Isn’t it ironic that learning a culture’s pseudo-language can get you ingrained faster than fluency in its native language?
Case in point, the wide use of Pidgin or “broken” English in most parts of Africa and the Caribbean. I recently penned a piece for Matador Abroad that takes you behind Nigeria’s Pidgin language culture.
Here’s an excerpt:
I’ll admit. Whenever a foreigner spews a few words of Yòrubá to me, regardless of delivery quality, I instantly warm up, throwing them a cheesy grin of approval. This gesture shows they’ve made an effort to learn my tribal tongue, one of 521 estimated Nigerian languages they could have chosen from.
If they open up with Pidgin English instead, I instantly perk up. Speaking Pidgin transforms them from visiting foreigner into one of hundreds of well integrated expatriates in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital. There’s a certain intimacy that this form of broken English emits; a down-to-earth, survivalist approach to everyday living and hustling in Africa’s most populous nation….
Read the full article (and listen!) over at Matador Abroad.
Shot in Lagos, Nigeria
Comments (5)
Teach me everything you know! LOL. Love the article and will have to listen closer for practice later. Too punch drunk now, but my fiance will love or dislike you for this. I’ll let you know. Smile.
Adrienne
Lola, I’m so glad you added an audio track to your piece. Makes a great article come alive.
Learning hello, thank you, please in a new language, but we always try to learn an odd phrase that makes people go, “huh, they must be interested in this place to have learned that.” For example, in Georgia we learned the Georgian word for “spirit” or “passion”. Each time we used it in gatherings, we were showered with love and hugs. It helped us to break the ice with complete strangers.
It always shows love and respect to take the time to learn a culture’s language. I just read aan article about Quincey Jones and he said Lionel Hampton told him to alwayys learn at least 4 or five phrases from each country he visits. He can speak phrases in about 30 languages. Nigerians love a pidgin greeting oh! But Caribeban patois is a slightly different mix of English, Spanish and French words, depending where you are. Visitors rarely get the dialects right and I’ve seen quite a few nationals roll their eyes at lame attempts. I think it helps more if you learn a little about the culture and food.
@Adrienne – Absolutely! I’d be curious to hear your fiance’s feedback on it for sure since he’s also Naija!
@Audrey – Thanks for giving me the idea to add the audio. You’re right. It’s those little extra insider words that can make a difference.
@Fly Girl – Sounds like an intriguing article. Would love to check it out if you’ve got a link. Similar to Caribbean Patois, Pidgin has hundreds of variations based on the local languages. Colonial Language + Local Language = Pidgin Colonial Language. In Nigeria, when visitors speak Pidgin vs. a native tongue (regardless of how they deliver it), it is very well received.
I already commented on Matador, but I just wanted to add that I enjoyed the audio track. When I begin to get familiar with a writer’s style, I start to imagine their voice as I’m reading their work. So it was cool to hear what your voice really sounds like!