By ASAJU TUNDE
One argument I always have with missus is how she believes that her language (Yoruba) is deep. I often laugh and tell her as a student of language and linguistics that ALL languages are deep and that only those who speak single languages are obsessed with the depth of one. I’ll stick to it till kingdom goes.
Yagba which is the language spoken in heaven is the deepest, but I am sure it hasn’t found a translation for AI and other techy stuff. Like all languages, it will borrow from the closest translation which is either Yoruba or any other language.
I hold a degree in English language (although I think they should have said – literature. Why? Well, every day, I discover how shallow my English is, especially when I interact with deep speakers on social media. I confess I sometimes never say I got a degree in that colonial language.
Now, do you know that the word – toilet has several meanings depending on where it is used?
Everywhere English goes, it changes colour. For instance, do you know that Americans spell colour as color and that while typing this, the foolish lettering highlighted the British spelling in red. If to say I didn’t know, I would have changed the spelling.
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Now, do you know that the word – toilet has several meanings depending on where it is used? I didn’t know until I listened to a social media post by one @englishwith3baba or someone like that. It was there I realized that toilet is called:-
Gents, men’s room, powder room or ladies room in a RESTAURANT
Americans call it John – apologies to those with that name.
If you’re on a plane it’s called – LAVATORY
At home (in the Americas) it’s called BATHROOM
If you are in a business premise it’s called – WASHROOM
If you are on a ship, you ask for the HEAD (apologies for those with dirty minds)
If you are in Shoprite, sorry mall, you call it RESTROOM
Methinks, until Prof Farooq Kperogi re-examines this thing, it should be called latrine in Naija. Do you agree?
Dear English, please make up your mind, we can’t can!
Hope your weekend is going well? I am having my arthritic left hip checked out for the second time in a few hours. Don’t worry, I got this.
