It originated as a language of commerce between British and African slave traders during the period of the Atlantic slave trade. As of 2017, about 75 million people in Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana and Equatorial Guinea used the language.
When did the English first arrive in West Africa?
British West Africa
| British West African Settlements | |
|---|---|
| Historical era | New Imperialism |
| • Established | 17 October 1821 |
| • Disestablishment | 13 January 1850 |
| • Second establishment | 19 February 1866 |
How did English came to Africa?
The history of English in South Africa dates from the arrival of the British at the Cape in 1806. As was the case in most colonies, English was brought to South Africa during the 19th century initially by soldiers, and then by administrators, missionaries, settlers, and fortune-seekers.
What was the first British colony in West Africa?
In 1816 the British founded the colony of Bathurst at the mouth of the Gambia River. Both colonies served as bases for the British effort to block the slave trade along the coast. Later in the century British rule spread to the interior of Sierra Leone and the Gambia.
Where did pidgin English originated from?
How did it originate? West African Pidgin English, also called Guinea Coast Creole English, was a language of commerce spoken along the coast during the Atlantic slave trade in the late 17th and 18th Centuries. This allowed British slave merchants and local African traders to conduct business.
Does Britain Own Africa?
Britain had many colonies in Africa: in British West Africa there was Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Southern Cameroon, and Sierra Leone; in British East Africa there was Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania (formerly Tanganyika and Zanzibar); and in British South Africa there was South Africa, Northern Rhodesia (Zambia), Southern …
When did Britain own Africa?
The British colonized Africa in about 1870. When they heard of all of Africa’s valuable resources such as gold, ivory, salt and more, they did not hesitate on conquering the land.
Why South Africa use English?
It has also become one of the essential languages for global trade. In 21st century South Africa, English is used in many walks of life, in media and advertising, in education, law, commerce and government. English is the language of the big city especially Johannesburg, South Africa’s financial capital.
Where is English in Africa?
Sierra Leone and Liberia are the only countries in Africa where English is spoken as the primary language. English is the primary language of Nigeria and Ghana, but the language is spoken as a lingua franca in both states.
Does South Africa use UK or US English?
South African English
In general, the English spoken in Africa is more related to British English than American English. Over the centuries some words from native and other languages also became part of the South African English vocabulary.
Which country is a richest in Africa?
1 | NIGERIA – THE RICHEST COUNTRY IN AFRICA (GDP: $446.543 Billion) GDP: $446.543 Billion (nominal, 2019 est.) GDP per capita: $2,222 (nominal, 2019 est.)
Which country in Africa has never been colonized?
Take Ethiopia, the only sub-Saharan African country that was never colonized.
Is South Africa still under British rule?
The country became a fully sovereign nation state within the British Empire, in 1934 following enactment of the Status of the Union Act. The monarchy came to an end on 31 May 1961, replaced by a republic as the consequence of a 1960 referendum, which legitimised the country becoming the Republic of South Africa.
What does ABEG mean in Nigerian?
Abeg. This simply means ‘Please. ‘ You could say, ‘Abeg come chop food’ which is an invitation to a meal.
Who invented pidgin English?
Nigerian Pidgin English (NPE), originated as a lingua franca for trade purposes amongst the Nigerians and the Portuguese merchants during the 17th century. It is broken English like Patois and Creole, spoken along the coast of West Africa and it has extended to the diaspora, due to Nigerian migrants.
Why is it called pidgin English?
Etymology. Pidgin derives from a Chinese pronunciation of the English word business, and all attestations from the first half of the nineteenth century given in the third edition of the Oxford English Dictionary mean ‘business; an action, occupation, or affair’ (the earliest being from 1807).