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A Dictionary of Nigerian English

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A Dictionary of Nigerian English A DICTIONARY OF NIGERIAN ENGLISH [DRAFT CIRCULATED FOR COMMENT] Roger Blench Mallam Dendo 8, Guest Road Cambridge CB1 2AL United Kingdom Voice/Answerphone/Fax. 0044-(0)1223-560687 E-mail [email protected] http://homepage.ntlworld.com/roger_blench/RBOP.htm Cambridge, Sunday, 07 August 2005 TABLE OF CONTENTS Abbreviations...................................................................................................................................................ii Preface ..............................................................................................................................................................ii Introduction .....................................................................................................................................................1 Sources..............................................................................................................................................................1 Spelling .............................................................................................................................................................1 Nigerian English/West African English.........................................................................................................1 Pidgin versus Nigerian English ......................................................................................................................1 Auxiliaries ........................................................................................................................................................2 Student slang....................................................................................................................................................2 Pronunciation spellings ...................................................................................................................................2 Re-interpretation of pidgin.............................................................................................................................3 Style versus substance .....................................................................................................................................3 From NE to SE.................................................................................................................................................4 Spelling pronunciation ....................................................................................................................................4 Missionary English ..........................................................................................................................................4 Scientific names, and trade names .................................................................................................................4 Regional variation ...........................................................................................................................................4 Phonology .........................................................................................................................................................5 Parts of Speech.................................................................................................................................................5 References ........................................................................................................................................................6 B. .......................................................................................................................................................................2 C. .......................................................................................................................................................................5 D. .......................................................................................................................................................................7 E. .......................................................................................................................................................................9 F.........................................................................................................................................................................9 G......................................................................................................................................................................10 H......................................................................................................................................................................12 I. ......................................................................................................................................................................13 J. ......................................................................................................................................................................14 K......................................................................................................................................................................14 L. .....................................................................................................................................................................15 M. ....................................................................................................................................................................16 N. .....................................................................................................................................................................18 O......................................................................................................................................................................18 P.......................................................................................................................................................................19 Q......................................................................................................................................................................22 R. .....................................................................................................................................................................22 S.......................................................................................................................................................................23 T. .....................................................................................................................................................................25 U. .....................................................................................................................................................................27 V. .....................................................................................................................................................................27 W. ....................................................................................................................................................................27 X. .....................................................................................................................................................................28 Y. .....................................................................................................................................................................28 Z. .....................................................................................................................................................................28 Numbers .........................................................................................................................................................29 i Abbreviations AE African English Amer. American (for Americanisms) arch. archaic dial. dialect et. etymologically euph. euphemism fig. figurative hum. humorous id. idiom ideo. ideophone ins. insulting joc. jocular lit. literally NE Nigerian English NNE Northern Nigerian English SE Standard English SNE Southern Nigerian English sc. sl. schoolboy slang st. sl. student slang TE Tropical English Preface This dictionary of Nigerian English was stimulated by some enquiries from the Oxford English Dictionary on words of putative West African origin. The OED faces an increasingly uphill struggle in its attempts to capture World English; almost every Anglophone country has now developed a set of distinctive uses, some more divergent than others. It is surprising, however, that Nigerian English has never been the subject of a published dictionary; rumours abound of mighty manuscripts, but these have yet to see the light of day. A recent publication by Igboanusi goes some way towards remedying this deficiency but the inclusion here of many words not in his dictionary indicates how much work is still to be done. The present manuscript is a draft of a document that will eventually, I hope, become a collective product. I doubt that one individual could produce anything very comprehensive; Nigeria is too diverse and regionalised. But it seems sensible to lay down an initial marker; then additions can be made. I am circulating this to individuals I know have an interest; but please send any further information, comments, emendations etc. to the email or address given on the title page. Roger Blench Cambridge Sunday, 07 August 2005 ii Dictionary
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