From the Publisher of The Asudemade Perspective

Language is more than a means of communication; it is the soul of a people, the repository of their history, culture, philosophy and worldview. The Yoruba language, one of Africa’s richest and most expressive languages, deserves to be preserved, developed and modernised with great care. While every living language must evolve to accommodate new ideas and concepts, such evolution should not come at the expense of clarity, precision and linguistic integrity.

One area that deserves serious attention is the growing trend of miscoinages—newly invented words or expressions that neither accurately convey the intended meaning nor conform to the structure and semantics of the Yoruba language. The desire to create Yoruba equivalents for English words is commendable, but coinages should enrich the language rather than confuse its speakers.

A good example is the ongoing debate over whether ẹgbẹlẹgbẹ kan should represent “one million.” While some language enthusiasts and scholars have adopted the expression, many native speakers find it unfamiliar, ambiguous or disconnected from the traditional numerical system of the Yoruba language. The issue is not merely whether a word is new but whether it communicates effectively and naturally to the people who speak the language.

The primary purpose of language is communication. A newly coined word that requires lengthy explanations before it can be understood defeats that purpose. Every coinage should therefore satisfy certain linguistic principles.

First, it should be precise. A Yoruba equivalent should convey exactly the same idea as the original word without creating room for multiple interpretations.

Second, it should avoid ambiguity. If a coined word can easily be mistaken for another concept, it is unlikely to gain widespread acceptance.

Third, it should be consistent with Yoruba morphology and semantics. Yoruba has its own rules of word formation, tone patterns and semantic relationships. Coinages should emerge naturally from these established principles rather than being literal translations of English expressions.

Fourth, a new word should be acceptable to native speakers. A language belongs to its speakers, not merely to linguists or scholars. If the average Yoruba speaker finds a coined word strange or incomprehensible, its usefulness becomes questionable.

This is not an argument against innovation. Every language has had to develop new vocabulary to describe modern inventions, technology and scientific concepts. English itself continues to coin new words. However, successful coinages usually gain acceptance because they are intuitive, meaningful and practical.

The development of Yoruba terminology should therefore be a collaborative effort involving linguists, writers, teachers, broadcasters, cultural organisations and native speakers. Extensive consultations, field testing and public engagement should precede the adoption of new words into mainstream usage. Academic consensus alone may not be sufficient if the wider speech community cannot readily understand or embrace the terms.

It is also important to distinguish between translation and transliteration. Not every English word requires a completely new Yoruba equivalent. In some cases, adapting the pronunciation of internationally recognised terms may be more practical than forcing artificial translations that fail to resonate with speakers.

The Yoruba language has survived for centuries because of its flexibility, richness and logical structure. We should therefore resist the temptation to manufacture words simply for the sake of appearing innovative. Every new coinage should strengthen—not weaken—the language.

As custodians of this priceless linguistic heritage, we have a collective responsibility to ensure that efforts to modernise Yoruba preserve its elegance, clarity and authenticity. Let us promote thoughtful, well-researched and widely accepted coinages that enrich the language rather than burden it with expressions that obscure meaning.

The future of Yoruba lies not only in speaking it proudly but also in developing it wisely. A language grows stronger when its evolution is guided by precision, clarity and respect for its linguistic identity. By avoiding miscoinages and embracing carefully considered innovations, we can ensure that Yoruba remains both relevant in the modern world and faithful to its enduring heritage.