Nigerian English
Germanic
Nigerian English (locale en-NG) is an institutionalized national variety used in Nigeria’s highly multilingual society. English is the principal language of federal government, the legislature, higher education, nationwide media, and much interethnic communication, although the constitution does not simply declare it the sole official language. Historically based on British English, Nigerian English has been shaped by contact with Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, and many other languages, producing considerable regional and social variation. Widespread pronunciation tendencies include reduced vowel-length contrasts, monophthongization of some diphthongs, substitutions for /θ/ and /ð/, less reduction of unstressed vowels, and a more even rhythm; vocabulary, grammar, and discourse also contain established Nigerianisms. It should be distinguished from Nigerian Pidgin, or Naijá, a separate English-lexifier language with its own grammar and social functions.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Nigerian English
Sources
- Gut, Ulrike 2004, "Nigerian English: phonology", in Kortmann & Schneider (eds.), A Handbook of Varieties of English vol. 1, Mouton de Gruyter, 813–830 (not consulted; Wikipedia "Nigerian English" gives only final devoicing, which the row shows: nose noːs); en.wiktionary English lemmas
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Germanic
| Meaning | Nigerian English | Ghanaian English | Kenyan English | Malaysian English | Jamaican English | Philippine English | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | water /ˈwɔtɚ/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ |
| Fire | fire /faɪə/ | fire /faɪə/ | fire /faɪə/ | fire /faɪə/ | fire /faɪə/ | fire /faɪɚ/ | fire /faɪə/ |
| Sun | sun /sɔn/ | sun /sʌn/ | sun /sʌn/ | sun /san/ | sun /sɵn/ | sun /sʌn/ | sun /sʌn/ |
| Moon | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ |
| Star | star /staː/ | star /staː/ | star /staː/ | star /staː/ | star /staː/ | star /stɑr/ | star /stɑːɹ/ |
| Night | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ |
| Rain | rain /ɹeːn/ | rain /ɹeːn/ | rain /ɹeːn/ | rain /ɹeːn/ | rain /ɹeːn/ | rain /ɹeɪn/ | rain /ɹeɪn/ |
| Snow | snow /snoː/ | snow /snoː/ | snow /snoː/ | snow /snoː/ | snow /snoː/ | snow /snoʊ/ | snow /snoʊ/ |
| Wind | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ |
| Earth | earth /ɜːt/ | earth /ɜːt/ | earth /ɜːθ/ | earth /ɜːt/ | earth /ɜːt/ | earth /ɝθ/ | earth /ɜːθ/ |
| Stone | stone /stoːn/ | stone /stoːn/ | stone /stoːn/ | stone /stoːn/ | stone /stoːn/ | stone /stoːn/ | stone /stoʊn/ |
| Mountain | mountain /ˈmaʊntɛn/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntɪn/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntɪn/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntən/ | mountain /ˈmɵʊntn̩/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntɛn/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntɪn/ |
| Sea | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ | sea /si/ | sea /siː/ |
| Mother | mother /ˈmɔðə/ | mother /ˈmʌðə/ | mother /ˈmʌðə/ | mother /ˈmadə/ | mother /ˈmɵðə/ | mother /ˈmʌðɚ/ | mother /ˈmʌðə/ |
| Father | father /ˈfɑːðə/ | father /ˈfaːðə/ | father /ˈfɑːðə/ | father /ˈfadə/ | father /ˈfaːðə/ | father /ˈfɑðɚ/ | father /ˈfɑːðə/ |
| Daughter | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔtɚ/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ |
| I | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ |
| You | you /ju/ | you /juː/ | you /ju/ | you /juː/ | you /juː/ | you /ju/ | you /juː/ |
| We | we /wi/ | we /wiː/ | we /wi/ | we /wiː/ | we /wiː/ | we /wi/ | we /wiː/ |
| Name | name /nem/ | name /neːm/ | name /neːm/ | name /neɪm/ | name /neːm/ | name /neɪm/ | name /neɪm/ |
| Person | person /ˈpɜːsɔn/ | person /ˈpɜːsən/ | person /ˈpɜːsən/ | person /ˈpɜːsən/ | person /ˈpɜːsən/ | person /ˈpɛrsɔn/ | person /ˈpɜːsən/ |
| Head | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ |
| Eye | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ |
| Ear | ear /ia/ | ear /ia/ | ear /ia/ | ear /iə/ | ear /iːa/ | ear /ir/ | ear /ɪɚ/ |
| Nose | nose /noːs/ | nose /noːs/ | nose /noːz/ | nose /noːs/ | nose /noːz/ | nose /noʊs/ | nose /noʊz/ |
| Mouth | mouth /maʊt/ | mouth /maʊt/ | mouth /maʊθ/ | mouth /maʊt/ | — | mouth /maʊt/ | mouth /maʊθ/ |
| Tooth | tooth /tuːt/ | tooth /tuːt/ | tooth /tuːθ/ | tooth /tuːt/ | tooth /tuːt/ | tooth /tuːt/ | tooth /tuːθ/ |
| Tongue | tongue /tɔŋ/ | tongue /tɔŋ/ | tongue /tʌŋ/ | tongue /taŋ/ | tongue /tɵŋ/ | tongue /tʌŋ/ | tongue /tʌŋ/ |
| Hand | hand /hænd/ | hand /hænd/ | hand /hænd/ | hand /hæn/ | hand /hand/ | hand /hænd/ | hand /hænd/ |
| Foot | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ |
| Heart | heart /hɑːt/ | heart /haːt/ | heart /hɑːt/ | heart /haːt/ | heart /haːt/ | heart /hɑrt/ | heart /hɑːt/ |
| Bone | bone /bon/ | bone /bon/ | bone /bon/ | bone /bon/ | bone /boːn/ | bone /bon/ | bone /boʊn/ |
| Blood | blood /blɔd/ | blood /blʌd/ | blood /blʌd/ | blood /blad/ | blood /blɵd/ | blood /blʌd/ | blood /blʌd/ |
| Poop | poop /puːp/ | poop /puːp/ | poop /puːp/ | poop /puːp/ | poo /puː/ | poop /puːp/ | poop /puːp/ |
| Love | love /lɔv/ | love /lʌv/ | love /lʌv/ | love /laf/ | love /lɵv/ | love /lʌv/ | love /lʌv/ |
| Tree | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ |
| Dog | dog /dɔɡ/ | dog /dɔɡ/ | dog /dɔɡ/ | dog /dɔk/ | dog /dɔɡ/ | dog /dɔɡ/ | dog /dɒɡ/ |
| Cat | cat /kæt/ | cat /kæt/ | cat /kæt/ | cat /kæt/ | cat /kʰat ~ kjaːt/ | cat /kæt/ | cat /kæt/ |
| Fish | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ |
| Bird | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɝd/ | bird /bɜːɹd/ |
| Butterfly | butterfly /ˈbɔtəflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbʌtəflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbʌtəflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbatəflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbɵtəflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbʌtɚflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbʌtəflaɪ/ |
| Egg | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ |
| Bear | bear /bɛə/ | bear /bɛə/ | bear /bɛə/ | bear /bɛə/ | bear /beːɹ/ | bear /bɛɹ/ | bear /bɛə/ |
| Horse | horse /hɔːs/ | horse /hɔːs/ | horse /hɔːs/ | horse /hɔːs/ | horse /hɔːs/ | horse /hɔrs/ | horse /hɔːs/ |
| House | house /haʊs/ | house /haʊs/ | house /haʊs/ | house /haʊs/ | house /hɵʊs/ | house /haʊs/ | house /haʊs/ |
| Milk | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ |
| Honey | honey /ˈhɔni/ | honey /ˈhʌni/ | honey /ˈhʌni/ | honey /ˈhani/ | honey /ˈhɵni/ | honey /ˈhʌni/ | honey /ˈhʌni/ |
| Salt | salt /sɔlt/ | salt /sɔlt/ | salt /sɔlt/ | salt /sɔlt/ | salt /sɔːlt/ | salt /sɔlt/ | salt /sɔːlt/ |
| Wine | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ |
| Rice | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ |
| Iron | iron /ˈaɪən/ | iron /ˈaɪən/ | iron /ˈaɪən/ | iron /ˈaɪən/ | iron /ˈaɪən/ | iron /ˈaɪɚn/ | iron /ˈaɪən/ |
| Wheel | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ |
| Silk | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ |
| Book | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ |
| Eat | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ |
| Drink | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ |
| Sleep | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ |
| One | one /wɔn/ | one /wʌn/ | one /wʌn/ | one /wan/ | one /wɵn/ | one /wʌn/ | one /wʌn/ |
| Two | two /tu/ | two /tuː/ | two /tu/ | two /tuː/ | two /tuː/ | two /tu/ | two /tuː/ |
| Three | three /tɹi/ | three /tɹi/ | three /θɹi/ | three /tɹiː/ | three /tɹiː/ | three /tɹi/ | three /θɹiː/ |
| Four | four /fɔː/ | four /fɔː/ | four /fɔː/ | four /fɔː/ | four /foː/ | four /fɔr/ | four /fɔːɹ/ |
| Five | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ |
| Hundred | hundred /ˈhɔndɹɛd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ | hundred /ˈhandɹɛd/ | hundred /ˈhɵndɹɛd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ |
| Hello | hello /həˈloː/ | hello /həˈloː/ | hello /həˈloː/ | hello /həˈlo/ | hello /həˈloː/ | hello /həˈloː/ | hello /həˈləʊ/ |
| Thank you | thanks /taŋks/ | thanks /taŋks/ | thank you /θæŋk juː/ | thanks /tɛŋks/ | thank you /taŋk juː/ | thanks /θæŋks/ | thank you /θæŋk juː/ |
| Good | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊt/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ |
| New | new /njuː/ | new /njuː/ | new /njuː/ | new /njuː/ | new /njuː/ | new /njuː/ | new /njuː/ |
| Red | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ |
| White | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ |
| Black | black /blæk/ | black /blæk/ | black /blæk/ | black /blæk/ | black /blak/ | black /blæk/ | black /blæk/ |
| Green | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹin/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ |
| Blue | blue /bluː/ | blue /bluː/ | blue /bluː/ | blue /bluː/ | blue /bluː/ | blue /blu/ | blue /bluː/ |
| Cuckoo | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ |
| Woof | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ |
| Cock-a-doodle-doo | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɔkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɔkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɔkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɔkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɔkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɔkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɒkəduːdlˈduː/ |
| Computer | computer /kɔmˈpjuːta/ | computer /kəmˈpjuːtə/ | computer /kɔmˈpjuːta/ | computer /kəmˈpjuːtə/ | computer /komˈpjuːta/ | computer /komˈpjuter/ | computer /kəmˈpjuːtə/ |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪpaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ |
| Sushi | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuːʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuːʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuːʃi/ |
| Tea | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ |
| Coffee | coffee /ˈkɔfi/ | coffee /ˈkɔfi/ | coffee /ˈkɔfi/ | coffee /ˈkɔfi/ | coffee /ˈkɔfi/ | coffee /ˈkɔfi/ | coffee /ˈkɒfi/ |
| Sugar | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡɚ/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ |
| Orange | orange /ˈɔɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɔɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɔɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɔɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɔɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɔɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɒɹɪndʒ/ |
| Ninety-nine | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ |
| Dopamine | dopamine /ˈdoːpamiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdoːpamiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdoːpamiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdoːpamiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdoʊpəmiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdoʊpəmiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdoʊpəmiːn/ |
| At sign | at /æt/ | at /æt/ | at /æt/ | at /æt/ | at /at/ | at /at/ | at /æt/ |
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