Yoruba language is dying! Do you agree?

[Gen Sani Abacha]

Abacha, how did you know about owambe's party for today? I just returned from a wedding...I refused to spray money...one funny thing happened....

At the registry, after solemnisation...went into the car and was waiting on driver who was attending to some folks......na so one man dey run after a girl of about 25yrs, na so the girl said "ori mi de n wu bi e se n praise mi"...she gave the man some naira notes...na so the pereseke man turned around and saw me in the car...come see show. The man jumped up and said "ah te mi ti da loni..." I couldn't help but burst out in laughter....quickly gave him some dough..asked him to leave me alone before others join him.

I had fun, have been attending functions....Naija is fun!

I knew yu be jayejaye baba-ngba-laifu kinda guy :D
Oya, Multibaba, oko awon omoge, na mi lowo koreeti o, ja mi, lego koreeti o!
Se mi lowo Multi ara Ilu Amerika, O pitu ninu awon onise oko-owo, oya wole o boode, koo dami lohun o! Oya, come spray me wit dolapo too, abi yu tink say I dey praise and drum for yu for notin ?

 

[vince]

Not that I know of. However, the Yoruba language newspaper "Alaroye", is very popular across Yorubaland, and has very good cartoon strips in it. Very nicely drawn figures, and good Yoruba language dialogue.

Now, I don't know if you're aware or not, but there used to be a set of Yoruba language comic books published when I was a kid, it dealt with supernatural themes - witches, etc- it also had an English language version.It was titled "Aye Akamara", the English version being "This Odd World", and we used to read both versions in those days.

Yes i remember that one.I used to avoid it because it was too scary for my young mind back then.

 

[Multioption]

Not that I know of. However, the Yoruba language newspaper "Alaroye", is very popular across Yorubaland, and has very good cartoon strips in it. Very nicely drawn figures, and good Yoruba language dialogue.

Now, I don't know if you're aware or not, but there used to be a set of Yoruba language comic books published when I was a kid, it dealt with supernatural themes - witches, etc- it also had an English language version.It was titled "Aye Akamara", the English version being "This Odd World", and we used to read both versions in those days.

hmmmm...gone are the days (Ibon ni awon igba ni). GSA, I'm loving you today for taking me down the memory lane.

 

[Multioption]

I knew yu be jayejaye baba-ngba-laifu kinda guy :D
Oya, Multibaba, oko awon omoge, na mi lowo koreeti o, ja mi, lego koreeti o!
Se mi lowo Multi ara Ilu Amerika, O pitu ninu awon onise oko-owo, oya wole o boode, koo dami lohun o! Oya, come spray me wit dolapo too, abi yu tink say I dey praise and drum for yu for notin ?

I don learn how not to get carried away. I fell into the trap of one juju musician...spent all the money on me before some girls showed up, called themselves "awon omo empire" (beautiful and educated gals) come see how I dey look like zombie......

I don't get carried away. if the musician like, mek him sing waka, fuji or calypso, I won't budge.

 

[Gen Sani Abacha]

Yes i remember that one.I used to avoid it because it was too scary for my young mind back then.

On a serious note though, from a purely literary point of view, it was a valid part of the canon of Yoruba language literature.

 

[Gen Sani Abacha]

hmmmm...gone are the days (Ibon ni awon igba ni). GSA, I'm loving you today for taking me down the memory lane.

:D

 

[Gen Sani Abacha]

I don learn how not to get carried away. I fell into the trap of one juju musician...spent all the money on me before some girls showed up, called themselves "awon omo empire" (beautiful and educated gals) come see how I dey look like zombie......

I don't get carried away. if the musician like, mek him sing waka, fuji or calypso, I won't budge.

Shebi yu budge today now ? :D abi yu wan tell me say una no budge ?
Di wan wey ah go sing for una sef, efun if Babangida hia am, hin go gif me all di money wey dey for hin swiss account

 

[Peaches]

Yoruba less developed??? how is yoruba less developed than italian? see, yoruba is a language that is descriptive when we name objects. Things like computer, keyboard, mouse, those things can be easily inferred. I believe there's even a word for computer now sef. I mean we developed words for television, car, radio, phone, etc with the industrial age which was the last known revolution before this computer one. Believe me, Yoruba is extensive as it is. I studied italian and BELIEVE me, there's nothing about it that's more developed than Yoruba.

I beg to differ, Funmibaby. Yoruba has phrases for the devices you've listed above but not words.

Let's take Television for example. Yoruba will call this: Ero amohun m'aworan. Now, that to me is more like an explanation, a break down rather than a word. I'm sure you couldn't write it as Eroamounmaworan, now could you?

Well, I guess in a nutshell, my point is: Yoruba language is definitely not developed. Accomodating? Maybe but developed? No!

 

[Peaches]

Great debate. I have to give kudos to Multioption and Pete on this one.

One thing I find interesting however is the fact that before launching into attacks or counter arguements, none of the opposers actually asked Multioption the preliminary question: why?

Most respondents basically got emotional! LOL....

I wish Multi could return to continue this debate.

 

[Peaches]

English is like a virus,it needs to infect other more sophisticated languages to survive,and it does it very well,better than any other language.Think about uncountable words from french,greek,latin and other ancient lingos.That is the secret of it's success,not to talk of a lot of help from hollywood,US music,and IT world.
If we're basing it's superiority on it's ability to adapt to any era,it's flexibility,then it is unbeatable.
Yoruba needs to adapt,it needs to be more flexible,and most of all we yorubas need to support it and stop running away from it,only to come in front of our compurras and proclaim fake undying love for it,while it slowly dies off.

In other words, the English language is superior to any other language! I agree!!grinning:

 

[vince]

In other words, the English language is superior to any other language! I agree!!grinning:

That's not what i meant.English is just adaptable and it is regularly upgraded,that's all.

 

[Peaches]

That's not what i meant.English is just adaptable and it is regularly upgraded,that's all.

Doesn't the fact that it's unbeatable make it superior in other sense? At least The Thesaurus agrees...

 

[Abike]

Aunty Peaches,....hmmm....oun wa ja o!

Doesn't the fact that it's unbeatable make it superior in other sense?

 

[Peaches]

Aunty Peaches,....hmmm....oun wa ja o!

If we can pause and stop getting sentimental or emotional for a few, then maybe we'd come to agree that it's true.

 

[Gen Sani Abacha]

Perhaps if the Yorubas conquer, capture and colonise much of the world, they can impose their language and then claim it is superior in a few hundred years time!
Until then, we will all have to agree to disagree.

 

[kolinzo]

I beg to differ, Funmibaby. Yoruba has phrases for the devices you've listed above but not words.

Let's take Television for example. Yoruba will call this: Ero amohun m'aworan. Now, that to me is more like an explanation, a break down rather than a word. I'm sure you couldn't write it as Eroamounmaworan, now could you?

Well, I guess in a nutshell, my point is: Yoruba language is definitely not developed. Accomodating? Maybe but developed? No!

Why not? There is no rule that says we can't write it like that. As a matter of fact, that is how you suppose to write it. A good Yoruba professor would give you an 'A' for that word.
Please check out the dictionary on the these words:
TELEcommunication
TELEvision
TELEgraph
TELEphone
TELEscope
TELEtypewriter
TELEgram

These words ^ were one time phrases put together. I'm pretty sure you will come back and agree that Yoruba language is definitely developed!

 

[vince]

There should be yearly upgrade of yoruba,and the upgrades made should be made public,especially on the net.

 

[Peaches]

Perhaps if the Yorubas conquer, capture and colonise much of the world, they can impose their language and then claim it is superior in a few hundred years time!
Until then, we will all have to agree to disagree.

GSA, re-read your statement and you'll see that you've in a nutshell agreed that the English language and a matter of fact; it's people are superior!

I said it!

You said the English:

conquer, capture and colonise much of the world

Would any country or people have been successfully captured if they were as clever, intelligent or forward thinking as their invaders? No! The English not only proved their superiority in the African continent but all over planet Earth!

Do you want to go on with this?

 

[Peaches]

Why not? There is no rule that says we can't write it like that. As a matter of fact, that is how you suppose to write it. A good Yoruba professor would give you an 'A' for that word.
Please check out the dictionary on the these words:
TELEcommunication
TELEvision
TELEgraph
TELEphone
TELEscope
TELEtypewriter
TELEgram

These words ^ were one time phrases put together. I'm pretty sure you will come back and agree that Yoruba language is definitely developed!

Yeah....but they weren't written as: Voice and visual device or communication device...and what nots. You see what i'm getting at?

 

[kolinzo]

Yeah....but they weren't written as: Voice and visual device or communication device...and what nots. You see what i'm getting at?

I see what you are getting at as far as "phrases" go. But Yoruba language is well developed, there are words you don't even know they exist unless you do advanced Yoruba - which I think they should make mandatory for every student (from High school to college).