Monday, March 29, 2010
Nigeria: The Versatility of Pidgin English
Reuters African journal takes a look at Nigerian pidgin English as the ligua franca for the presenters and listeners of the Nigerian radio station, Wazobia FM 95.1:
According to Nigerian Pidgin Language Bible (NPLB) translators, there are 29 letters in the pidgin English alphabet and though the versatility of the language or diversity among its speakers comes as no surprise to anyone, still, translating the bible into pidgin comes off as a mindblowin' feat. For example, any English speaker should just stare for while at the first 6 verses of John Chapter 1 and it should begin to make sense:
1. Fọ stat ọf ẹvritin di Wọn wee bi di Wọd bin dee. Di Wọd bin dee togẹda wit Gọd, an di Wọd na Gọd. 2. Di Wọd bin dee togẹda wit Gọd fọ stat ọf ẹvritin. 3. Gọd yuz di Wọd fọ mek ọl tins. An Gọd no mek enitin witaut di Wọd. 4. Laif bin kọm frọm di Wọd, an dis laif bi lait fọ pipul.5. Di lait de shain insaid daknẹs, an daknẹs no fit kwẹnch am. 6. Wọn man dee, wee Gọd sẹnd. Di man nem na Jọn.Or1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.