NewStats: 3,264,704 , 8,184,444 topics. Date: Thursday, 12 June 2025 at 06:10 AM 305px

Kingcalls:
I got them all apart from 4, 7, 8 ,11 , 14

10 over 15 isn't bad at all. Thumbs up.

owagbeba:


Nice one.

Why are many of these words so different than their actual pronunciation? Has it got to do with the origin of the words? I know the original words are not as they are currently spelt; anything to do with the English choosing to spell them the way they deem fit regardless of the origin?

Thanks. It has to do the origin of the words. Some of the words are of Latin origin. Others are of Greek, Italian, Persian and Hebrew origin.

Tsetset fly is from the Tswana language of southern Africa

owagbeba:
Why didn’t the English put effort to anglicize these words like the natives? So we have the same spelling as they sound.

It would have been better if the way words were spelled and the way they were pronounced were the same. Maybe they were afraid of being accused of cultural appropriation

owagbeba:


Jollof is Arab, right? Because I have seen that word “Jallof” on many restaurants in Arabia. Even some Afghani restaurants also write “jallof” The rice is somewhat different, cooked in layers of lamb,sauce, spices and rice.

I don't know if Jollof is of Arab origin, but I won't be surprised if it is. I recently learned that sharwama is an Arabic word.

owagbeba:


Nice one.

Why are many of these words so different than their actual pronunciation? Has it got to do with the origin of the words? I know the original words are not as they are currently spelt; anything to do with the English choosing to spell them the way they deem fit regardless of the origin?

In some cases, it has to do with the origin of the word, but in some cases, it has to do with the anglicization of borrowed words.

Tsetse fly was borrowed from Tswana, a Bantu language of Southern Africa.

"Chef, Champagne and leopard" are of French origin

"Alias, plumber, crescendo" have a Latin origin.

Pizza is borrowed from Italian

Deborah is a name of Hebrew origin

Magi is of Persian origin

Oesophagus is a Greek word


English belongs to everybody and nobody. That's why nobody should feel bad for wanting to speak good English. The language has been enriched by different cultures and other languages that we can all call it our own.

"Jollof " is now a word in the oxford dictionary. It's just amazing.

beautyhd:
Have precedes past participle, hence they’ve sung the national anthem is correct.

You either say they sang the anthem or they’ve sung the anthem.

Do you say they’ve ate or they’ve eaten?

It's "they've eaten". Your answer was straight to the point. Thanks for your contribution.

Benwallt:
They've sung the national anthem. The explanation is that whenever any of the anomalous verb is used, the verb that follows it must be the past participle form. Eg
I have drunk water not drank
I hadn't drunk water not drank
He has drunk water not drank.

You sabi book. I like this.

fishnburger:
keep doing what you do. It will grow someday. be positive about it.
If you can find ways to also do quality videos and content, it will be really helpful.

Thanks for your kind words. I am saving towards getting a camera. I hope to start making quality videos and content soon.

Before you watch this video, try to pronounce these words. I think that 90.9% of Nigerians won't be able to pronounce all these words correctly. I could be wrong though, but when I hear people around me murder English words, I conclude that the generality of Nigerian don't know that a lot of English words are not pronounced the way they are spelt.

1. Alias
2. Cause
3. Champagne
4. Crescendo
5. Debris
6. Deborah
7. Leopard
8. Magi
9. Machete
10. Myrrh
11. Oesophagus
12. Pizza
13. Plumber
14. Tsetse fly
15. Chef

When you pronounce these words, please, watch the video to know whether you pronounced them correctly.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egT7vjCIknY

treesun:


https://dailypost.ng/2022/07/20/2023-real-reasons-i-must-win-presidential-election-tinubu/

If he knows what should be done to end poverty in Nigeria, he should, please, share the secret with Buhari first. Nigerians are suffering untold hardship.

The day I saw the meaning of "double date" in the dictionary, I couldn't believe my eyes. I had always thought that the word "double date" meant "cheating on one's spouse or partner or being unfaithful in a relationship or dating someone else when one is already in a relationship.

There are so many words that Nigerians have given a different meanings. A word can mean one thing in the dictionary, but Nigerians use the word to mean another thing.

Here is a video explaining such words. Let me know what you think.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=him9G1t_KHs

Gandollar:
Hmmm..

I think I appreciate this comment/argument

Illegend, I appreciate.

Thanks a lot.

Rik500k:
Nice one bro, I've subscribed and will be following your updates. More grease to ur elbow

Thanks a lot bro. I appreciate it.

adamimola:
You’re correct
The verb "appreciate" must be accompanied by something specific...

We must clarify what we appreciate; we can't use it by itself.

A few sentences may help...

I do appreciate "it".(Emphatic)


I appreciate "it".


I appreciate "your gesture".


I appreciate "his magnanimity".


I appreciate "her offer of help". I hope

it clears the confusion...

If you go to quora… this was well explained!!

Thank you for this. The examples are apt. This is why I love Nairaland. There are lots of intelligent people here.

iLegendd:
I appreciate your effort, but "I appreciate" is correct — depending on the kind of conversation.

If it's formal, it's wrong — it needs an object, but if it's informal, it's right.

At times, some things are meant to be inconclusive or truncated. If you're in someone's house and you say, "This TV," then keeps quiet, you're not wrong even though the person is expecting more "words" from you.

Are you wrong for saying "This TV?" No, you aren't. You didn't complete what you had in mind.

What you're teaching is correct, but always trucanted speeches are allowed too in an informal settings.

Anyway, we Nigerians should not focus on correct and incorrect sentences only. We should at least, focus on the "proper stress" of a word.

In your video, you stressed the word "appreciate" incorrectly. It's /əˈpriːʃɪeɪt/ but you pronounced it as /əpriː'ʃɪeɪt/.

You stressed "-CIATE," instead of "-PRE." We have issue with English cadence in this country, but good with musical cadence.

Anyway, you tried and your voice sounds cool. Keep it up. I appreciate (the video).

Hmmmmm...interesting. If I stressed "CIATE", it wasn't deliberate. I disagree with some points you raised, but I believe you are knowledgeable to some extent about English grammar.

Using a transitive verb without an object is not grammatical. " I appreciate" as used by some Nigerians isn't a truncated sentence. It is used as a complete sentence and it is incorrect.

A truncated sentence is grammatically correct. For instance, "I enjoy watching sports more than James does". This sentence is truncated when the word "does" is removed - "I enjoy watching sports more than James [does]. The word does is removed but the sentence is still grammatically correct. In other words, when you truncate a sentence, the sentence is still grammatically correct. The truncated part adds additional but optional information.

" I appreciate" isn't a truncated sentence. It is grammatically wrong because the verb needs an object, and the object is an integral part of the sentence. It is not optional.

"This TV" isn't a truncated sentence. It's a noun phrase. It can't be a truncated sentence because a "sentence" must have a subject and a verb.

Some verbs can be both transitive or intransitive. When such verbs are used, the object may be omitted, e.g She sang/She sang a song. The verb 'sing' can be used transitively or intransitively. "She sang" isn't a truncated sentence. The verb can do without an object.

If a verb is transitive, it must always take an object whether it is used formally or informally. I wonder where you got the idea that the object in a transitive verb can be omitted if the verb is used informally.

I have a lot to say but I must stop here

Please, I look forward to your comments on my videos. I appreciate your comment

1Sharon:
Teach them. So they can IELTS.

Thanks, Sharon. I'd appreciate it if you subscribe to my channel.

maureensylvia:


Thanks alot in Igbo

Oh, you are most welcome

maureensylvia:


Thanks alot in Igbo

You are welcome Ms Maureen.

Teaching is mentally draining, but I have to do it because I have no other options. I recently started a Youtube channel where I teach English. I have 5 subscribers and I hope to grow the channel. God help me. It's not easy bro. I shoot videos with my phone and edit it with Capcut. I just hope that people love my content and not pay too much attention to the poor quality of my videos.

maureensylvia:


Dalusoo

Dalusoo? I don't understand

Please, subscribe

Aminu212:

Okay, what about SamSung

You are funny. Please, subscribe to my channel

Aminu212:
The correct option should be : They have sang sung the anthem

"Sang sung"? No boss!

afrylance1:
They “sang” the national anthem. (Past tense)
They’ve “sung” the national anthem. (Past participle)

Correct. But a lot of people would say: "They've sang the national anthem". This is wrong.

And funnily enough, a lot of people also think that " The timekeeper has rung the bell" is wrong". They believe it should be: "The timekeeper has rang the bell".

What is the plural or singular form of these words?
1. _________ cities
2. _________ cattle
3. _________ scissors
4. Mouse. __________
5. Louse. ____________



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVoiSyX0QYQ

English grammar can be confusing. An expression might seem wrong, but it could be correct.

What is the correct answer to this question?

They've __________ the national anthem.

(A) singed (B) sang. (C) sung (D) sing

Click this video to see the correct answer.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oR03rQK5JI

Elijahrona:


I subscribed after watching the video.

Thanks

Elijahrona:


Thanks a lot uncle. I appreciate the lecture.

Next time, record a landscape or square video so that we can see your fine face as well.

"I appreciate the lecture" - This is a good one. "Appreciate - transitive verb" + "the lecture - object".

Please, click the subscribe button.

Your suggestion is duly noted. Thanks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZNUpHsGZOM

Kennyprince:
My problem here is not whether he shd wait or not but what happens after waiting.

We men are very bad people. U could waste her time for years and end up picking another girl to marry and leave her for yeye reasons.

So my verdict is that if u love this girl like u claim, marry her now bro. U won't die. Last last, business too won't collapsed, rather she ll u to make things work.

Thank u

This is a great advice

victooman:
Good day nairalanders,,
l met a beautiful and excellent girl during my Nysc, honestly she is everything l need in a woman,
We finish our service last year and started life in Abuja, she live with her sister and doing her own business while l live alone in the same town,, The problem now is that this girl mother is already pressurizing her for marriage,, she is 27 yrs and the mother is already making her looks like she is too old for marriage,, yesterday she came to my house looking all moody and worried,, when l enquired she told me her mom is asking her when the man she is dating will come home for introduction,, l took my time to explain things to her,we can't go into any marriage without been financially stable,l have a business l am running and l am looking at stability of that business in 3-4yrs time,,l told her l wont give you any specific date on when to come see her people ,,but l assured her if she stick with me God knows l wont think of any other woman during marriage,,, she told me her plan is to get married at 25yrs and l told her things dont always work out the way we plan them,, honestly l dont want to lose this girl and l also dont want to rush anything,, what do l do nairalanders...

Good girls are hard to find these days. Get married to her, but both of you must decide not to have children for 3-4 years until your business stabilizes.

izubext007:
I see no reason why we are protesting against tinubu choosing his own Muslim brother.
The question is , are we voting A.P.C back to power.

Ok, we shall see

MadeInTokyo:


The wicked run when no man chases him
Tinubu will go round begging Christian leaders till the election results are announced, he has inevitably lost at least over 15 million Christian votes
He has lost the block votes he could have gotten in the south west, but with his choice of a Muslim Vice President, the millions of south west christian votes he could have added to his overall South West votes has inevitably been lost.
Tinubu miscalculated and scored a political own goal with his Vice President pick, he thought this was 1992 when MKO Abiola ran with a Muslim Vice President, Nigeria today is now religiously divided and religiously sensitive all thanks to Buhari's nonchalant, sit down and look attitude to the killings and destruction of lives and properties of Nigerians by marauding bandits and ravaging terorists groups.
Tinubu ti lule, he should go, search and beg for his votes in the mosques and sambisa forest since he said there is no competent Christian person to pick as Vice President

Choosing a Muslim as his running mate is Tinubu's way of saying "Bleep you, Christians". Now he is going about begging. Even if Adeboye says there is nothing wrong with a Muslim-Muslim ticket, he won't be the one to tell Christians who to vote.