Is there anyone that speaks Idemmili (hopefully Obosi but any other is okay) willing to help me out?

bigfrancis21:


You're right with your observations with your family. Other Anambra dialects may use 'l+' instead of 'r+', however in spoken Onitsha, that feature is nearly absent but the verb is drawn instead to mean past tense and every other speaker understands it perfectly.

If there are any language laws, they would be in the South East, but I am not aware of any right now. We need these laws though to curb this growing effect.

You're picking up on Igbo quite very well! Keep it up! Where would you rate your understanding skills on a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high)?

My understanding skills really vary. If it's written text in Izugbe with accent marks and the like I can maybe understand 5/6 out of 10. I learned mostly from books in Izugbe so if someone isn't writing in it or using the standard writing conventions my comprehension goes down a lot.

Verbally a struggle much more, maybe 2/3 out of 10. I can understand simple commands and phases, but I get lost in actual conversation. I actually understand Yoruba and Hausa better verbally despite not having studied them as long. It just seems like in Igbo an entire sentence gets mushed into one long word and I can't tell where one word begins and the other ends. I think listening more to movies with subtitles may help with that though.

I can ask two more questions, my first is how can I differentiate between the present tense and present continuous tense?

For example in English I can say:
I go to school
I am going to school

In Igbo I can say:
Ana m eje n'ulo akwukwu

Is that equal to both of the above phrases? Or is it just one of them?


My second question is sometime I see "m" in front of verbs for the first person singular pronoun instead of at the end.
For example:
Aga m agwara ha = M ga-agwara ha

Is this also a dialect thing or are they used interchangeably?

@SmallSimba
Thank you for your insight! It is true about Africans not taking their languages seriously; I hope that attitude will soon change though.
I don't think Igbo has noun classes like Bantu languages, but tone and vowel harmony have definitely been huge obstacles for me.

There is also this property of Igbo called olilo uduame or vowel swallowing. For example ugbo ala which means car is pronounced "ugbaala". It makes it difficult for me to interpret words because I learn the sound ugbo as vehicle but suddenly it become ugba because of the word that follows it. I also can't figure out the pattern for when this is done. Names like Ifeoma are pronounced "Ifoma" but Chioma seems to always be pronounced as it sounds. If anyone has insight on this I would be very grateful.

@Shawncavendish
Thank you for pointing this out! No Igbo resourced I've used point out tone, so I was not aware of this fact.
Izugbe may be understood by most people fluent in an organic dialect, but a person who only knows Izugbe cannot understand any organic dialect well. There in lies my problem when watching movies and listening to people talk as most verbal sourced I've found are in an organic dialect

@memgbe
Thank you! I will look into this book and see if there is an online copy somewhere.

@grandstar
You don't have to worry too much about me when if comes to that. I've been told a lot about how things are their. When I marry it will have to be with someone with a genuine love for African who isn't just looking for a way out. I'll take the power outages and crime rate over other things I've experienced in America. Plus when I master my Igbo and pidgin, dem no go even think a be yankee pikin sef (hopefully I said that right)

@bigfrancis21
Thank you so much for clarifying this for me! I've always been confused by it. The woman who taught me told me ndi onitsha use -lu to instead of repeating the vowel after an "r". But then when I here people in my family speak they don't use that at all. Elilu m nni becomes eli m nni.
I thought adding -lu or an "r" before another vowel represented the past tense, while omitting them is like the infinitive. Am I wrong on this?

Essentially:
Elilu m nni = I ate food
Anam eli nni = I am eating food
Agam eli nni = I will eat food

Is elii m nni also I ate food in certain dialects or is it a different tense?

Also, are there language laws that exist or are being made to promote Igbo? I know in Lagos they passed that law recently that made Yoruba mandatory for schools and colleges in the state, is there something similar in Ala Igbo?

@izzychap
I would be very interested in that! I will contact you soon.


Also, for those mentioning Pidgin, are their actual resources available that teach it? I've mostly just picked up what I know from hearing people talk. If there's is anything available I wouldn't mind increasing my Pidgin skills as well.

adecz:


You are Ibo, if you want to learn
a Nigerian language, you should start
from your own.

You don't know the sociopolitical dynamics
of language & ethnicity in Africa or
Nigeria, that's why you are even contemplating
Hausa or Yoruba.

Your dad is doing you a great disservice.

Please, can you or anyone else explain this to me in more detail?

Kennydoc:


Lol.
There are international languages and African local languages. A language that cannot open doors for you in the international scene is truly inferior.
Imagine me now wanting to learn another language and I decide to learn a second Nigerian language. E no make sense na. I can however learn French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese etc.

It is inferiority complex. There are plenty of African languages close in status to the ones you've mentioned. Swahili is spoken across multiple countries and has millions of speakers. People in America, Europe, and China wishing to do business in East Africa learn the language the same way people struggle to learn French or Portuguese.

The thing is, other African languages will never reach that status if Africans themselves want to throw them away for "important" languages.

Olu20090:


Smells like an Afonja unity beggar aka One Nigerian deceiving you. Biafrans, how could you people not sense this? My people why, SMH! I have known these people all my life, so I know when I read their post. This is a certified afonja! No sensible Igbo man believes in this country. I said none if they are honest with themselves and Chukwu Okike Abiama (God of Abraham)

I am Igbo. I don't know what I can do to prove it, but I have no reason to cause problems here. I specifically stated I didn't want any tribalism in this thread.

On top of that, how can you infer my opinions on Biafra solely from what I stated? For all you know I could hold the same opinions you do. But like I said, this thread isn't about that.

Also, for people trying to point out my English. Obviously I know my audience. I'm not wholly unfamiliar with how Nigerians speak. Would it make sense for me to use AAVE or American colloquialisms when speaking to people who may not know them? If I titled the thread "Spill the tea on Nigerian languages" or "Can Nigerians red-pill me on their three major languages" or "Y'all, which Nigerian languages are really poppin like that" I'd probably loose a few people.

Okuda:
you must be a badly brought up child. you are igbo but looking for a nigerian language to learn? what happened to your dads roots?

Biko, ana m eme ike m niile. I kparo m mpkali.

I've suffered in pursuit of Igbo language. I took scolding and beatings. When I found the woman willing to teach me I drove 2 hours to and from her house every Saturday night for academic school year. I even spend the only three weeks of my summer break between undergrad and grad school and over $1000 of my own money to go to Nigeria for the sake of immersion. And yet other Igbo people still won't hesitate to insult me for not being proficient. If I could press a button that would swap my English ability for Igbo, I would do it. Don't insult my upbringing when your knowledge of me is limited to a few posts on the internet. That goes for anyone else who wants to insult me.

Before I die I will speak Igbo fluently, that isn't the question. As I stated, what I want is a create a family where my children are fluent in an indigenous African language. I'd prefer Igbo all things being equal, but I'd still rather my children know Hausa, Yoruba, or even Lingala before they end up only knowing colonial languages. I only have so much time do gain a deep proficiency before I reach that point, and that's why I'm asking for guidance for people who have been living in the country. In addition, I'm half African-American. I have roots all over west and central Africa; my mother has even taken DNA tests to figure out the specifics. I'm sure the half of my ancestors that had their languages stripped from them will forgive me I'm I became fluent in something else before Igbo.

Evangkatsoulis:

You don't have to learn any nigerian language.
The standard language in Nigeria is English(British english) and pidgin english.
You weren't born or bred in Nigeria, you likely know no body here. So forget about your Nigerian roots and move on.
Unless you want to stay in underdeveloped erosion-ridden south yeastern area of Nigeria you do not need Igbo.
Abuja, Lagos and Ph are the active places in Nigeria and you don't need any local language to go through.

I've been told this a lot and I refuse. It may be difficult for someone who hasn't spent their entire life in a country filled with people unlike them, but a person isn't just born in Africa, Africa is also born in them. Even before I was cognizant of everything going on around me the impact of my ancestry was evident. I'm also incredibly fortunate as a black person to be able to trace my roots to a specifics regions of Africa, let alone have citizenship in one of her countries.

I know life is harder in Nigeria but there are some things worth making sacrifices for. It's a complicated subject, and I can make another thread about it if anyone is interested. I don't feel like this is the place to start writing paragraphs about it.

My heart lies in Africa it's as simple as that.



Also for everyone who is sending helpful replies I want to thank you in advance. I'll start looking through them as soon as I'm free. Also for those sending me email for some reason I can't look at them so I'll also try to get that sorted out as soon as possible. Thanks you all so much!

Fatherofdragons:
First of all op, what state are you from and your village. I am asking this cuz you complained about Igbo izugbe (central Igbo) been different from your dialect.

My family speaks Onitsha Dialect. I know it's not a different as something like the dialect spoken in Ebonyi, but it's difficult to figure out what someone is saying as a learner. For example, it took me a while to figure out "achoro m" means "I want" in Onitsha when it means "I don't want" in Izugbe.

@Opiletool and @bigfrancis21
This is honestly where my concern and apprehension with focusing on the language (at least now) comes from; it's future seems very bleak. Will the language still have a significant presence in the future? I can devote all my time and attention into learning the language, but who will I speak it with once the people in my parent's generation are gone? I've never met an Igbo person around my age who uses the language regularly even if they know how to speak it.

My worry is that I'll spend all my time mastering Igbo, then when I teach it to my kids it won't matter because they will live in an environment that doesn't reinforce its value. Can I be sure they'll master the language or even speak it out of the home? Can I be sure that they'll teach it to their own children or their children's children? Maybe I'm thinking too far ahead, but I'm just one Igbo person of several million. Even if 1/4th of us value the language and put effort into preserving it, that can't counterbalance the 3/4th that don't. Then I'll end up struggling to learn another language while also teaching my children that language.

musicwriter:

Coincidentally, I was just wondering this afternoon whether African-Americans could actually be our savior cause we're not conscious at all over here. And I can assure you that you're already more African than most Africans.

Many African Americans would love to know what cultures their ancestors belonged to. There are millions of black people on the planet that had their language stripped from them, so it's sad seeing so many that still have theirs throwing them away.

Also, thank you for the bolded. It really means a lot to me

lilwetdick:
How come it is only Nigerians that will not teach their children their native languages or tell them where they are from when abroad..it is pathetic

you are igbo...learn your native language

It's not just Nigerian, but unfortunately African seem to be among the worst offenders. One thing I will say that is unique to Nigerians is not speaking your language in the presence of those that understand it. I'm in a club for African students at my university. We have around 30 students with about half of them being Igbo. I've been in this club 4 years and have not heard a single word of Igbo at any gathering. Meanwhile I've heard plenty Twi, Ga, and Swahili despite groups speaking these languages being a minority.



I'd like to thank everyone for the Igbo resources and advice. I'll look into them!

Opiletool:

I really do understand your plight, but I'll advise ou go for that which your heart really desires, which I can deduce is igbo, and which I still insist you learn considering the fact that it's your parent's tongue.

See, I am yoruba, and if I'd been in your shoes, I'll go for my language, not for my sake, but for my unborn kids'. You will not give birth and start teaching them a language that is not of their people will you?

You can break the odds, come and enroll for Igbo class over here in Nigeria. People will hardly want to teach you because it takes lots of effort and time. And considering the fact that money is not involved (joking). We have whites studying our indigenous languages over here. I knew of two back then in yoruba linguistics department of my school(university), so, if white people could go through all the troubles, why can't you?

The bolded are good points. I guess I shouldn't let my frustrations get to me. I just get tired becuase it's not as if I want someone to sit down and give me lessons every day. Just speak to me in it, point out some objects a few times a day and tell me their meaning, anything. When I was putting effort into Yoruba, I always had friends willing to teach me and speak to me in the language. Maybe I will have to look online and find a tutor somewhere.

In your personal experience, do Igbo people in Nigeria often speak their language the way Yoruba people do?

kayfra:
Learn Igbo

I would like insight onto how you came to this conclusion. I think it will help me.

internationalman:
You should rather learn pidgin English

Otherwise you are calling for a battle between the Igbo and Yoruba Soldiers..while the Hausa soldiers supply them with ammunition..

I know Nigerian Pidgin fairly well actually.

Dami12345:
All three is fine actually. Hausa is easy and pretty cool, Igbo is awesome and Yoruba is the rave in rap. All language are not hard to learn funny enough. So after learning all you can come over and stick and brush up the one you like the most.

I do plan on learning all of them someday. I don't want to just scratch the surface with them though; I want to learn them deeply and fluently. It is difficult to balance that with also working on my doctorate. I will take what you said into account thought, that may be a good approach!

Opiletool:
Learn the tongue of your root. It is very important. Go for Igbo.

See I really do want to, but it feels as though it has so many more obstacles than the other languages. Learning in the U.S. I have to use books and dictionaries that use Izugbe. Because Izugbe isn't a real dialect I've learned Igbo that no one actually uses to speak. The first time I went to Nigeria and tried talking with my aunts and uncles, none of them understood what I was trying to say becuase Izugbe is so different compared to their dialect. There's also olilo uduame which makes it incredible difficult for me to understand what people are saying. On top of that, Igbo people seem really reluctant to help or even speak the language (at least abroad). I grew up outside of Ala Igbo, but I did belong to a small Igbo community with around 30 adults. I asked all of them and only one was actually willing to help me after my father refused to teach me, the rest just dismissed me. In addition, all the Igbo people in my generation I've met at colleges can't speak Igbo. Even many of my cousins don't speak the language despite being born and raised in Ala Igbo. My experience is limited, so I ask is the language really thiving and worth learning like the other two?

DonGtoG1:
Whichever language you choose to learn depends on what you want to use it for! .

Could you clarify on this? I'm not sure exactly what you mean.

Hello!

For background, I was born to a Igbo father and a black American mother. I grew up in the U.S., and because my father didn't teach me anything about Nigeria, for the first part of my life I didn't even know I belonged to another culture. As I got a bit older I would question him about things pertaining to Nigeria; his response was "that's not important" or "don't ask such questions, focus on your book instead". At some point I asked him if he spoke another language. He confirmed that he did, but when I asked him to teach me he told me "no one speaks it, instead we just use English" and I accepted that answer.

I had a revelation one day in middle school when eating lunch with one of my friends. Like me she was born in the U.S., but had Chinese parents. We had gone to school together for nearly 10 years, so I was shocked when one day she picked up a phone call from her grandmother and spoke to her in fluent Chinese. When I questioned her on how she learned, she told me that her parents had been teaching her. That way, if she ever goes to China she won't struggle to communicate with her people, and if she chooses not to go she'll at least be able to talk with her grandparents that don't know English.

This impassioned me and that evening when my father came home from work I begged him to teach me Igbo, even though "no one speaks it". He agreed and taught me simple phrases like "kedu", "afa m bu", and "o di mma". The thing is, which it was nice to know these things I could not actually use them to communicate. I didn't understand Igbo grammar and my vocabulary was limited to basic greetings. When I began asking him the name of household items and chores he became angry with me. He told me I was focusing on Igbo and not my books (even though my grades were great), and that he'll punish me if I keep asking so I stopped.

Getting more so to the point, I'm now a graduate student in my early 20's. While I have tried my best to study Igbo, I have met many frustrations that have led me to investigate Hausa and Yoruba. At this point, it simply pains me that when I meet people from my country, I have no means of communicating with people from my country besides English. I plan on moving to Nigeria in the not-so-distant future, and when I go I want to be fluent is something.

Between the three major languages, the arguments I have for each are:

Igbo
As an Igbo person, it makes sense for me to prioritize my language. I don't want to just sit there confused and lost during family gatherings, I also want to be able to speak to my grandparents who don't understand English well. That's really the only positives of Igbo though, even excluding the past experiences mention above, I've over all become disheartened by the idea of learning the language for a variety of reasons.

Yoruba
One thing I like about Yoruba language is that Yoruba people seem to have put a lot of effort into developing it and teaching it. Most Nigerians I've met in the U.S. that speak a Nigerian language speak Yoruba, despite the fact that I've met mostly Igbo people. In addition, of Nigerians I've met also born in the U.S., only the Yoruba's are able to speak their language. Despite that, my family roots are in the South East. I may be able to speak with more Nigerians by learning Yoruba, but I'll still be disconnected from my family. Yoruba people might seem to have less of a "complex" when it comes to their language than Igbo people, but I have observed it's still there.

Hausa
I've only ever met one Hausa family in the U.S., but from what I've observed in Nigeria they seem to practice their language the most. In addition, it seems like Hausa is a lingua franca for most of the country, and many non-Hausas are fluent in the language. Hausa is one of the few sources I can find unadulterated practice of the language. It's also West Africa's most spoken indigenous languages. It still has the same problems a Yoruba though when it comes to connecting with my family. I also don't know how realistic it is to expect to live in the Northern Part of Nigeria as I have limited experience there.

Like I said, I want to move to Nigeria at some point and that's where I want to raise a family and start a career. When I have children I don't want them to grow up like me. I want them to be connected to their people and be able to communicate with them on a level no other group in the world can. I can tell my children to love and embrace African culture and languages when I know none myself.

I decided to come here for insight from other Nigerians as I have no one to talk to about this in real life. Given everything I've said what do you think I should do? At the end of the day I just want a sense connectivity and belonging among my people. I want to put my efforts into learning a language its speakers wholly embrace so I can pass it on to my children.

Also, I don't intend for this to be tribalistic at all. I would also appreciate if responses avoided tribalistic sentiments.