Yoruba
Yoruba
Yoruba
KEY CONCEPT: "WHEN you create new POSITIVE wave patterns in YOUR mind,
they give you the CONFIDENCE to RELAX and LEARN naturally
without EFFORT ... E Se"
Note:
Appendix A - is the routine for long term reinforcement after one month, which can
also be used by experienced speakers for the chronic problem of accent deterioration.
Books to buy: Berlitz African Phrase Book and Crosslines - Afghanistan Essential Field
Guides to Humanitarian and Conflict Zones - on the web.
Inspired by: Dr. Bob Boland (IU) and Mr. Shanu Majekodynmi (Nigeria) and
Dr. Giles Boland (Harvard) and Dr Shams Bathija (UNCTAD) and Boston University and
the Team http://www.bu.edu/familymed/distance/cre/
Email: www.crelearning.com
Copyright: RGAB/2017/1
So on we go ... for one whole day ... with a partner or small group ...
speaking and speaking ... and moving ... face, hands and body language
to reinforce your communication ... and ending with ... almost
instinctive ... easy inter-active conversation ... in the natural language
... and if you are lucky enough to find ... ANY natural speaker for the
day ... to be a partner ... or just part of the small group ... that
would be just great ...
Thank you. E se
Hallo E karo
Yes/no Bee-ni/Rara
Good-bye. O dabo.
so start chatting now ...to everyone ...
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 STRUCTURE
This program gives you practice in understanding the structure of the language
almost instinctively, as for each difficult phrase, English words are inserted.
There is a also a Mini Phrase-book, a Brief Note on Grammar and a list of the
100 "most used" words in conversation.
1.2 MEMORY
1.3 PRACTICE.
Learn very rapidly the list of "most used 100 words" and each day, take one page
of the mini-phrase-book, to make 10 minutes of Yoruba conversation with a natural
speaker or aloud with yourself. Then make a friend of the main Yoruba Phrase-
book.
INSTANT RELAXATION TECHNIQUE
1. This is a simple IRT exercise, to give you confidence to learn naturally. When you
don't believe you can learn ... you won't learn! ... When you are tense, anxious and
stressed ... you won't learn! When you have no confidence ... you won't learn. But
with relaxation, your mind and body become clear, confident and ready to learn. So do
the IRT exercise now ... and again before every CRE session. It takes only three
minutes, and with practice, it becomes a powerful tool for you. The only "equipment"
you need is an "open mind" and a marble (or similar small object) in your "right" (major)
hand.
2. So, get into that comfortable position, in which you know ... you really can relax. Be
aware that marble gets warm as it absorbs heat from contact with your right hand.
Open you hand and allow the warmth to evaporate. Close the hand again, and recognize
the marble ... as a physical external symbol ... of the internal function of your mind
and body. Allow it to receive and evaporate not just heat ... but emotion, anxiety and
stress ... leaving you free, relaxed, confident and ready to learn to speak and
understand the natural language without effort ....
3. Now, relax with the hands on the lap, and fix your eyes on the marble as you repeat
aloud ... the following sentence ... four times, feeling free to change the wording a
little ... to fit your style ... four times ... aloud ... in all:
"I AM, I CAN, I WILL, I BELIEVE ... I WILL LEARN ... AND HELP OTHERS
TO LEARN ... TO SPEAK AND ENJOY ... THE NEW NATURAL LANGUAGE ...
WITH A BEAUTIFUL ACCENT ... NATURALLY ... RAPIDLY ... EASILY ...
WITHOUT EFFORT"
4. With the eyes fixed on the marble ... or closed if you wish ... start to take three
slow and very deep breaths ... and be sure to pause ... on each inhalation ... and
imagine ... each exhalation ... as transferring all the anxiety and stress ... from your
mind and body ... through to the marble in your hand.
5. After the third breath, let your whole mind and body relax completely for two
minutes ... thinking ONLY of your breathing ... nothing else ... no self talk at all ...
just concentrate on the BREATHING ... very important, counting down from 20 to 1
6. Then bring yourself back, by simply counting up from 1 to 5, feeling well, relaxed,
confident and ready to learn. The marble is now your very personal symbol ... of your
confidence to learn and speak the natural language with a beautiful accent.
Note: This simple CRE "Instant Relaxation Technique" can be used anywhere (eyes open or closed)
to achieve a calm mind ... without anger, anxiety or stress ... ready and confident to learn .. or
deal with any new problem ... that you have to face. Keep the marble always to hand, as a symbol
... of your confidence ... to feel comfortable ... in the new natural language ... and to speak
almost instinctively ... without stress or effort ...
SIMPLE THROAT EXERCISE - 16 KEY WORDS
(Repeat EACH Yoruba word many times slowly ... and then at VERY high speed)
No RARA/BEE KO RATA/BEAR-KOU
Please E JO AY JAW
Plan to do the whole CRE in one 6 hour CRE day, with a partner or a small group. A
natural speaker (if available) would be most welcome as a partner or group member. On
the day before, as pre-learning (alone), play the 30 minute tape, just before sleeping,
speaking all the time, completely relaxed making no conscious effort to learn anything.
After the one full day of CRE, plan revision during your NORMAL ROUTINE in the
following week, for just an hour a day. Feel free to do it in any way ... that YOU
know ... will suit YOU best ... and will allow you ... both to speak AND to
understand ... what is spoken to you ... so relax completely ... and ABSORB ... both
consciously and sub-consciously ... the very carefully selected ... 30 minute audio
tape ... of new natural language ... which becomes part of you ... intuitively ...
instinctively ... without effort ... as you relax with IRT and establish a very
POSITIVE attitude ... and a confident EXPECTATION of SUCCESS ... just from
PLAYING ... with the natural language ... Our suggested schedule for the 6 hour CRE
day (with breaks as needed) is:
Generally:
2. RECOGNIZE that a TERRIBLE accent is PAINFUL … for the hearer … and so strive
always for a beautiful accent in EVERY WORD.
3. Be POSITIVE and NEVER apologise for your language … you are making the effort
to learn the LANGUAGE … and the HUMAN VALUES … an thus the CULTURE … of the
people you speak with … and THEY will appreciate MORE than you can EVEN imagine!!
If they reply to you in ENGLISH … then YOU just CONTINUE to speak in the
NATURAL new language … and they will too ...
4. LISTEN very carefully to what PEOPLE say to YOU … and BEFORE replying …
REPEAT in YOUR MIND ... EXACTLY what they said … … this gives you excellent
PRACTICE in recognising good STRUCTURE.
5. HESITATE before you SPEAK … and then speak FREELY and CONFIDENTLY …
without long pauses and … WITHOUT … "Urrs and Umms" which are so ANNOYING
and BORING … for the listener ...
6. When you do not know a necessary word … do NOT hesitate … simply USE the
ENGLISH word … in the sentence … the hearer will almost certainly give you the
translation … and you can repeat it … three times to get it right … without
embarrassment. Use the LEARNING REINFORCEMENT as needed but not in the car!
7. Use SIMPLE SHORT sentences and be CONFIDENT as you begin to talk to people.
expect SUCCESS ... and you will NOT be disappointed ... and try just one MORE new
thing ... just for fun in this one week ... drink one litre of WATER EVERY DAY … it
rinses mind and body and has a REMARKABLE preventive/curative therapeutic effect …
to support new learning ... on we go together.
1. GENTLE RELAXATION ...
And then when you are ready … to focus yourself ... you can begin by
taking a few deep relaxing breaths ... breathing slowly ... and feeling the
rise of your chest ... as you gradually inhale ... feeling that each breath
in ... and out ... relaxes you ... calms you ... and re-acquaints you ...
with deeper parts of yourself that you are sometimes too busy to notice.
You know ... and I know ... it’s very easy ... to get caught up in day to
day living ... there is so much to do ... and now is your time … and I would
like you to allow your eyes to close ... as you start to build ... an internal
focus ... within yourself ... on those parts of yourself... that will absorb
the natural language ... gently ... peacefully … and instinctively ... almost
automatically ... as you … let yourself go ... relax ... without conscious
effort ... because you have nothing … to do … now … except relax ..
So on we go together ... speaking all the time ... and moving hands, face
feelings and body … to express ourselves ... in the new natural language ...
as you create new wave patterns … in that special… "Yoruba Place" … in
your mind …
2. HERE AND THERE:
3. LIKING:
Ko (she not) fe-ran moto naa. She does not like the car.
Jowo, mase (do not) soro Huh. Please do not say Mate!
4. DOING:
Mo se I do.
Ao se iye. We do that
Pelu (and) inu (we) wa (at present) n-du And we are happy.
(happy)
Huh!! Darn-it!!!
5. CAN/ABLE TO DO:
Mo le (can). I can
Bee ni, mo le soro Yoruba die. Yes, I can speak a little Yoruba!
6. UNDERSTANDING:
O ye mi. I understand.
So ye e. You understand.
Jowo, mase (do not) soro Huh. Please do not say Mate!
7. WANTING:
Mo fe I want.
Huh! Mo fr funi (give) ni (you) die. Darn! I want to give you a bit.
Se o fe sun (sleep) pelu-mi (with me)? Do you want to sleep with me?
Zut! Rara, ko (not) se ni-si-yi (now). e se. Darn-it! Not just now, thank you!
8. GETTING:
E jowo, fun (give) mi owo (money) na. Please give me the money.
9. HAVING:
Rara. No.
Jowo, mase (do not) soro Huh. Please do not say Mate!
11. GREETING:
Rara.! No!!!
12. DESCRIBING:
O tobi? Is it big?
Rara, omi Faransi ko ta rara. No, the water is not good in France!!
Oh Huh!! Oh Mate!!!
Jowo, mase (do not) soro Huh. Please do not say Mate!
Rara, so ni isoro meji (2). No, you have two (of them).
Bee ni, ni-si-yi (now)mo ni isoro marun. Yes now, I have five problems!!!
15. ASKING:
Elo ni (how much) iwe (book) na? How much is the book?
I-ye e. That.
Oh, o dara (good) bi iwe (book) lo iwe daa. Oh, it is aa good book.
Obirin (woman) to-da ni! Gbudan ni! Wha a woman! (She is) wonderful!
E jo, ole so (do not say) Huh. Please do not say Mate!
Mo ni (to me) asiko (time) na, Obirin. I have the time, Miss!
SEo ni omi (money) na, Okurin? Do you have some money, Sir?
E jo, ma se mu (drink) France lati (in). Please don’t drink the water in France!!
Bee ni. ni-si-yi (now), e mi (to me) ni isoro Yes now, I have five problems!!!
(problem) maru-un.
O-daa? OK?
Gbadun? Wonderful?
Now of all the things … your mind … has been playing with … to create new … wave
patterns … in the natural language … from … here and there … liking … doing … can …
understanding … wanting … getting … having … ordering… greeting … describing … knowing
… numbering … asking … and … everything … I wonder which things ... you will bring back
… to stay deep within you … so easily available ... to you … as needs arise … without
conscious effort … because … you will believe … you can do it …
Just naturally ... in your own way … as part of you ... instinctively ... as that new part
of you ... grows ... stronger and stronger ... you will begin to speak with a beautiful
accent … so easily ... reinforcing your learnimg ... with a gentle quiet confidence ...
which will surprise you ... and such a beautiful accent ... of which you will be proud ...
to fit the music of the natural language ... will surpise you even more ... and more … as
you repeat the CRE … so that … in every day … in every way … you believe … you will …
get … better and better …
And now as you choose ... to believe you can do something ... that makes you feel so
comfortable with yourself ... something you will feel more and more … able to do ... so
that you feel ... even more comfortable ... and confident ... naturally … in your own
way … you can take whatever time you need ... just to process your thoughts ... in
your own special way ... and to bring this experience to a comfortable close ...
You will feel well ... and you will begin … to feel confident ... about the future ... and
about making progress ... in the natural language ... in your own natural way ... and
you will find such joy … in speaking so gently … with growing confidence ... and
experience ... which will add … a new exciting quality to your life ... because ... with
every new language you learn ... you do add a new quality to your life ... in that special
"Yoruba Place" … in your mind …
And when you feel ... you are ready ... and you want to ... you can start the process
of reorienting yourself ... bringing yourself back ... taking your time ... and when you
are ready ... you can fully orient yourself ... and allow your eyes to open ... feeling
well ...and happy ... because ... and you will begin to experience confidence … more
and more … because … from now … in every day … in every way … you will … be getting
… better and better …
And as we end of each CRE session … 30 minutes has just flashed by … to be repeated
… and enjoyed … many times … relaxed … calm and confident … of achieving a beautiful
accent … that becomes natural for you … with learning that is efficient and effective …
so from now on … be positive … and with a positive expectation of success … surprise
yourself … as you feel the contining support … of our Team … which all began in
Bayonne, France on August 15, 2001 ... and of course … as with all things … we believe
can do … together … God Bless …
18. NATURAL VOCABULARY:
(without accents)
a. Greetings/
Exclamations:
b. Verbs:
wa/ni/yi e fe/feran fe le
gbe je mu sun mo
ye lati se rin wa
c. Prepositions:
I you he she we
e. Nouns:
f. Adjectives/
adverbs/other:
here/there and
nibi/nibe pelu
g.
Interrogatives:
Note: What is this? The child is here Question: is the Question: do you
child here? have?
h. Numbers:
20 - DAILY MINI PHRASE BOOK
(Challenge: Check with a natural speaker to check and understand the meaning of
EVERY word ... insert English for each difficult word - speed reading 4 minutes)
BASICS:
Thank you. E se
Hallo E karo
Pardon Ejo
INTRODUCTIONS:
Good-bye. O dabo
France France
England Geesii
America Amerika
UN ONU
Nokia Nokia
QUESTIONS:
Can you translate this, for me? Nje e le timo eyi (this) fun mi (for me)?
UNDERSTANDING:
I understand O ye mi.
english/yoruba? Geesi/Yoruba?
COMMENTS:
It's: O:
big/small tobu/kere
good/bad daa/buru
hot/cold gbona/tutu
near/far wa nitosi/jinna
OK! o-daa!
FOOD:
lunch osan
dinner. ale
bread/butter buredi/bota
cheese ?
eggs eyin
meat/potatoes eran/anamo
apples/oranges apu/osan
coffee/tea kofi/tii
milk miliki
water Omi
TRANSIT:
left/right osi/oe
SHOPPING:
Black dudo
Blue buluu
Red pupa
White funfun
Yellow yelo
soap ose
TELEPHONE:
louder soke
slowly die-die
Mr. Okuurin
Mrs. Obirin
Miss Obirin
TIME:
MEETINGS:
We will see you: A-o ri-oor ...
today oni
tomorrow ola
tonight ni ale
soon lai pe
LOCATIONS:
Here/there Nibi/nijen
m. Yes/No Se e ni... ?
n. Please Mo fe ...
o. I would like... E jo
p. Do you have any ... ? Bee ni/Rara
RELAX with ... a very POSITIVE attitude ... and a very confident EXPECTATION of
SUCCESS ... in just one more day ... of PLAYING with the natural language ...
instinctively ... naturally ... completely relaxed ... with no stress or effort ... just
play!
1 – Do again APS with your own tape. Then play our tape and the LEARNING
REINFORCEMENT.. Do IRT and the Throat exercise. Study the Brief Grammar and
Mini-Phrase Book to understand every word. Then SPEAK wth the tape and RECORD
your efforts. LIST your five key problems!
2 - STUDY the text (Sections 2-16). Then SPEAK LOUDLY and then very SOFTLY
with the tape. SPEED READING (2-16) in 14 minutes. USE the Mini-phrase Book for
easy interactive conversation
3 – SPEAK in THEATRICAL style with the tape and text together. Do SPEED
READING (2-16) in reverse-mode in 12 minutes. USE the Mini-phrase Book for easy
interactive conversation
4 – SPEAK with tape and text. For difficult words/phrases ... stop the tape ... and
repeat the word/phrase many times ... singing and shouting! Review your five problems.
5 - USE the Mini-phrase Book for easy interactive conversation. Then do it as SPEED
READING (reverse-mode) in 4 minutes. SPEAK with tape and text using three
different voices ... just for fun!.
6 – SPEED READING (2-16) in 8 minutes. Review your five problems. LiSTEN to your
recording. Then SPEAK with the tape … with a beautiful CONFIDENT accent. Email
your feedback to [email protected].
APPENDIX B - ADDITIONAL VOCABULARY SELECTED TO MEET
THE SPECIAL NEEDS OF EACH CLIENT ORGANIZATION
(100 WORDS)
Special Vocabulary for UNHCR
(Challenge - insert Yoruba in CAPITAL LETTERS and discuss with a natural speaker)
legal
2. Articles:
3. Nouns:
4. Possession:
5. Relative:
6. Demonstrative:
7. Interrogatives:
SE leyi. DO this!
9. Negatives:
KEY CONCEPT: "WHEN you create new POSITIVE wave patterns in YOUR mind
they give you the CONFIDENCE to RELAX and LEARN naturally without EFFORT"
Opportuunity for AID WORKERS on short or long missions to other countries to feel more
secure, comfortable and effective in achieving better working relationships in English, with
local companies, governments, refugees, client and project staff, as they perceive the effort to
speak the local language with a good accent, and thus to show clearly a deep respect for local
values and culture.
Description: dynamic English-based brief language learning system developed initially with some
UN staff, for aid workers in Afghanistan, and now available in: Dari, Pashto, Uzbek, Tajik,
Turkmen, English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Hindi, Urdu, Finnish, Arabic,
Indonesian, Malay, Shona, Russian, Mandarin, Xhosa and with other languages in process:
Cantonese, Zulu, Tswana, Sutu, Swedish, Nepali, Italian, Swahili, Basque, Hausa, Mende,
Burmese etc.
Designed for: mature motivated learners who need to achieve very rapidly, the personal
confidence to speak and understand, basics of the local natural language. Designed also for
current speakers who want to achieve significant accent improvement.
Course duration: one full six hour day with a partner or small group, followed by daily brief
individual revision, in the following week and one day reinforcement a month later.
Method: uses CRE techniques to achieve relaxation and intuitive absorption of the natural
language with confidence and without stress or effort. Designed to handle varying individual
value systems and needs. CRE techniques, once acquired, can be easily used for any other
languages or dialects. Uses IRT - the Instant Relaxation Technique to create the confidence
to learn. Learning reinforcement with APS.
Further information: email: [email protected] from Dr. Bob Boland MD, MPH (Johns
Hopkins), DBA, ITP (Harvard Business School), Former visiting professor at: INSEAD: IMD,
Cranfield, Columbia, GSB, Stellenbosch, Wits, WHO, ILO, WB, UNEP, UNIDO, AID, IRC,
Peace Corps, Shell, Burma, Barlows, Baxter, Nokia etc.
BRIEF DICTIONARY - ENGLISH/ FRENCH/ SPANISH/ YORUBA
(Challenge - insert Yoruba in CAPITAL LETTERS ... and discuss with a natural speaker)
11. Big 12. But 13. I can 14. I come 15. Either/or
16. I find 17. First 18. For 19. Friend 20. From
WU BA WO NI NIBI R MO
36. I like 37. Little 38. I love 39. I make 40. Many
MO FE KERE MO FE MO E TITI
56. Other 57. Our 58. Out 59. Over 60. People
61. Place 62. Please 63. Same 64. I see 65. She
71. I tell 72. Thank you 73. That 74. The 75. Their
MO TESI E SE E KE HI E NWON
76. Them 77. Then 78. There is 79. They 80. Thing
91. What 92. When 93. Where 94. Which 95. Who
96. Why 97. With 98. Yes 99. You 100. Your
b. Speak only for about 8 seconds ... pause for about 4 seconds ....
continue for about 8 seconds ... pause 4 seconds etc. This gives
your mind time to absorb easily without stress,
2. The NEXT DAY, relax and playback the tape (using ear phones) while
watching some interesting TV show WITHOUT audio e.g. a football
match or other sports event or a cartoon. Make NO EFFORT to
listen to the tape. In fact, TELL yourself NOT to listen, but just
to relax and gently give all attention to the TV show. Relax and let
your mind absorb the data WITHOUT ANY CONSCIOUS EFFORT at
all.
5. Adapt APS to your special needs and personality. Use it for any new
material that you want to absorb without stress or effort. And
please
remember to email feedback and new creative ideas to our Team at:
[email protected]. So, and from now on - relax and
remember!!