Book of Pidgin

The Definite Article

3 min read

The Pidgin language has one definite article: “the.” It is used with both proper and improper nouns under certain conditions.

Note

On revising this document, it seems like the definite article is only used when a relative clause follows a noun. (Or when the relative clause is omitted because it is implicitly assumed).

Use the definite article when the accompanying common noun is known

This article is to be placed before common nouns when the noun being referred to is known. Two sample sentences to demonstrate the use and purpose of of definite articles with common nouns in Pidgin are:

  1. Show me the pesin wey bring you. (Show me the person who brought you here.)
  2. The house she build for her village dey fine. (The house she built in her village is beautiful.)
  3. Show me the road wey dey go Aba. (Show me the road that leads to Aba.)

Only use the definite article with proper nouns for titles

In Pidgin, the is only used with proper nouns for titles. This means that the proper noun “the” must to be used with the noun forms illustrated in the following sentences:

  1. I sabi the President of Nigeria. (I know the president of Nigeria)
  2. Ikeja na the Capital of Lagos. (Ikeja is the capital of Lagos.)

But the definite articles is not to be used with all other proper nouns. Here are some examples to demonstrate scenarios where a definite article is required in English but not in Pidgin:

  1. The match na for National Stadium. (The game is at the National Stadium.)
  2. They do parade for Government House. (There was a parade at the Government House)

Definite article are only used before names of places elaborating

In general, definite articles are not used before names of places (proper or common), except when a relative clause is provided after the name of the place. Here are some example sentences where the definite articles is not needed (but is needed in pidgin):

  1. They go market. (They went to the market.)
  2. My papa go bank. (My father went to the bank.)

So, while the market or bank that the subjects of the previous sentences are going to might be known, the definite article is omitted, since a relative clause is not provided after the nouns (Unless the relative clause is implicitly assumed and omitted). The following examples are similar to the ones above, but require the use of the definite article:

  1. They go the market wey dey Apapa. (They went to the market in Apapa)
  2. My papa go the bank wey e friend dey work for. (My father)

Graph View

Backlinks