25 English Words Borrowed And Coined From The Igbo Language.


English Lesson Notes for Junior Secondary

25 English Words Borrowed And Coined From The Igbo Language.



Can this be true? At first, I doubted it but the rate at which the English language borrowed words from both the Greek and Latin languages gave me the conviction that it could borrow words from other languages. This time  around, it is from Africa, precisely the Igbo Language spoken in the Eastern part of Nigeria.

See the words below:
  1. Cherubim – Borrowed from Igbo phrase ‘’chere ubim’’ which means ‘’guard my home’’
  2. Book – Borrowed from Igbo phrase “bu uka’’ meaning ‘’carries the facts’’
  3. Water – Stolen from Igbo word ‘’wuta’’ which means ‘’pour’’
  4. Nurse – Coined from the phrase ‘’noro nso’’ meaning ‘’stay near’’
  5. Animal – Coined from the Igbo phrase ‘’anu malu’’ which when translated means ‘’meat that knows’’ or ‘’flesh aware of life’’ or ‘’meat is conscious’’
  6. Bank – Gotten from the phrase "uba na aka’’ meaning "wealth at hand’’
  7. Harlot – Coined from ‘’ha laa otu’’ meaning ‘’they had sex’’ 
  8. Say – stolen from Igbo word ‘’Si’’ which means say
  9. Answer – gotten from ‘’nsa’’ which means ‘’response’’
  10. Carpenter – coined from the phrase ‘’ka apita’’ which means ‘’carve out’’
  11. News – gotten from ‘’nu zuo’’ which means ‘’hear it all’’ 
  12. Soccer – coined from ‘’oso ka’’ which means ‘’running is greater’’ or “there is more running done’’ or ‘’greater at running’’
  13. Patrol – gotten from ‘’puta uli’’ meaning ‘’come out for strolls’’
  14. Sabbath – coined from ‘’Asaa bu taa’’ which means ‘’today is seventh’’ or ‘’seventh is this day’’
  15. Amen – gotten from ‘’ya mee nu’’ which means ‘’may it be done’’
  16. Genesis – coined from the phrase ‘’jee na isi isi’’ meaning ‘’go to the very beginning’’
  17. Conquer – gotten from ‘’nku ka’’ which means ‘’break down’’
  18. Queue – borrowed from ‘’kwih’’ or ‘’kwunye’’ meaning ‘’join in’’
  19. Music/Musical – gotten from ‘’mee uzu ka’’ which means ‘’make the greatest noise’’
  20. Quote – gotten from ‘’kwute’’ which means ‘’make mention"
  21. Page – coined from ‘’pia jie’’ meaning fold
  22. Boy – gotten from ‘’bu oyi’’ which means ‘’be friend’’
  23. Girl – coined from ‘’ga alu’’ meaning ‘’will marry’’
  24. Embassy – coined from the phrase ‘’mba zie’’ which means ‘’nations message’’
  25. Catastrophe – coined from the phrase ‘’akata asi tufia’’ meaning ‘’when mentioned the Igbos eject saliva from the mouth and say ‘tufia’ ‘’ 
To an extent, these words have similar sounds. What do you think? If this is true, it simply means that before the English Language, there was the Igbo Language. Is Igbo really the lost tribe of Israel?

NDI IGBO KWENU!

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