this is not very intelligent. When you say something is 'wrong English', you are saying it is grammatically (or perhaps syntactically) incorrect.
Just say it is misused over here and doesn't truly mean what we think it means.
That said, it high time people realized that African/Nigerian English is actually a thing. It should be rightly recognized as a valid context in which expression usage can differ from BrE or AmE and still be correct. No it is not Jamaicans speak own creole. A pigin English. It is different from their English. We also speak various dialects of Pidgin English. That is also a thing well recognised. It has always existed. Pidgin English is a separate language with English and language words a mixed up by people trying to communicate in English straight from their native tounge English is another language. Learn it and pass your exams. There's no excuse 1 Like |
Re: Stop Asking People 'How Was Your Night', It Is Wrong English by saajus: 11:07pm On Aug 15, 2019 |
The guy thought we can't use google. "How was your night" meaning will be determined by the context in which it was used. The man he met at the meeting was a hothead. Same way "sleep" could really mean sleep or mean sex. Context matters. |
Re: Stop Asking People 'How Was Your Night', It Is Wrong English by Sunsets: 11:07pm On Aug 15, 2019 |
One of the tacharistics of language is that it is dynamic. It evolves. 'They gave us English.' That's a prehistoric assertion. The world is developing the English language we speak today. Go to Encarta; search Nigerian English. uuzba:
Before asking your question, make sure the person is from your exact village We are Nigerians from different tribes. Consider that you are speaking to someone NOT from your village To assist in this process, the white people gave us English, with its own rules. This is what me and you are currently using right now to communicate. I cannot spesk your native language. You cannot speak mine But we can both speak English Speak it with English rules. Let us equally face the challenge.
If you keep speaking your version of English that offends me, I will reciprocate by speaking my version of English that will offend you Final result, we bothoffend each other and there is no communication anymore |
Re: Stop Asking People 'How Was Your Night', It Is Wrong English by larryking540: 11:09pm On Aug 15, 2019 |
Gten: OP, before I comment,how was your night? Yes I said it, English no be my language, the question means well in the Nigerian context. we have more than enough problems to deal with everyday in this country, English that massages a foreigners ego is the least of them. my guy thank u jor, we have a lot of problems to deal with in this country than "how was your night " even oyibo day fail English, if u don't know let the op know today, English is not our language, it is not our native language, that's y the likes of IESTL English professional exam exist in 9ja, south Africa don't take the exams becus English is considered as one of their native language, .. op should have Google if English is nigeria native language before feeling bad say one oyibo disgrace am, |