Welcome, Guest: Register On Nairaland / LOGIN! / Trending / Recent / New
Stats: 3,158,736 members, 7,837,664 topics. Date: Thursday, 23 May 2024 at 09:06 AM

10 Common Words Nigerians Use Everyday That Don’t Actually Exist - Education - Nairaland

Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Education / 10 Common Words Nigerians Use Everyday That Don’t Actually Exist (901 Views)

10 Common Words Nigerians Use Everyday That Don't Exist / SHOCKING! 5 Words Nigerians Use That Actually Don’t Exist / 7 English Words Nigerians Use Everyday Which Don't Exist. (2) (3) (4)

(1) (Reply) (Go Down)

10 Common Words Nigerians Use Everyday That Don’t Actually Exist by lewispius: 2:43pm On Jul 29, 2016
Many people speak English as their first language. It is one of the most commonly spoken languages in the world.
Some of the words and phrase we Nigerians use often cannot be found in the dictionary. Some are words you picked up from others and they have become quite a norm.

It is not only the uneducated folks that are guilty of using these wrong words as the very educated Nigerians also use the English language inappropriately.

Below are words Nigerians use that doesn’t exist in the English dictionary.


1. Go-slow


When Nigerians say go-slow, they mean congested traffic, which is wrong. The meaning of go-slow in the English dictionary is, a form of industrial action in which work or progress is deliberately delayed or slowed down.


cc: lalasticlala

Re: 10 Common Words Nigerians Use Everyday That Don’t Actually Exist by adewumiopeyemi(m): 2:46pm On Jul 29, 2016
cool cool
Re: 10 Common Words Nigerians Use Everyday That Don’t Actually Exist by lewispius: 2:49pm On Jul 29, 2016
2. Disvirgin


This word is used on a daily basis by many Nigerians when they intend to say a woman has lost her virginity. There is no word like disvirgin. The correct word to use is deflower. Disvirgin simply does not exist.

Re: 10 Common Words Nigerians Use Everyday That Don’t Actually Exist by ITbomb(m): 2:50pm On Jul 29, 2016
Just because Oyibo don't have it in their lexicon doesn't mean it does not exist.

It exists in our lexicon and we are using it
Re: 10 Common Words Nigerians Use Everyday That Don’t Actually Exist by lewispius: 2:51pm On Jul 29, 2016
3. Trafigate


Nigerians use the word to describe a situation where a driver indicates to other drivers that he/she wants to take a turn. It is used so often, that it has started to sound like proper English.

Re: 10 Common Words Nigerians Use Everyday That Don’t Actually Exist by EniHolar(f): 2:52pm On Jul 29, 2016
So with d situation of the country u still believe there's no go-slow in Nigeria?
Re: 10 Common Words Nigerians Use Everyday That Don’t Actually Exist by lewispius: 2:58pm On Jul 29, 2016
4. Flashing


Every Nigerian knows “flashing” to mean when someone calls your mobile phone and cuts off before you answer. The word ‘flash’ is so common among Nigerians and its used at least once daily by many. Flash has different meanings but none has anything to do with a phone call. The word doesn’t exist in that sense in English.

Re: 10 Common Words Nigerians Use Everyday That Don’t Actually Exist by lewispius: 2:59pm On Jul 29, 2016
5. Installmentally


Don’t be tempted to use the word ‘installmentally’. Though it sounds correct, it isn’t. There is no such word in the English dictionary as it only exists only in the Nigerian edition of English language. The correct thing to say is ‘in installments’.

Re: 10 Common Words Nigerians Use Everyday That Don’t Actually Exist by YNWA1: 3:00pm On Jul 29, 2016
E
Re: 10 Common Words Nigerians Use Everyday That Don’t Actually Exist by lewispius: 3:03pm On Jul 29, 2016
6. Opportuned


What exists in English dictionaries is ‘opportune,’ without ‘d’ at the end. Opportune means ‘timely’ or ‘well-time, especially convenient or appropriate for a particular action or event. Opportuned is only common in Nigerian English.

Re: 10 Common Words Nigerians Use Everyday That Don’t Actually Exist by lewispius: 3:07pm On Jul 29, 2016
7. Cunny



This is a word which Nigerians use to describe someone that is being deceitful or crafty. The right word is cunning not cunny.
Re: 10 Common Words Nigerians Use Everyday That Don’t Actually Exist by lewispius: 3:09pm On Jul 29, 2016
ITbomb:
Just because Oyibo don't have it in their lexicon doesn't mean it does not exist.

It exists in our lexicon and we are using it

Oh.?

So, It also means we have our own dictionary...
Re: 10 Common Words Nigerians Use Everyday That Don’t Actually Exist by lewispius: 3:12pm On Jul 29, 2016
8. Next tomorrow


Most Nigerians generally use “next tomorrow” but there is not such word as next tomorrow. Instead you should say, “a day after tomorrow”.

Re: 10 Common Words Nigerians Use Everyday That Don’t Actually Exist by lewispius: 3:13pm On Jul 29, 2016
9. Packer


Nigerians probably got the word from pack. The right word is dustpan. Since dustpan packs dirt, Nigerians like to call it packer.

Re: 10 Common Words Nigerians Use Everyday That Don’t Actually Exist by Poorboy: 3:15pm On Jul 29, 2016
Ok
Re: 10 Common Words Nigerians Use Everyday That Don’t Actually Exist by lewispius: 3:18pm On Jul 29, 2016
10. Pepperish


It is common to hear Nigerians describe a meal that has too much pepper in it as pepperish. The proper word should be ‘peppery’. No native English speaker uses the word pepperish” to describe the burning sensation we feel from eating pepper.

Re: 10 Common Words Nigerians Use Everyday That Don’t Actually Exist by lewispius: 3:23pm On Jul 29, 2016
But the English language is a finicky one and it’s ever changing. Words are updated and definitions change. New words are added every year and some are retired. Very few people will ever master the entire language and the rest of us will just have to do the best we can!


So these words might end up in there one day. However, at the moment they’re mostly used by Nigerians only and are considered wrong.


Have you used any of these words before?
Re: 10 Common Words Nigerians Use Everyday That Don’t Actually Exist by youngest85(m): 3:23pm On Jul 29, 2016
Op u need to go back to school, those words are correct!
Re: 10 Common Words Nigerians Use Everyday That Don’t Actually Exist by lewispius: 3:31pm On Jul 29, 2016
youngest85:
Op u need to go back to school, those words are correct!
How

(1) (Reply)

Kaduna Polytechnic Screening Form Is Out / What Is Pure Chemistry? / 2017/2018 French Government (eiffel Excellence) Masters And Phd Scholarships

(Go Up)

Sections: politics (1) business autos (1) jobs (1) career education (1) romance computers phones travel sports fashion health
religion celebs tv-movies music-radio literature webmasters programming techmarket

Links: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10)

Nairaland - Copyright © 2005 - 2024 Oluwaseun Osewa. All rights reserved. See How To Advertise. 15
Disclaimer: Every Nairaland member is solely responsible for anything that he/she posts or uploads on Nairaland.