Everywhere English goes it is corrupted and refurbished to suit the people there and Nigeria is no exception. With the advent of pidgin, which is like the official ‘street’ language in Nigeria, many other variations have been made to English language in Nigeria. These words are so often used, that it has started to sound like proper English.
Trafigate:We bet you thought this was proper English but it isn’t. The word is used to describe a situation where a driver indicates to other drivers that he/she wants to take a turn.
Parker: Probably from the word pack but the proper thing should be dustpan.
Go-slow:The context in which it is used in Nigeria definitely is when it should be used. The word is a situation in which road traffic is very sluggish due to vehicle queues. However, go-slow in the English language actually means an industrial tactic used by employees whereby they intentionally reduce activity, productivity and efficiency in order to press home some demands.
Pepperish: This one is very common. It is used to describe a meal that has too much pepper in it. The proper word should be ‘peppery’.
Gist: Every Nigerian likes a good gist, no wonder you love Coolval22.com because we serve it to you hot, but the word gist doesn’t exist in English language.
Wahala : This is used to describe a situation when trouble comes. It was made in Nigeria for Nigerians and by Nigerians. It does not exist in English.
Lapping: We hear this on the bus a lot. ‘Let me lap you’. The only lapping in English means agentlesoundofwater not sitting on someone.
Flashing: The word is used to describe when someone rings your mobile phone and cuts off before you answer and almost every Nigerian uses that word at least once daily but the word doesn’t exist in that sense in English.
Posted:Intending corp members use this one a lot – you hear things like ‘where were you posted’. The only posted in Englishis ‘to make sure that someone always knows what is happening’,not how we use it.
Which of them are you guilty of???
