Dangers Of Literally Translating Igbo Sentences And Adages To English.

The graphic nature of Igbo language is exceptional. Take for example the English saying,
you are good for nothing. In some parts of Ala Igbo, what you will hear when describing someone as good for nothing is, Idiro mma utala, idiro mma ofe. Now, imagine the richness of the imagery the instructive description evokes?

Not losing the richness of imagery native language possesses, while attempting to write in a foreign language, is a tough work. Imagine translating the same Idiro mma utala, idiro mma ofe to English?

If you do a literal translation, it will be, you are not good for foo-foo, you are not good for soup. Such translation is no longer rich, but cut across as tarky and unserious. When you try to get serious with your translation, you may be forced to resort to the implied meaning, which is, you are good for nothing. This translation immediately strips the Igbo saying of its rich imagery.

This is one of the many roadblocks faced by those who want to capture rich Igbo conversation into English or any other foreign language. The translations strip Igbo language of its rich evocative poetry.

Think of the famous akpiri na akpo mu nku. The literal translation is, my throat is calling me firewood. While the implied meaning is, I am thirsty. These two English translations greatly erase the imagery of dried firewood stick which the Igbo sentence evoked.

The lesson from this, I think is, your culture is very rich as stand-alone. When you try to critic, appreciate or understand your culture from the prism of another culture, the danger that it will appear as comedic as the translation, my throat is calling me firewood, may be high.

When you look at Igbo culture from the perspective of solely Igbo, that’s the only reliable guarantee for appreciating it’s richness, like the saying, Idiro mma utala, idiro mma ofe. But, when you look at it from what did the Bible say, what did Koran say, how is it done in so-so place, then your beautiful culture starts to appear awkward, atavistic and dusty.

Any fault you spot in Igbo culture, may not be the culture. Please check your lenses.

Written by Nze Tobe Osigwe (Ezeikolomuo)