Talk Nigeria was created to help those that often travel to and from Nigeria and would like a more efficient way of communicating with the majority of Nigerians. This handbook will enable foreign-born Nigerians and their families to teach their native language to their children. Talk Nigeria makes it possible for them to not only learn the languages, but also to assist them with phonetic pronunciation of the words in their native languages. This is not just another boring language guide that is only based upon endless repetitions of language drills. It is a handbook that promotes quick and effective communication with Nigerians in the three major languages. It includes . easy-to-read translations from English into the three main languages spoken in Nigeria-Yoruba, Ibo, and Hausa, . all translations include the phonetic pronunciation for each word and phrase; . translations for greetings, everyday phrases, and a reference dictionary. An innovative way to learn to speak a very common African language, this handbook is an indispensable guide to speaking the Nigerian languages correctly and effectively.

Talk Nigeria

A 60 Second Language HandbookBy King Kayode Yeotan

iUniverse, Inc.

Copyright © 2011 King Kayode Yeotan
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4620-2006-5

Contents

INTRODUCTION..............................................1Nigerian Facts............................................3Language History:.........................................5Yoruba....................................................6Igbo......................................................7Hausa.....................................................8YORUBA....................................................9Yoruba Introduction.......................................11Yoruba Alphabet...........................................12Yoruba Attire.............................................14Greetings Of Kings In Yoruba Language.....................15Greetings In Yoruba Language..............................16Phrases You Should Know...................................17A Short List of Trees.....................................19Yoruba Reference Dictionary...............................21IGBO......................................................41Igbo Language and Alphabet................................43Igbo Numbers..............................................44Common Phrases............................................45Greetings in Igbo Language................................46Igbo Reference Dictionary.................................49HAUSA.....................................................67Hausa Alphabets and Language..............................69Days of the Week..........................................71Hausa Numbers.............................................71Greetings in Hausa........................................73Food & Water..............................................74General Information.......................................75Help......................................................76Money.....................................................77Transportation............................................78Hausa Reference Dictionary................................79References................................................97

Introduction

Talk Nigeria is a language handbook that was designed to teach the Nigerian language in a very short period of time. This book will allow any English-speaking individual to quickly communicate in the three main languages: Yoruba, Igbo, & Hausa. For both native Nigerians and those that are interested in their languages, Talk Nigeria will offer the opportunity to correctly master the pronounciations of the native languages. This hand book will give you both the English translation for the Nigerian phrase or term, as well as the "English" pronounciation. For example, to phonetically pronounce the word "opportunity", you would break it down into five syllables as follows:

? "Opportunity"- Awe-por-too-nee-tee

Pronounce these words "phonetically" just as you would any other English term. Talk Nigeria is set up in this same format. Throughout this handbook, you will see the English phrase followed by the English pronounciation and the Yoruba term/ phrase.

Many other language books fail to provide a guideline for the correct pronounciations of the terms and phrases in other languages. Talk Nigeria focuses on this aspect and will have you speaking Nigerian in 60 seconds.

Nigerian Facts

Area: 923,766 sq.km.

Population: 150 million (estimate)

Capital: Abuja (9°4 N 7°29 E)

Government: Three-tier structure:

? A Federal Government

? 36 StateGovernments ? 774 Local Government Administrations

Official Language: English

Main Indigenous Languages: Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba

Main Religions: Christianity, Islam, Traditional

Main Commercial/Industrial Cities: Lagos, Onitsha, Kano, Ibadan, Port Harcourt, Aba, Maiduguri, Jos, Kaduna, Warri, Benin, Nnewi

Major Industrial Complexes:

Refineries and Petro-Chemicals: Kaduna, Warri, Port Harcourt, And Eleme.

Iron and Steel: Ajaokuta, Warri, Oshogbo, Katsina, Jos.

Fertilizer: Onne- Port Harcourt, Kaduna, Minna, Kano

Liquefied Natural Gas: Bonny

Aluminum Smelter: Ikot Abasi, Port Harcourt

Currency:

NAIRA and KOBO N1.00 = l00k (one naira = hundred kobo)

Climate:

Temperatures across the country are relatively high with a very narrow variation in seasonal and diurnal ranges (22-36t). There are two basic seasons; wet season (April – October) and the dry season (November – March). The dry season commences with Harmattan, a dry chilly spell that lasts till February and is associated with lower temperatures, a dusty and hazy atmosphere brought about by the North-Easterly winds blowing from the Arabian peninsular across the Sahara. The second half of the dry season, February - March, is the hottest period of the year when temperatures range from 33 to 38°C. The extremes of the wet season are felt on the southeastern coast where annual rainfall might reach a high of 330cm. The extremes of the dry season, in aridity and high temperatures, are felt in the north third of the country.

Language History: NIGERIA

Nigeria has more than 250 ethnic groups, with varying languages and customs, creating a country of rich ethnic diversity. The largest ethnic groups are the Fulani/Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo, accounting for 68% of population. The official language of Nigeria, English, was chosen to facilitate the cultural and linguistic unity of the country.

In Nigeria, there are three main Languages apart from english. The languages derived their names from the group of people they belong to.

1. Yoruba yo-roo-bah 2. Ibo (also spelled Igbo) he-boh 3. Hausa ha-oo-sah

? However, there are more than 300 dialects, within the three main languages and across them!

Yoruba

Yoruba language is one of the three official Languages of Nigeria. The Yoruba language is a dialect continuum of West Africa with over 22 million speakers.

The native tongue of the Yoruba people is spoken, among other languages, in Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. Traces of the language are also among communities in Brazil, Sierra Leone, where it is called Oku (oh-ku), and Cuba where it is called Nago (nah-go).

Nigeria was colonized by the British on October 1st 1960. To obtain the independence, the country's official language became English. A variation of English known as "broken English" or "Pidgin English" is also used.

Igbo

Igbo is the second of the three official languages of Nigeria and is a member of the Niger-Congo family of languages. The Igbo are the second largest group of people living in southern Nigeria. This language is spoken by about 18 million people in Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea. Igbo is a tonal language with two distinctive tones, high and low. In some cases a third, down stepped high tone is recognized. As of today, the Igbo language is not considered to be a full and complete language.

Hausa

Hausa is a Chadic language with about 39 million speakers. The Hausa people are mostly found in the southwestern parts of Niger and in the northwestern part of Nigeria called "Hausaland". About one-fourth of their language is derived from Arabic and the rest from Fulfulde and Kanuri languages, and even some English is incorporated into their language. Some Hausa even speak French and English fluently and sometimes even read and write Arabic. This language is also spoken in Niger, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, CAR, Chad, Congo, Eritrea, Germany, Ghana, Sudan and Togo.

YORUBA

Yoruba people are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. The Yoruba language is spoken by majority of the Yoruba people. (Yoruba: èdèe Yorùbá; èdè). Throughout West Africa, the Yoruba are comprised of around 30 million individuals with approximately 21 percent of its total population predominantly found in Nigeria.

Yoruba Introduction

The traditional Yoruba area — currently comprising the southwestern portion of Nigeria, the republics of Benin and Togo — is commonly called Ìle-Yorùbá (he-leh yo-roo-bah) or Yorubaland.

Yoruba is a tonal language with three tones: high, mid, low!

The high tone is indicated by acute accent on top of letters (/).

The mid tones are not marked (-) and the low tones are marked with the grave acute on top of letter (\).

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