It is common to see people who write their names as Nma, Chidinma, Agbonma, Uzodinma, Nmesoma, et
Why?
It is not possible for “n” and “m” to follow each other in Igbo
language, no matter the dialect. It can never happen. The use of “nm”
together shatters the structure of the Igbo language, making a mockery
of its phonology and phonetics.
The ridiculous argument such
people make is that “nma” means beauty, while “mma” means knife. But
like Chief Zebrudaya would say: “Fa fa fa foul!”
Whatever its
meaning, “mma” must be spelt as “mma.” The only way to differentiate one
from the other is by tone-marking. The same thing applies to “akwa”
which can be tone-marked to mean four different things: ákwá (cry), àkwà
(bed), àkwá (egg), and ákwà (cloth).
Here are the variants of mma:
beauty = mmã
knife/machete = mmà
mother = mmá (adapted from “mama” just as “mpa” is adapted from “papa”).
But those who use “nma” in their names are not fully to blame. An
authority like Chinua Achebe used “Ezinma” in Things Fall Apart as the
favourite daughter of Okonkwo the protagonist of the novel. Most of the
books written before 1970 used “nma” as the correct spelling. But such
books, including Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, also spelt Igbo as “Ibo,”
which has caused that meaningless name “Ibo” to continue to be used till
this day by some people. Some even funnily claim that “Igbo” is the
language while “Ibo” is the people or that Igbos are those from the
Southeast while Ibos are those from Delta, Edo and Rivers. But such are
ridiculous and vacuous points. Ibo does not exist: it was simply an
orthography issue that was misinterpreted in pronunciation.
From
1972, Igbo linguists, under the umbrella of the Society for the
Promotion of Igbo Language and Culture (SPILC), standardized the writing
of Igbo words. It became obvious that “nm” is not possible in Igbo
language. But there are those who have remained in the past and have
continued to promote that error of using “nm” and even arguing that it
is correct. Even many online dictionaries still spread that error.
Igbo is a practical language. Whatever you pronounce is what you write.
It is as simple as that. German is close to it in that regard. It is
not like English or French that says one thing but spells another. For
example, the English will write “bow” (weapon) and “bow” (greeting sign)
but pronounce them differently. When you see “blood”, “mood” and “book”
in English, please don’t assume that the double o in the three words
should be pronounced the same way, neither should you pronounce the
ending of “though” and “tough” and “plough” as the same. And when the
French tell you “yes” in their language, please don’t spell it as “we”
or “wi,” for the spelling is “oui.”
There is no silent letter in
Igbo. Whatever is not needed is not included in Igbo language. Every
letter is sounded, except in few, specific cases when one vowel
“swallows” the one beside it in a fast speech, like writing Okeafo as
Okafo.
So to confirm if “nma” is what is pronounced, just
pronounce it. You will notice that your two lips will have to come
together until you sound the “a”. It simply shows that what you
pronounced was double m. To pronounce “n”, your lips cannot touch each
other. Rather your tongue will stick to the inside of your upper lip
while your lower lip is hanging down. The only way to pronounce “n”
before “m” is to consciously do so. That way you have to open your mouth
to pronounce “n”, then close your mouth to pronounce “m” before opening
your mouth to pronounce “a”. That process is awkward, slow and
unnatural. Nobody does that while pronouncing a name.
Therefore,
you don’t even need an Igbo language expert to tell you that “nma” is
not an Igbo word, because it is not used in Igbo language.
Igbo
language does not allow two consonants to follow each other except on
two conditions. The first condition is that the consonants should be one
of the nine blends or diagraphs of the Igbo language called mgbochiume
mkpị. They are ch, gb, gw, gh, kw, kp, nw, ny, and sh. These blends look
like two consonants but they are sounded as one letter. An example is
“Chikwe” which has ch and kw as two blends.
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| Igbo Culture |
The second condition
is that the first consonant must serve as a semi-vowel (myiriudaume).
Only two letters serve as semi-vowel in Igbo: “n” and “m”. In “Ngozi”
(Blessing) and “mba” (“town” or “no”), the “n” and “m” are functioning
as semi-vowels.
Then most importantly, Igbo language has a rule
that “m” cannot be a semi-vowel to “n”, while “n” cannot be a semi-vowel
to “m”. That means that “m” cannot follow “n” and vice versa. So there
cannot be “nm” or “mn” in Igbo. “M” can only follow an “m”, while “n”
can only follow an “n”. Just as you can’t write “mn” in Igbo, so also
you cannot write “nm”. So you can’t have “Mnamdi” (Nnamdi) or “Mnemna”
(Nnenna) or “Chidinma” or “Ezinma”.
Examples of mm:
mma = beauty, knife, mama
mmadu = human being
mmeri = victory
mmanya = drinks
mmasi = liking
mmegbu = victimisation
mmebi = destruction
mmiri = water
mmezi = repair or “jara”
Examples of nn:
nne = mother
nna = father
nnọọ = welcome
nnụnụ = bird
nnu = salt
nnadi = relative
So “nm” is not possible in Igbo language. Similarly, Nsukka, Onitsha,
Awka or Abba are not Igbo spellings because of the consonant cluster in
each of the names.
However, people are free to spell their names
as they wish. One can spell Osadebe as Osadebay. One can spell Olamide
as Holamide, Orlamiday or Olamidey. Mike can be spelt as Maik. Azuka can
be spelt as Azucar or Azooka. It is one’s choice. Nobody can force
anybody to spell his or her name in any particular way.
But it is
important for people to know which spelling is not Igbo and which is.
It is also important that those who did not know this are made to know
it, so that they will note it when naming their children and avoid the
mistakes made by our parents.
Below are comments made by some of my friends on my Facebook wall on the same issue, for more elucidation.
———-
Chijioke Ngobili (Mmụta Na-azọndụ):
That some Igbo people are wrongly spelling “mma” as “nma” doesn’t make
it right. They’re simply ignorant. They don’t know about the device used
in writing Igbo called MYIRIỤDAỤME.
MYIRIỤDAỤME holds that: myiriụdaụme ndị “n” na-eso “n” ebe myiriụdaụme ndị “m” na-esokwuazị “m”. Ọmụma atụ:
Maka ndị “n”
Nna, Nne, nni, nnọọ, nnụnụ.
Maka ndị “m”
Mma, mmehie, mmiri, mmịmị, mmụọ.
There’s never any reason or a time where and when “n” will follow “m”
or “m” will follow “n”. It is abominable linguistically and in Igbo
Language. And it is never a function of dialect. It is simply and
squarely ignorance of the language just like we are ignorant of many
things that concern us including Omenaanị.
Mother is mmá
Beauty is mmã
Knife/machete is mmà.
Because our people are so nonchalant about writing Igbo let alone
writing correctly, they resort to inventing things they like to
differentiate words forgetting we have the provision of “akara ụdaọlụ”
(tone-mark) for that just as I have used to show you the difference.
——-
Mgbeke Obi:
A lot of people weren’t taught Igbo in school, it seems. And they are
trying to apply the rules of English language to Igbo language here.
There are two consonants in Igbo language which act as vowels and also
as consonants. They are m and n. Usually, a consonant is wedged between
two vowels in Igbo. But there are instances where a consonant comes
before another consonant. In this case, the first consonant is acting as
a vowel: myiriudaume.
Myririudaume “m” goes with these other consonants:
1. b eg mba (town) mbekwu (tortoise)
2. f eg mfe (easy)
3. gb eg mgba (wrestle)
4. m eg mmadu (human being), mmuo (spirit)
5. p eg mpi (horn)
6. v eg mvo (nail)
7. y eg myo (sieve)
Myiriudaume “n” works with these consonants:
1. ch eg ncha (soap)
2. d eg ndewo (thank you)
3. g eg Ngozi (Blessing)
4. gw eg ngwe (fence)
5. h eg nhachi (replace)
6. j eg njiko (join)
7. k eg nkoli ( discussion)
8. l eg nlecha (“flexing”)
9. n eg nna (father)
10. kw eg nkwa (music or promise)
11. r eg nri (food)
12. sh eg nshiko (crab)
13. s eg nso (near)
14. t eg nti (ear)
15. z eg nzuko (meeting)
Myiriudaume “n” never goes with “m”. Never.
It is mma for beauty, for good, for knife or for spirit as some Enugu dialects call spirit mmà.
——————-
Alvan Chinagorom Emerald Ilo:
Myiriudaume m and n MUST not follow each other. It is against the spelling rule.
Now, the consonants (mgbochiume) that follow myiriụdaume ‘m’ are nine
in number while those that follow ‘n’ are 19 adding up to 28 Igbo
consonants.
The nine consonants that follow ‘m’ include the following: b, gb, m, kp, p, f, v, w, y. For instance:
m = mba (town)
gb = mgba (wrestle)
m = mma (beauty/knife)
kp = mkpụrụ (seed)
m = mpe (small)
f = mfe (not heavy)
v = mvọ (nail)
m = mwepụ (subtraction)
y = myọ (sieve)
On the other hand, the consonants which follow myiriụdaume ‘n’ include
the following: ch, d, g, gh, gw, h, j, k, kw, l, n, ñ, nw, ny, r, s,
sh, t, z.
ch = nche (security)
d = ndị (those or people)
g = nga (prison)
gh = nghọta (understanding)
h = nha (comb)
j = nje (weevil)
k = nka (old age)
kw = nkwa (music or promise)
r = nri (food)
n = nne (mother)
t = nte (an insect)
gw =ngwere (lizard)
z = nza (little bird like the wren)
etc.
———–
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| Igbo Cultural Dance |
Maazi Ogbonnaya:
F. C. Ogbalu remains the modern father of Igbo language study. Without
F. C. Ogbalu, Igbo language would have been a dead language in terms of
scholarship.
“Nma” is not an Igbo word or the dialect of any Igbo
people. The place of articulation and manner of articulation of “nm”
cannot come together in Igbo phonotactics. This is absolutely wrong.
Igbo language, just as other languages, has rules. That you are Igbo
and speak Igbo doesn’t mean you know that grammar of Igbo. You have to
learn it just as you learnt the English grammar. If not, you will
continue making a mockery of yourself.
One thing some people here
fail to understand is the fact that the Igbo language study has gone
far and left many behind. The best thing to do is to enter into the
moving train instead of arguing blindly. What your tongue pronounces
should not be forced to shove into one’s throat, thereby generalizing it
is the perfect way of acceptance. One of the characteristics of
language is conventional. Before you argue blindly, ask yourself, how
many Igbo study workshops have you attended? Most of us here are
arrogant to learn. Don’t know if it is pride.
In linguistics, we
have the “rule of phonotatics”. This rule determines how words must be
formed (morphology). The rule of Igbo language is that consonant cluster
cannot be formed. You can’t see two segment consonant letters coming
together. When you see things like ” mmanu”, “mmadu”. The first “m” is
myiriudaume (syllabic nasal) while the second “m” is mgbochiume
(consonant).
The two consonant letters in Igbo language that can
serve as vowel by receiving tone marks are “m” and “n” at the initial
segment followed by a consonant. But whenever a vowel segment follows
any of them, they no longer function as myiriudaume but mgbochiume
(consonant). E.g. Mu. “M” here is a consonant while the “u” is a vowel.
Because “m” and “n” can function as vowel by receiving tone marks, that
is why they are called myiriudaume (syllabic nasal). They resemble vowel
depending on the word formative usage.
How can you place two
syllabic nasals together which have different places of articulation?
One is voiced, the other one is voiceless in the phonetic symbol. You
can’t place voice and voiceless fricatives together.
It is empty
deception saying “mma” is knife, while “nma ” is beauty. This is poverty
of intellectuality in aspect of Igbo language. In Igbo phonology, we
have minimal pairs. For words that come in same form but different
pronunciation, we employ tone-mark to show the difference. If the
difference between “nma”and “mma” is beauty and knife, why is Igbo a
tonal language?
See it here:
mmá = Beauty
mmà = Knife
The first “m” in each of the words is syllabic nasal (myiriudaume). It
takes a high tone mark. The vowel that comes after the consonant through
the tone mark shows the difference between knife and beauty.
NOTE:
Please anyone who thinks otherwise should bring up his logical argument. We are all learning.
CREDIT: Obododimma Oha - on Facebook
