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Installmentally: This “word” is a favourite of many Nigerians, but, sadly, it simply does not exist. You won’t find it any reputable dictionary. The correct thing to say when “installmentally” comes to your mind is in instalments or by instalments.
Plumpy: Nigerians use “plumpy” when they want to say that someone is chubby or slightly fat.
Crosscarpeting or cross-carpeting: This is a favourite of Nigerian politicians and political analysts alike. They use it when they want to say that a politician has dumped his political party for another party, usually a rival party.
Wake-keeping: “Wake-keeping” exists only in the imagination of a few English speakers. As a matter of fact, there is no such thing as “wake-keeping.”
Screentouch: This bad grammatical expression gained currency in Nigeria and neighbouring West African countries with the influx of touchscreen smartphones in the mid-2000s. It was a novelty then; many in Nigeria had not seen it – or even thought such advanced technology was possible – before. So, they looked for a name to call it and “screentouch” came to mind, after all you just touch the screen and it starts working.
This article was written by writer and editor Chinedu Rylan.
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