Igbo Lessons.

[Anubis]

Congratulations Guys..

Keep it up! Many thanks to all our dedicated sisters here who are representing the fatherland--and of course to the silent majority, who I am sure will be only too willing to help should their assistance be needed.

Otapiapia is one of those descriptive words which have, by constant use, become associated with a particular object. It literally translates into "that which completely consumes/devours".

Indigenous pesticide makers emphasized the potency of their pesticides--insecticides/rodenticide--by saying that such products will completely take care of ur little pest problem. It will completely devour those annoying bedbugs, rats etc in your house.

That was how the descriptive name "Ota pia pia" came into popular use.

Of course, if you don't feel like saying 'Otapiapia', you can always say "Ogwu anwu", "Ogwu Oke", "Ogwu Uchicha" etc, and still be perfectly understood.

[Anubis]

Originally Posted by Nappy Chick

Who remembers: "Nwanyi n'akwa akwa, i n'akwa kwa maka okukho gi yere akwa n'elu akwa i kwara akwa di n'elu akwa?" One of those tongue twisters: "Woman who is crying, are you crying because your chicken laid an egg on top of the cloth you sewed which is on top the bed?" Thanks to Nwada Meg for the lesson, it's been over... um... a decade But I still remembered

Good one..

Try this for size.

"Manye aka n'akpa akakpo ka i weta ihe di n'akpa akakpo ka i nye akakpo ka o taa" [ Dip your hand in a dwarf's pocket, retrieve the edible contents of his pocket, and give it to the dwarf to eat]

[Anubis]

Originally Posted by Spectacula

Are u an Igbo teacher??? thanks 4 dat clarification. i have learned sumtin.

No Ma'am.

[Anubis]

Mmuo means spirit/Ghost...
Ndi mmuo= Spirits/Ghosts

Mmanwu/Mmonwu=Masquerade.

Now, in ancient Igboland, during certain festivals or customary observances, it was thought that 'spirits' came out to walk this humanly realm. So the masked 'pretenders' often seen or heard were then fearfully called "Ndi mmuo" suggesting that spirits were abroad.

But then, with time, when it became public knowledge that these were no real spirits, but humans wearing masks, there had to be a distinction made. Nevertheless, whether you call masquerades "mmanwu/mmonwu" or "mmuo" during a conversation, your interlocutor who is a proper Igbo person will understand in context.

There is the story of some beautiful, independent minded woman in some part of Igboland who was accosted by one of these masquerades. The masked pretender harassed the woman sorely and at some point, they had a physical altercation. The woman would not be intimidated by the masked village bully so she picked a weapon and struck the masquerade and killed him. I need not tell you that by traditional values this woman has done a great wrong and deserved serious punishment. But we are at cultural crossroads now, so the rich father of the young woman had to think fast or risk losing his daughter. So he said that anyone who could save his daughter's neck may have her hand in marriage. A smart Igbo lawyer who had set his eyes on the pretty young lady saw his chance signed up. This issue, which would have been settled according to the traditional laws of a place, was then forwarded to a court.

After hearing all the damning evidence convicting his client of manslaughter, the lawyer came up to speak. He started by reiterating the constant allusion to the fact that the girl killed an 'mmuo".

After forcing everybody to declare she killed an 'mmuo', he began his defence by defining 'mmuo' as a SPIRIT. He contended that spirits cannot be seen or heard or felt because quite frankly they belong to another realm. His arguments began to crystallize. If this woman indeed killed an 'mmuo', she deserved honor and applause; she deserved international recognition; and she deserved not condemnation but commendation for doing that which common knowledge or even science would deem impossible.

Now, here's the dilemma: Should the plaintiff then turn folklore on its face by agreeing that these masquerades were indeed not spirits thereby rubbishing long-held 'sacred' beliefs? Admitting that such masquerades were not spirits out there in a public courtroom especially with the possibility that such news would be splashed all over newspapers was a risk too great to take in order to convict one girl. It will be tantamount to cutting one's nose to spite one's face. Other towns in Igboland do not joke with the secrecy--real or imagined--of their masquerade cults; if these village plaintiffs faltered, their town's masquerade cult might altogether become demystified. They might even become part of some general Igbo expression for all things disingenuous.

And that was how the defence won. Since the plaintiff wouldn't admit the woman merely killed a man, then she clearly did not deserve any punishment for manslaughter.

"Spirit" on the otherhand is always "Mmuo"; Spirits= Ndi mmuo"

Holy Spirit= Mmuo Nso........ In spirit and in truth=N'ime mmuo na eziokwu.

[Anubis]

On intensifiers...

I think you guys have some serious intensifiers. Whoa, I never want to be at the receiving end of such caustic bombshells. Chukwu napukwa Ekwensu ike. But yes, the choice of which intensifier to use depends on one's environment. As a matter of fact, in speech, any person born in Igboland can get very creative in emphasizing a diss. The tone and facial expression will unmistakably help to sink in the message.

For instance, I have heard "Ewu mmuo", "Ewu mmeee", "Ewu Gambia" even "Ewu Nama", and they all are very acerbic. I have also heard "Onukwu Odekwu", "Aturu" etc-- all to emphasize utter folly or idiocy.

Hawtie, on that agadi thing, ur tone and facial expression will unmistakably send the message when you say "etiti agadi".... another expression you may have also heard is "agadi na-agwo ofe", "Agadi mmuo", "Agadi ekwe nka" etc. One can indeed get creative with it.

On Iti bolibo/Iti boribo (dummy), there are other intensifiers I have heard too. One of them is 'Iti Nootu' (nootu=nought/zero/0). LOL, I am sure you understand this to mean that someone is so dense he/she scores '0' on tests. And then there is "ogbodogbo iti"-- an 'iti' of brobdignagian proportions! LOL.

Kai, Igbo nke a sef! Ndi be anyi, ka m wusa owara. Onye nwe anyi debe unu we ruo oge m ga-aloghachi ebe a. Ka e mesianu.

[Hawtie]

Originally Posted by Anubis

On intensifiers...

I think you guys have some serious intensifiers. Whoa, I never want to be at the receiving end of such caustic bombshells. Chukwu napukwa Ekwensu ike. But yes, the choice of which intensifier to use depends on one's environment. As a matter of fact, in speech, any person born in Igboland can get very creative in emphasizing a diss. The tone and facial expression will unmistakably help to sink in the message.

For instance, I have heard "Ewu mmuo", "Ewu mmeee", "Ewu Gambia" even "Ewu Nama", and they all are very acerbic. I have also heard "Onukwu Odekwu", "Aturu" etc-- all to emphasize utter folly or idiocy.

Hawtie, on that agadi thing, ur tone and facial expression will unmistakably send the message when you say "etiti agadi".... another expression you may have also heard is "agadi na-agwo ofe", "Agadi mmuo", "Agadi ekwe nka" etc. One can indeed get creative with it.

On Iti bolibo/Iti boribo (dummy), there are other intensifiers I have heard too. One of them is 'Iti Nootu' (nootu=nought/zero/0). LOL, I am sure you understand this to mean that someone is so dense he/she scores '0' on tests. And then there is "ogbodogbo iti"-- an 'iti' of brobdignagian proportions! LOL.

Kai, Igbo nke a sef! Ndi be anyi, ka m wusa owara. Onye nwe anyi debe unu we ruo oge m ga-aloghachi ebe a. Ka e mesianu.

Wow, your vocabulary is impressive. Thanxs so much for sharing.

[tomapep]

Roseykitty thanks.
I remember in Igbo Mbu the alphabet was taught with "Aka, bekee, gbuo, dinta, egbe, fee...." My sister used to chant this.
Chickram, enwe is monkey, osa is squirrel and nza is a small drab grey bird.
You should do fruits next. Nyem udala kam lacha.
About using mmuo: my mum says it COULD be because it emphasises the insult, and also because if you are saying something has entered into s.o.'s mmuo (spirit) it also means that you are saying they are "actually" that thing. So saying someone behaves like a goat is diff from saying that person is actually a goat. You know, like there is really no difference between the two. And it isn't ever used positively.

[Nappy Chick]

Chickram, yes, "agbaya" IS yoruba, but it is one of those words that I think just crossed cultural boundaries. Anyhow, I didn't see a translation for owl, it is "ozugwuzugwu" right? I mean, that's how I learned it. I can't believe how much Igbo I know. I've always been self-conscious about my Igbo because I started speaking it in my 20's after being in America for years and years but now, I don't care. With the Igbo I heard my mum speak and the one I learned in school and just picked up here and there, I think I do a good job speaking it, I'm better at writing it though. Any Igbo person wey I meet, na only Igbo I go dey speak oh. No more bekee Thanks y'all

[Sophia]

so proud of us

[Sophia]

Originally Posted by roseykitty

Tomapep I will teach u
a b ch d e f g gb gh gw h i i j
k kp kw l m n n nw ny o o[aw]
p r s sh t u u v w y z

and u can refresh my french.
next week we shall tackle the use of 'DIKA na DI KA' bring ur chalk and slate.

LOL! EFUKWA M OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
aturu intensified will be ATURU MMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!![sound made by a stupid igbo sheep}

Ewu intensified is EWU GAMBIA!!!!!

Iti bolibo, ma o bu ajo iti. Now! that just ain't right



larunu juuu ka m ga gbaa awantilo [y'all sleep tight while I go to the disco/club]

that's what am talking abt

[Sophia]

Originally Posted by Chickram

A

Nneka - Gini bu nchi?
Azuka - Idiot!
Nneka - Onye k' i na agwa?
Azuka - O kwa i ju m ajuju?
Nneka - Gini we mezie?
Azuka -



==================================================================

B

Ikenna - Ego ole bu ugbo ala a?
Echezona - Naira Iri abuo na-asato
Ikenna - Eziokwu??!!!
Echezona - I che n' o egwu ka m na-egwu?
Ikenna - Iri Naira kwa nu??
Echezonna - Nkita ara ragbukwa gi isi!



======================================================================

C

Ogechi - Nna anyi ndewo
Mazi Eke - Ehe Nne ndewo. Kedu k' i di?
Ogechi - A di m mma. Olu kwa nu?
Mazi Eke - Olu na-aga ofuma. Umunne gi kwa nu?
Ogechi - Ha di mma.
Mazi Eke - Ngwa nu k' o di
Ogechi - O.



====================================================================


Aisha see if u can tell wats goin on in each of these conversation. You can try translatin them word by word but u don't have to.

nice babe..in my village when we want to mention money we use akpa ego
so hundred naira will be akpa ego iri etc

[Nwashigi]

Originally Posted by Anubis

Mmuo means spirit/Ghost...
Ndi mmuo= Spirits/Ghosts

Mmanwu/Mmonwu=Masquerade.


Holy Spirit= Mmuo Nso........ In spirit and in truth=N'ime mmuo na eziokwu.

thx. so mmuo has infact 2 "m"s.

@Tomapep thx. make i go edit am as 4 doing fruits, i don'y kno their english name o. and some i don't even kno their igbo name.

[Nwashigi]

Originally Posted by Anubis

Now, in ancient Igboland, during certain festivals or customary observances, it was thought that 'spirits' came out to walk this humanly realm. So the masked 'pretenders' often seen or heard were then fearfully called "Ndi mmuo" suggesting that spirits were abroad.

But then, with time, when it became public knowledge that these were no real spirits, but humans wearing masks, there had to be a distinction made. Nevertheless, whether you call masquerades "mmanwu/mmonwu" or "mmuo" during a conversation, your interlocutor who is a proper Igbo person will understand in context.

There is the story of some beautiful, independent minded woman in some part of Igboland who was accosted by one of these masquerades. The masked pretender harassed the woman sorely and at some point, they had a physical altercation. The woman would not be intimidated by the masked village bully so she picked a weapon and struck the masquerade and killed him. I need not tell you that by traditional values this woman has done a great wrong and deserved serious punishment. But we are at cultural crossroads now, so the rich father of the young woman had to think fast or risk losing his daughter. So he said that anyone who could save his daughter's neck may have her hand in marriage. A smart Igbo lawyer who had set his eyes on the pretty young lady saw his chance signed up. This issue, which would have been settled according to the traditional laws of a place, was then forwarded to a court.

After hearing all the damning evidence convicting his client of manslaughter, the lawyer came up to speak. He started by reiterating the constant allusion to the fact that the girl killed an 'mmuo".

After forcing everybody to declare she killed an 'mmuo', he began his defence by defining 'mmuo' as a SPIRIT. He contended that spirits cannot be seen or heard or felt because quite frankly they belong to another realm. His arguments began to crystallize. If this woman indeed killed an 'mmuo', she deserved honor and applause; she deserved international recognition; and she deserved not condemnation but commendation for doing that which common knowledge or even science would deem impossible.

Now, here's the dilemma: Should the plaintiff then turn folklore on its face by agreeing that these masquerades were indeed not spirits thereby rubbishing long-held 'sacred' beliefs? Admitting that such masquerades were not spirits out there in a public courtroom especially with the possibility that such news would be splashed all over newspapers was a risk too great to take in order to convict one girl. It will be tantamount to cutting one's nose to spite one's face. Other towns in Igboland do not joke with the secrecy--real or imagined--of their masquerade cults; if these village plaintiffs faltered, their town's masquerade cult might altogether become demystified. They might even become part of some general Igbo expression for all things disingenuous.

And that was how the defence won. Since the plaintiff wouldn't admit the woman merely killed a man, then she clearly did not deserve any punishment for manslaughter.

"Spirit" on the otherhand is always "Mmuo"; Spirits= Ndi mmuo"

Holy Spirit= Mmuo Nso........ In spirit and in truth=N'ime mmuo na eziokwu.

interestin ifo

[MIprincess]

Nice nice, ana ekwu ekwu ana eme eme
Lets keep it going

[tomapep]

Looks like we all scared the Igbo learners off.....