The Big Man and his Oral English
Hotel Manager: What is the issue here?
Receptionist: Oga, this man said he wants a nice sweet and I said we cannot be selling sweet in the hotel.
Hotel Manager: Sir, we don’t sell sweet here sir. This is a hotel.
Big Man: How ridiculous! So you both don’t know that suite is pronounced just like sweet? Shame!
Receptionist: Manager, that is what I’ve been facing o. He even asked me if there is a Tawa around the building so he can take a view and I told him the only Tawa here is our cook and she is not a “runs” girl.
Hotel manager: Oga, if you need a girl, you will have to go get one outside. We don’t have prostitutes here and the Tawa that works here is a decent girl.
Big Man: Oh Heaven! I meant tower. How come your receptionist heard Tawa. A tall, narrow structure that either forms part of a building or stands alone is tower /ˈtaʊ.ɚ/. It doesn’t have the /w/ sound.
Receptionist: Oh, I’m sorry, Manager. I did not (h)ear (h)is English very well.
Big Man: Did you say “ear is English” or “hear his English”? You seem not to be articulating the glottal fricative /h/ in those words. ‘His’ should not be articulated as ‘is’ and “ear” is different from “hear”. So, can you practise these pairs of words:
Is- his
As- has
Ear- here
I- high
Hotel Manager: Practise ko; practical ni. Oga do you need a room or you want to teach Oral English?
(c) 2021 Dr GAB
