Some common words used in Caribbean English come directly from the Igbo language or have been influenced by it.
Unu/Wunna
Means ‘you [plural]’, the same as in Igbo, únù. In some places, wunna is used. In Nigerian Pidgin English, it is una.
Soso
Means ‘only’ or ‘single’. In Igbo, it is written as sọsọ (pronounced saw-saw) and has the same meaning. [Not the same as English “so-so”, which means average or not very good.]
De
Means ‘is’, ‘presently’, or ‘positioned in’. In Igbo, it is written as dị (pronounced dih). It is also used in Nigerian Pidgin as de.
Se
Means ‘say’ or ‘said’. It comes from English but is also connected to the Igbo word sị.
Atoo
Means ‘chewing stick’. In Igbo, it is written as atụ (pronounced atuh).
Béké
Means ‘White person’. In Igbo, it is written as bèké and refers to a white person, a Westerner, or a European. It is also used in the French Antilles, including Dominica (Roseau).
RELATED: Debunking the Myth: The True Origin of “Bekee” in Igbo Language
Big Eye
Means ‘greedy’ or ‘envious’. It comes from the Igbo phrase ányá úkwú (which means “big eye”) and has the same meaning.
Poto poto
Means ‘mud’ or ‘muddy’. In Igbo, it is mkpọtọ mkpọtọ, with the same meaning.
Okro
A plant also called ‘lady fingers’. In Igbo, it is ọkrọ (pronounced aw-kraw) or ọkwụru.
Obeah
Means ‘shamanism’ or ‘witchcraft’. In Igbo, it is ọbia (pronounced aw-bia), which means ‘oracle’ or ‘doctoring’. In Igbo culture, the practitioners are called dibia (di ọbia).
Awoh
An exclamation. In Igbo, it is ewo, often used in the same way.
Example: Ihe ị dere ebe a hikwara nne, ewo! (This list is quite long, ewo!)
Ah
A word that means ‘is’ or ‘will’. In Igbo, it is á (with alternating tone). The word gá in Igbo means ‘go’.
Example:
- To go: Caribbean English (CE) → ah go | Igbo → a ga
- Is he going?: CE → him ah go? | Igbo → ọ na à ga?
Nah
Means ‘will not’. In Igbo, nà means ‘is’ and à at the end makes it negative. Together, na (with a long ‘a’) means ‘will not’.
Example:
- I’m not going: CE → Me nah go | Igbo → A na’m a ga
Go
Means ‘going to’ or ‘will’. In Igbo, it is ga.
Example:
- He will come: CE → him ah go come | Igbo → ọ ga a bia (which is the same if you swap ‘ah’ and ‘go’).
References
- Cassidy, F. G., & Le Page, R. B. (2002). A dictionary of Jamaican English (2nd ed.). University of the West Indies Press.
- Holloway, J. E. (2005). Africanisms in American culture (2nd ed.). Indiana University Press.
- McWhorter, J. H. (2000). The missing Spanish creoles: Recovering the birth of plantation contact languages. University of California Press.
- Menz, J. (2008). London Jamaican-Jamaican Creole in London. LINCOM Europa.
