Yoruba lang ehhh!!!!
Ogùn(Medicine)Ò gùn(Charm)
Ogun( War)Ògùn(State) Ògún
(God of iron)Ó gun(Stab)Ogún(T
wenty)Òógùn(Swe at)Ogún
(Property)

épko (red oil,grandnut oil, petrol, diesel, kerosine). . . .
When you have one word for different things how would someone not find it difficult to learn.

No insult pls. If you think other 2 major languages are the hardest lets have your proves.

Igbo language.
Akwa-egg, akwa-cry, akwa-wrapper.
Nrubeisi-obedience, nrubeisi-overgrown hair.

Igbo.
Egbe-hawk,egbe-gun.

Igbo.
Ogbe-chunk,Ogbe-section of a village,Ogbee-To make or mix some food.

The hardest would have to be Igbo. Aside from the artificial dialect, there is no generally accepted standard. Then, even after learning the artificial dialect, you come to find out that it is practically useless to you, since most native speakers don't actively communicate in it. Instead, you hear tongues, accents, phonemes and even lexicon that are simply divergent.

Example; You learn 'ihere' (shame), based on the artificial dialect, only to come across a speaker saying 'whnuwhnerne'. This is just one of countless examples.

Don't get me wrong, each language has its selling points for difficulty, but the fact that Igbo can attest to such high degree of divergence, in such a comparatively close proximity, puts it a step or so above the rest (in my opinion), because learning 'Igbo' (the artificial dialect, doesn't mean you can speak with others, and that is the point of learning a language to begin with.

Why not stop with these threads?

What language is harder depends on your mother tongue. Iny my opinion dialects doesn't make a language difficult. When exposed to these dialects you will pick them up naturally. If you want to "measure" difficulty (if there even is such a thing) then you would have to look at two specific dialects/languages and compare, because dialects have similarities, which is what makes them dialects. If we are however, talking about dialects so distinct that they could be considered their own language, then it's no longer comparable and I doubt even Igbos (from other areas with other dialects) would understand. That is simply a lot of dialects (truth with modifications), and doesn't really make the language more difficult, just richer.

Igbo language is treated as the sum total of its acclaimed "dialects". If one is finding it difficult to communicate (understand and speak) these "dialects", then it means one is finding it difficult to learn Igbo, since, in orthodox understanding, one cannot devoid 'Igbo language' of its speech forms as if it stands alone.

So you are saying even Igbos cannot speak their language then? I find it hard to believe that everyone would know all the distinct dialects.

You know that's not how it works. My point still stands.

The orthodox understanding of 'Igbo language' is a weird one. According to the understanding, the various "dialects" of 'Igbo language' stand as a testimony of 'Igbo language'. So, as long as you speak any "dialect", you are claimed to be speaking 'Igbo language'. At the same time the idea of 'Igbo language' does not exist outside of its "dialects". Devoid 'Igbo' of its speech forms and you no longer have 'Igbo language'. So, in a simplified and contradictory explanation, all Igbo people speak Igbo, but no Igbo person really speaks Igbo language. It's weird.

ChinenyeN: The orthodox understanding of 'Igbo language' is a weird one. According to the understanding, the various "dialects" of 'Igbo language' stand as a testimony of 'Igbo language'. So, as long as you speak any "dialect", you are claimed to be speaking 'Igbo language'. At the same time the idea of 'Igbo language' does not exist outside of its "dialects". Devoid 'Igbo' of its speech forms and you no longer have 'Igbo language'. So, in a simplified and contradictory explanation, all Igbo people speak Igbo, but no Igbo person really speaks Igbo language. It's weird.

Yes, you could say that. My point was however, that no one (or very few) speaks all the dialects. Many languages have dialects (probably most or all).

In Norway we have something called Nynorsk, which is artifical. We also have Bokmål, which you could call artifical because no one speaks pure Bokmål. My point is, no one speaks these standard written languages. However, the understanding of dialects is largely based on a persons ability to see context and unconsciously understand the dialect more and more (by being exposed to it). You probably won't start speaking it, but you understand it, and they understand you. The understanding of dialects is just a natural process that you don't really have to put any additional work into. Which is why I claimed that dialects doesn't make the language harder.

Of cours very distinct dialects may be impossible or difficult to understand, but that's because it's close to being another language.

StarFlux: So you are saying even Igbos cannot speak their language then? I find it hard to believe that everyone would know all the distinct dialects.

You know that's not how it works. My point still stands.

The term "Igbo language" actually represents two types of speech forms: Igbo Izugbe (Standard written/spoken Igbo)and Olumba (pure unstandardized written/spoke Igbo). The first was "manufactured" by linguists who sought to create a means for the Igbo peoples to communicate with each other unhindered by the constraints of intelligibility. Speaking any one of these two technically counts as "speaking Igbo", even though the former was constructed as an amalgam of various dialects from the latter. As a result of this, most Igbo people actually speak two forms of Igbo: the centralized one (which is said to be intelligible to every Igbo person) and the un-centralized one (which varies greatly).

I think the thing that makes Igbo seem difficult is the sheer variety of variations (in tonality, nasalization, and lexicon) within it. Take the word mgbede (evening) for example. It is the centralized form of the word evening. However in the un-centralized realm, others say mgbe anyasi, mgbe abali, mgbe abani, and evivie. I also don't think that the Igbo language is so related to another language (maybe aside from Idoma) that a speaker of that language would have a considerable learning advantage over a speaker from another when learning it (this is all within the southern Nigerian context).

igbo is the hardest

It should be either Igbo or Yoruba. In Igbo we have Igwe-king, Igwe-bicycle, Igwe-iron, Igwe as in Igwe mmadu- multitude. Akwa-wears, Akwa-egg, Akwa-cry, Akwa-bed and Akwa mmiri-bridge.

Biafran language...i got it!

to me ibo is the hardest language to learn

I'm Igbo, not at all fluent in Igbo, and the first few posts have put the fear of the Lord in me...

Learning to Speak is IGBO, Learning to write is Yoruba

[img]http://static4.fjcdn.com/thumbnails/comments/somebody+modify+that+gif+and+put+this+one+without+the+_8c9cf78d3c3f5cbcaf0bcd1939ebf924.gif[/img]

Igbo and Hausa language are more difficult to learn,anytime I hear the two,it's just like they're speaking in tongue. But the most difficult one is the Igbo language. Yoruba is easy provided you're set to know it.

HAS TO BE IGBO. YOU NEED TO HAVE STRONG JAW MUSCLES TO SPEAK IGBO

Should be Igbo.

There should be no cursing of other people language here or this should not bring tribalism here. Just say you mind about yours and leave. Do not criticize others.

I do not understand where you and Chinenye are getting your confusion from.
Like any other major language,there is what we call 'central Igbo' which is what is taught in Igbo Language in colleges.It is an amalgam of different local dialects in the geographical entity called Igboland.It is also expected that every Igbo indigene that has average education understands that.
Can Chinenye explain to me what is meant by 'artificial'?
Ehihie is not the same as evening odumchi.Ehihie(central Igbo) is rather afternoon.
Evening is 'anyasi' or 'mgbede'(central igbo), abani or abali(central igbo)=night.ututu(central igbo)=morning.
I have tried as much as possible to understand most local dialects in igboland excpet the 'okpoto' language in Ebonyi state which is extremely difficult.If you listen to those hawkers on 3rd mainland bridge,you may not know they are discussing in igbo.I know that because I lived around that area for 2 years.

odumchi:

The term "Igbo language" actually represents two types of speech forms: Igbo Izugbe (Standard written/spoken Igbo)and Olumba (pure unstandardized written/spoke Igbo). The first was "manufactured" by linguists who sought to create a means for the Igbo peoples to communicate with each other unhindered by the constraints of intelligibility. Speaking any one of these two technically counts as "speaking Igbo", even though the former was constructed as an amalgam of various dialects from the latter. As a result of this, most Igbo people actually speak two forms of Igbo: the centralized one (which is said to be intelligible to every Igbo person) and the un-centralized one (which varies greatly).

I think the thing that makes Igbo seem difficult is the sheer variety of variations (in tonalit, nasalization, and lexicon) within it. Take the word ehihe (evening) for example. It is the centralized form of the word evening. However in the un-centralized realm, others say mgbe anyasi, mgbe abali, mgbe abani, and evivie. I also don't think that the Igbo language is so related to another language (maybe aside from Idoma) that a speaker of that language would have a considerable learning advantage over a speaker from another when learning it (this is all within the southern Nigerian context).

obadiah777: HAS TO BE IGBO. YOU NEED TO HAVE STRONG JAW MUSCLES TO SPEAK IGBO

U are wrong, considering dat it should be Yoruba.

Jah Man: I do not understand where you and Chinenye are getting your confusion from.
Like any other major language,there is what we call 'central Igbo' which is what is taught in Igbo Language in colleges.It is an amalgam of different local dialects in the geographical entity called Igboland.It is also expected that every Igbo indigene that has average education understands that.
Can Chinenye explain to me what is meant by 'artificial'?
Ehihie is not the same as evening odumchi.Ehihie(central Igbo) is rather afternoon.
Evening is 'anyasi' or 'mgbede'(central igbo), abani or abali(central igbo)=night.ututu(central igbo)=morning.
I have tried as much as possible to understand most local dialects in igboland excpet the 'okpoto' language in Ebonyi state which is extremely difficult.If you listen to those hawkers on 3rd mainland bridge,you may not know they are discussing in igbo.I know that because I lived around that area for 2 years.

u are right

Igbo is the hardest with yoruba being the easiest. I had an igbo teacher(for extar lessons at home, when i didnt av for regular subjects) back then buh I still find it hard to understand it (nobody is talking about speaking yet o), buh juss listening to ma mum speak yoruba I learnt it.

Rubbish thread,some people say yoruba is easy because they are yoruba,to me no language is Easy or difficult given that you are determined to learn it

Question can only be answered by someone who speaks the three languages, someone like broadcaster Bisi Olatilo.

planetuzor: Yoruba lang ehhh!!!!
Ogùn(Medicine)Ò gùn(Charm)
Ogun( War)Ògùn(State) Ògún
(God of iron)Ó gun(Stab)Ogún(T
wenty)Òógùn(Swe at)Ogún
(Property)

épko (red oil,grandnut oil, petrol, diesel, kerosine). . . .
When you have one word for different things how would someone not find it difficult to learn.

No insult pls. If you think other 2 major languages are the hardest lets have your proves.

na igbo hard pass,yoruba 2 simple.she you no know se dos foreigners prefer learning yoruba to other nigerian language.

nekaa: Igbo is the hardest with yoruba being the easiest. I had an igbo teacher(for extar lessons at home, when i didnt av for regular subjects) back then buh I still find it hard to understand it (nobody is talking about speaking yet o), buh juss listening to ma mum speak yoruba I learnt it.

I agree and disagree on your views. yes to me too igbo is the hardest but the easiest is hausa, cos i have seen many corpers who just spent 1 year in the north learning how to speak hausa at least the basic communication, though yoruba is also easy is not as easy as hausa and one thing I noticed is that the yoruna language spoken in lagos particularly is most adultrated with english which make any by stander to pick something out of a conversation.

Shieldjnr: igbo is the hardest

Na lie.

Odenigbo Aroli: Igbo.
Ogbe-chunk,Ogbe-section of a village,Ogbee-To make or mix some food.

Ogbe-poor