Background

Nkọwa okwu focuses on expanding the Igbo language, which includes creating new Igbo words. This document outlines a public process that allows for our team of translators and linguists to coin neologism (new terms) for Igbo. In executing this process publicly, we hope to grow attention of the greater Igbo linguist community to establish a consistent standard for creating new Igbo words to expand the langauge.

First: Determine Eligibility

Before anything, it must be made sure that the desired constructed term is not already extant in Igbo lexicon. There is no reason to create words for “hospital” because “ụlọọgwụ” already exists.

• However, if you believe an existing term is misappropriated or inaccurate, you can propose an alternative.

After assuring another appropriate term doesn’t exist, make sure the term is not conceptually or culturally unique to another people group. In addition, proper nouns would not be applicable in most cases.

• Eligible Example: “Philosophy” is not a concept unique to the Greek language it was derived from, as all people groups have various forms of philosophical thinking.
• Eligible Example: “Computer” while being a western invention, computers are not a culturally unique concept to the western world. In addition, the etymology behind computer is rooted in the verb “compute” and computation is not a culturally unique concept.
• Ineligible Example: “Aṣọebi” is a Yoruba word describing a specific Yoruba cultural concept, despite it’s use over various parts of West Africa. Therefore, it does not need an original Igbo word to describe it.
  • However, if a term is culturally unique, that does not mean an Igbo term absolutely should not be created for it. If there is a justifiable argument, it can be presented.

Second: Use Derivational Principles

Igbo is an agglutinating language with a robust derivation system.

1. Vowel Prefixation (The Simple Prefix)

   1. The most simplistic method is taking an Igbo vowel (which include nasal pseudo vowels m and n) and prefixing it to the root verb. It should be noted that for derivation using this principle, harmonization with the root verb is always present. Light vowels (a, ị, ọ, and ụ) will always precede a verb containing a light vowel; the same applying to heavy vowels (e, i, o, and u). In the case of nasal pseudo vowels, “m” will always precede b, gb, f, p, kp, v, w, y, or another m. In all other cases “n” precedes.
      1. Preexisting Examples:
         1. ka (to craft) → n+ka → nka (art)
         2. pe (to be small) → m+pe → mpe (smallness)
         3. bu (to be heavy) → i+bu → ibu (heaviness, largeness, fatness)
         4. ba (to increase) → ụ+ba → ụba (bounty, prosperity, wealth)
   2. This process also works for multi-root verbs and verbs with extensional suffixation
      1. Preexisting Examples:
         1. we (to take) + pụ (to leave) → m+we+pụ → mwepụ (subtraction, removal)
         2. nyo (to peek at) + cha (completely) → n+nyo+cha → nnyocha (research)

2. Prefixation + Suffixation

   1. Prefix and “m”
      1. Simple prefixation in addition to the addition of “m” to the end of the verb.
      2. Preexisting Example:
         1. ghọ (to go wrong) → ọ+ghọ+m → ọghọm (mistake, loss)
         2. be (to cry) → m+be+m → mbem (chant, a type of poem)
         3. je (to go) → n+je+m → njem (travel journey)
         4. kụ (to hit) → a+kụ+m → akụm (malaria, likening the disease to being hit)
   2. Prefix and final vowel elongation
      1. The verb gains the simple prefix, then the final vowel of the verb is elongated.
      2. Preexisting Examples:
         1. gụ (to desire) → a+gụ+ụ → agụụ (hunger)
         2. ji (to be dark in color) → o+ji+i → ojii (black, blackness)
   3. Prefix and “ra/re/rị/ri/rọ/ro/rụ/ru” suffix
      1. Simple prefixation accompanied by “r” and the vowel of the verb. This process appears to be possible with multi-root verbs, suffixing each verb root in the derived word.
      2. Preexisting Examples:
         1. kpe (to pray) → e+kpe+re → ekpere (prayer)
         2. so (to follow) → u+so+ro → usoro (process)
         3. ji (to use) + ma (to know) → n+ji+ri+ma+ra → njirimara (identity)

3. Interfixation

   1. Verb Based
      1. The verb is takes the simple prefix, the new word is doubled, and then a consonant is added in-between. This process does not appear to work with multi-root verbs.
      2. Preexisting Examples:
         1. kwu (talk) → e+kwu → ekwu+r+ekwu → ekwurekwu (talkativeness)
   2. Noun Based
      1. The noun is doubled with a consonant inbetween. This process seems to be exclusive to double syllable nouns that start with vowels.
      2. Preexisting Example:
         1. ogo (length) → ogo+l+ogo → ogologo (long, tall)
         2. anụ (meat) → anụ+m+anụ → anụmanụ (animal)
   3. Verb and Noun Based
      1. This process appears to be specific to the nominalization of verbs with complement nouns. The verb is prefixed with specifically either “a” for ụdamfe (light vowels) or “e” for ụdaarọ (heavy vowels), then “m” is added between the verb and noun.
      2. Preexisting Example:
         1. lụ (to marry) + di (husband) → a+lụ+m+di → alụmdi (marriage, of a women)
         2. zu (to rest) + ike (strength) → e+zu+m+ike → ezumike (vacation)

4. Reduplication

   1. Verb Based
      1. The verb takes the simple prefix, and then the verb is duplicated. This process possible with multi-root verbs.
      2. Preexisting Example: yi (to resemble) → o+yi+yi → oyiyi (image, likeness)
   2. Noun Based
      1. The noun is double and combined together. This is typically used to derive a word describing the quality of the noun.
      2. Preexisting Example: mmiri (water) → mmiri+mmiri → mmirimmiri (wateriness)

5. Partial Reduplication

   1. Verb Based
      1. The verb is prefixed by the verb consonant and either u, ụ, i, or ị, then is further prefixed with the simple suffix.. This progress only works with single root verbs with either o, ọ, a, or e as their vowel.
      2. Preexisting Examples:
         1. kọ (to tell or narrate) → a+kụ+kọ → akụkọ (story)
         2. ma (to know) → a+mụ+ma → amụma (prophesy)
         3. nye (to give) → o+nyi+nye → onyinye (gift)
   2. Noun Based
      1. Either the beginning or ending of a noun and then is attached to the base. In some instances a full duplication is performed and then vowel elision takes place.
      2. Preexisting Examples:
         1. ọdụ (tail) → ọdụ + dụ → ọdụdụ (ending)
         2. ike (power) → ike + ike → ikeike → ikike (authority)

6. Compounding

   1. Verb Based
      1. This is the only process for creating new verbs in Igbo. Two separate verbs are combined to create a new verb compounding their meaning.
      2. Preexisting Examples:
   2. Noun Based
   3. Noun and Verb Based

Third: Group Deliberation

Once the term has been created, its implementation will be approved by our in-house group of professionally trained lexicographers and linguists during our community’s monthly translator meetings. As not everyone has a background in Nsịbịdị, those who do will help create an Nsịbịdị rendition of the new term. This is a final test as any term following Igbo derivation principals will be able to be successfully rendered in Nsịbịdị.

Modification to the term can also be recommended at this time. Term creation should prioritize simplicity, unambiguity, and intuitiveness. If I term does not optimally embody these characteristics it should be carefully considered that there is no alternative way of constructing the phrase.