"Ụnụ"= you

I have seen people questioning others why they write "ụnụ" instead of "unu".

I agree that some dialect of Igbo use "unu". In my dialect for instance, it's pronounced as "ùnú". It differs in the general pronunciation of únū.

Why ụnụ?

Dialect?
If you want to understand why it's used, then say ndeewo in a plural form. You'll land yourself into:

Ndeewo nụ!

Daalụ nụ

Kwenụ

Rie nụ

Ṅụọ nụ

Zụọ nụ

These are shortening of "ụnụ". Have you seen it's generally used even without you knowing about it?
Yes,

You cannot say:

Ndeewo nu
Kwenu
Rie nu
Ṅụọ nu
Zụọ nu

"Unu" cannot be used in the above context.

However, "unu" can be used simply for plural form but not in every context as "ụnụ" which is more universal beyond dialect.

Ụnụ is a generalised version of "you".
You can write "ụnụ" or "unu", both are correct.

But it's not everywhere "unu" is used especially when shortened in the aforementioned samples. But "ụnụ" is more generalised even in a shortened form.

Were eriri manye ewu, were ewu manye n'etiti.

• • •

Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to force a refresh
 

Keep Current with Maazị Ogbonnaya

Maazị Ogbonnaya Profile picture

Stay in touch and get notified when new unrolls are available from this author!

Read all threads

This Thread may be Removed Anytime!

PDF

Twitter may remove this content at anytime! Save it as PDF for later use!

Try unrolling a thread yourself!

how to unroll video
  1. Follow @ThreadReaderApp to mention us!

  2. From a Twitter thread mention us with a keyword "unroll"
@threadreaderapp unroll

Practice here first or read more on our help page!

More from @maazi_ogbonnaya

17 May
The is Jaja of Opobo who left Amaigbo to live in Opobo and multiply/rule the place.

He was a powerful man/king. Dealing in Palm oil and slave trade with the Arọ. Inasmuch as history praises him, he committed some atrocity too like killing Ọdụm-Agege of Azụmini in Ndọkị. Image
I want to talk about the Ọdụm Agege. He was a very powerful man too who was also intelligent. He never allowed the Arọ and Jaja whose major occupations were slave-trade to deceive his people. He was resisting their antics.

The Arọ tried luring him, but he was stubborn.
They told him that Ibini Ụkpaabi was calling him. An instrument they used to annihilate or get people to be sold into slavery. He refused to go. The Arọ told Jaja what transpired.

Being frustrated, Jaja sent his army after him. They came to Azụmini and dragged him to Opobo.
Read 5 tweets
16 May
The Ịgbanke people, now in Edo State still observe the four market days of Igbo: Eke, Orie, Afọ and Nkwọ.

The same with some villages in Ogbadibo, Benue State. I met Mr. Ọnọja from there, he opened my eyes to the real culture and history of those villages.
The proximity with Obolo Afọ and Inyi side of Enugwu-Ezike. They still do business with their kith and kin.

In Oturkpa, I saw a place called Offiong. There must be a tie with the Efik/Ibibio. Migration must have taken place.
Eboyi in Kogi, close to Ejule and Ebọnyị, I heard there is a link which I am yet to investigate properly through linguistic similarities and culture.

My activities, research and traveling are to satisfy my curiosity, hence I sponsored myself round 33 States in Nigeria.
Read 4 tweets
15 May
Lexical Correlations Between Igbo Language and Nembe Language of Bayelsa State.

Language is universal. Another interesting characteristics and nature of language is—it does not function or exist in isolation.

We know that borrowing is inevitable in any language of the world.
Any language devoid of borrowing for survival go into extinction or dies. The case of old Latin which has suffered language death and shifted into Romance languages. The today's spoken Latin is not the original Latin. Why did Latin die? Inability to accept loan words like others.
English is able to stand sands of time because of its ability to borrow from other languages and makeup its lexicons.

Some languages also naturally have things in common without any form of borrowing.

With this brief background information to the study—
Read 10 tweets
15 May
A Short Biography of Professor Gordian Ọbụneme Ezekwe, the head of Biafran RAP that produced missiles called ogbunigwe.

B.sc (Hons), Ph.D, Mechanical Engineering. He was born May 10, 1929 in Abagana, Anambra State. He married Ngozi Bernadette Okaru in 1973.
He attended St Mark's School, Abagana, 1938-40; St Bartholomew's School, Nimo, 1940-43; St Patrick's College, Calabar, 1943-47; University College (now University of Ibadan), Ibadan, 1947-50, University College, Swansea, Wales, 1951-54; King's College, London, 1956-59.
Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering, Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology, Zaria, 1959-62; Lecturer, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, 1962-63; Visiting Lecturer, University of Sheffield, UK, 1963-64; Senior Lecturer, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, 1964-67;
Read 10 tweets
15 May
The Igbo Community in Benue State.

State creation like I have written over time is a divide-and-rule system. It has dispersed many of our kith and kin.

The Igbo in Benue are found in Oju, Okpoku, Ado and Obi.

Umuezekeọha is a community of many Igbo with over 300 villages.
They should be in Ebọnyị State. Very close as they have link with the Ezaa Ezekụna. Their names correspond with theirs as well. They bear Nweke, Nwalị, etc.

The worst of everything is they have been abandoned by both Local, State and Federal Government.
There is no basic amenities. No water, no road, no electricity, no healthcare. The indigenes are frustrated. The Benue State govt doesn't recognize them neither does Ebọnyị State government they are more closer to, which the latter is understandable. They're not in Ebọnyị.
Read 9 tweets
14 May
Ifo chakpii... wọọ!
O tii.... ọ yọọ!
Ọ yọọ... O tii!

O nwere akụkọ m ga-akọrọ ụnụ. O nwere otu mgbe, ụnwụ dara n'ala ụmụnụmanụ. O nweghị onye hụrụ tụtụrụ rachaa.

Ọrịa ji nne mbe. Mbe maara na o nwere ike nwụọ. Ọ chọghị imefu ego ọbụla.
Mbe wee kpọkọọ ndị ụmụnna ya gwa ha na ọ chọrọ ime njem. Ọ gwara ha na ihe anaghị emebu mee, ha kpọọ ya: Ọ bụrụ na nwoke adị ime; ọ bụrụ na akwụ chara n'ọdụ igu nakwa ọ bụrụ na ndị nọ n'ala na-adagbu ndị nọ n'elu. Ihe dị otu a mee, ha kpọọ ya.
Mgbe mbe gwachara ndị ụmụnna ya okwu, ha kwekọrịtara, mbe wee buru akpa ya pụọ.

O rughị abalị abụọ, nne ya wee nwụọ.

Ndị ụmụnna mbe gbakọrọ, chịa ọchị. Ha amarala ihe nwanna ha mere. Ha agbaa izu, zipụ otu n'ime ha ka ọ chọrọ mbe gaa.
Read 5 tweets

Did Thread Reader help you today?

Support us! We are indie developers!


This site is made by just two indie developers on a laptop doing marketing, support and development! Read more about the story.

Become a Premium Member ($3/month or $30/year) and get exclusive features!

Become Premium

Too expensive? Make a small donation by buying us coffee ($5) or help with server cost ($10)

Donate via Paypal Become our Patreon

Thank you for your support!

Follow Us on Twitter!

:(