Why do Nigerian taxi-drivers talk to each other in English?

porsche959

In my experience Nigerian taxi-drivers generally converse in English, is it because English is a default language because all the tribes speak different languages or what?

pablo128

porsche959 wrote: »

In my experience Nigerian taxi-drivers generally converse in English, is it because English is a default language because all the tribes speak different languages or what?

Why, what language do you think they speak in Nigeria?

Supergurrier

They are all actually from Mayo

Frosty McSnowballs

Why don't you ask the next one that gives you a lift?

Chickentown

They do this so that you won't know they are talking about you.

Hotfail.com

Maybe they're not all from Nigeria?

shruikan2553

How do you know theyre Nigerian?

conorh91

Actually they're speaking IN. CAPS. LOCK. MY. FRIEND.

porsche959

pablo128 wrote: »

Why, what language do you think they speak in Nigeria?

No idea. Why don't you tell us.

gammygils

Not all African Taxi drivers are Nigerian!

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5

porsche959 wrote: »

No idea. Why don't you tell us.

why don't you consider the subject of the thread you started and take a wild guess.

pablo128

porsche959 wrote: »

No idea. Why don't you tell us.

English officially, along with about 500 local dialects, my friend.

Hotfail.com

Megan Shapely Cricket wrote: »

why don't you consider the subject of the thread you started and take a wild guess.

"That loud shouty one"

thelad95

Just checking the Department of Education calendar there and most schools start back around the 26/27 August.

diomed

Wiki
There are hundreds of languages spoken in Nigeria. The official language of Nigeria, English, the former colonial language, was chosen to facilitate the cultural and linguistic unity of the country. Communication in English language is much more popular in the country's urban communities than it is in the rural areas (comprising about three quarters of the country's population).

When I lived in Zambia in the 1970s I asked the lads in the office why they spoke in English. They said I might think it rude if they spoke other languages when I was there.

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5

Hotfail.com wrote: »

"That loud shouty one"

I thought that was American? :P

Thoie

English is the official language of Nigeria.

Hotfail.com

Megan Shapely Cricket wrote: »

I thought that was American? :P

Touché, bitch.

Maximus Alexander

I noticed this when I was in New York too, all the American cab drivers were speaking English to each other and I couldn't work out why.

Voodoomelon

Sure they're all from Donegal.

Karl Stein

Africa is a great country.

Don't be so Africanist.

thelad95

diomed wrote: »

When I lived in Zambia in the 1970s I asked the lads in the office why they spoke in English. They said I might think it rude if they spoke other languages when I was there.

It's a pity foreigners in Ireland don't have the same attitude as this.

Hotfail.com

thelad95 wrote: »

It's a pity foreigners in Ireland don't have the same attitude as this.

Do the Irish have this attitude? I don't think we'd have many Irish speaking Polish (if we could speak it) in the workplace just because there's a new Polish lad working there

porsche959

pablo128 wrote: »

English officially, along with about 500 local dialects, my friend.

Ah ok. Well that explains it.

WilyCoyote

Why do dogs lick their ball? Idiot question!

JoseJones

Don't just assume they are all Nigerian, African American would be the correct term.

Sir Arthur Daley

English would be a handy language to have if one was operating a taxi here and also living here so it would not be uncommon for them to have the gra to speak the english language.

Egginacup

porsche959 wrote: »

In my experience Nigerian taxi-drivers generally converse in English, is it because English is a default language because all the tribes speak different languages or what?

.. ... . . ..... . . ..... . . . . ... . .. .. . .

whirlpool

Hotfail.com wrote: »

Maybe they're not all from Nigeria?

OP is asking about Nigerian taxi drivers - who tend to be from Nigeria, believe it or not.

gammygils wrote: »

Not all African Taxi drivers are Nigerian!

Who said they were?

harry Bailey esq

commentary on arsenal matches is usually in English

grenache

thelad95 wrote: »

It's a pity foreigners in Ireland don't have the same attitude as this.

Why should "foreigners" speak English when they're around you? They should be able to converse in whatever language they choose.....

They're not talking about you, and yes, you are paranoid

porsche959

JoseJones wrote: »

Don't just assume they are all Nigerian, African American would be the correct term.

I'm not sure if your post is intended as ironic or humorous, but assuming it isn't, don't just assume all of whom are Nigerian?

Why would "African-American" be the "correct" term for Nigerians living in Ireland?

Fwiw, there are black people in America who don't like the term "African-American".

http://atlantablackstar.com/2014/01/13/8-interesting-reasons-black-people-reject-called-african-americans/

mikemac1

You show, I go

whirlpool

JoseJones wrote: »

Don't just assume they are all Nigerian, African American would be the correct term.

For who?

B.A._Baracus

To sum it up.... Nigeria is bascially like Europe
Imagine if Ireland, The Uk, Spain, Portugal, France and Germany were all connected by land. Well you have now got Nigeria in terms of languages.

... I am actually scheduled to go over there at the end of the year A town outside Lagos. There is talk by my friend, well, I guess you could say 'friend & guide/contact/soon to be family member' that I will be in posession of a gun when I visit in December. Which also speaks volumes in my mind. First time I have been out of Ireland in quite some time.

c_man

porsche959 wrote: »

In my experience Nigerian taxi-drivers generally converse in English, is it because English is a default language because all the tribes speak different languages or what?

Taxi tribes? *shudder*

amdublin

Why not?

Cee-Jay-Cee

I never knew all black taxi drivers were Nigerian!!! I thought some were Kenyan, zimbabwanese, Ghanaian, Gambian, Ethiopian, Liberian, Malawian, Senegalese, Somalian etc etc what a co-incidence that they're all actually from the same country. Is Nigerian like the worlds centre of excellence in taxi driving?

Bob24

thelad95 wrote: »

It's a pity foreigners in Ireland don't have the same attitude as this.

Depends on circumstances.

If you are in a conversation with 2 Spanish friends who can speak good English and they turn to Spanish knowing that you can't understand a word. Yes it is a quite rude.

Now if you are invited to a party in Dublin organised by Spanish people who are in a majority there and you expect all of them to switch to English for your convenience ... You might be the one who is rude.

creolebelle

This thread went in 10 diff directions . It went from Nigerians to the polish and then crossed the Atlantic to the African Americans and now it's back to the "country" of Africa

creolebelle

CJC999 wrote: »

I never knew all black taxi drivers were Nigerian!!! I thought some were Kenyan, zimbabwanese, Ghanaian, Gambian, Ethiopian, Liberian, Malawian, Senegalese, Somalian etc etc what a co-incidence that they're all actually from the same country. Is Nigerian like the worlds centre of excellence in taxi driving?

I didn't realize ireland had such a diverse population of taxi drivers

mrsbyrne

CJC999 wrote: »

I never knew all black taxi drivers were Nigerian!!! I thought some were Kenyan, zimbabwanese, Ghanaian, Gambian, Ethiopian, Liberian, Malawian, Senegalese, Somalian etc etc what a co-incidence that they're all actually from the same country. Is Nigerian like the worlds centre of excellence in taxi driving?

Where did anybody say that all black taxi drivers were Nigerian?!

Dr Turk Turkelton

B.A._Baracus wrote: »

To sum it up.... Nigeria is bascially like Europe
Imagine if Ireland, The Uk, Spain, Portugal, France and Germany were all connected by land. Well you have now got Nigeria in terms of languages.

... I am actually scheduled to go over there at the end of the year A town outside Lagos. There is talk by my friend, well, I guess you could say 'friend & guide/contact/soon to be family member' that I will be in posession of a gun when I visit in December. Which also speaks volumes in my mind. First time I have been out of Ireland in quite some time.

Do you "pity the fool" that tries to get you on a plane by any chance?

PeteFalk78

CJC999 wrote: »

I never knew all black taxi drivers were Nigerian!!! I thought some were Kenyan, zimbabwanese, Ghanaian, Gambian, Ethiopian, Liberian, Malawian, Senegalese, Somalian etc etc what a co-incidence that they're all actually from the same country. Is Nigerian like the worlds centre of excellence in taxi driving?

FAIL
Did the OP ask about Nigerian taxi drivers specifically or black taxi drivers?. Rhetorical question. You should read the OP again.

Bob24

PeteFalk78 wrote: »

FAIL
Did the OP ask about Nigerian taxi drivers specifically or black taxi drivers?. Rhetorical question. You should read the OP again.

Ditto.

Plus immigration statistics show that Nigerians represent half of the African people living in Ireland (and probably much more than half of black Africans as there are quite a few people from North Africa and white South Africans). So assuming that a majority of black taxi drivers are Nigerian wouldn't be crazy or inappropriate I think.

Why do Nigerian taxi-drivers talk to each other in English?

Just imagine if they spoke Irish. :pac:

neamhspleachi

There are over 500 ethnic groups in Nigeria with over 10 different languages apart from english spoken.

Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, Fulani, Efik Ibibio, Kanuri, Tiv, Edo & Ijaw as well as some regional dialect variations.

catallus

But not all Nigerians are taxi drivers.

Oink

CJC999 wrote: »

I never knew all black taxi drivers were Nigerian!!! I thought some were Kenyan, zimbabwanese, ...

Zimbabwanese people from Zimbabwana :-) :-)

bumper234

catallus wrote: »

But not all Nigerians are taxi drivers.

Spook_ie

JoseJones wrote: »

Don't just assume they are all Nigerian, African American would be the correct term.

Americans, coming over here and taking all our jobs!

Actually, if they were from Nigeria or any other part of Africa why would they be American?