Hi guys, welcome to pidgin language learning blog, where you find meanings of popular Nigerian pidgins. In today's post, we are going to check out the meaning of 'akara' and also it English name.
Let's dive in...
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| Image of hot akara |
What is the meaning of akara?
Akara – meaning Fried bean cake. It's a popular snacks in west Africa especially Nigeria. It is a kind of snack prepared by mixing grinded beans in boiling oil with spices like onions peppers, and salt. Most people love taking it as breakfast and it's often prepared on the roadside.
Akara often red in color, round in shape and very delicious while still warm. Often taking along pap, break or even tea.
Is akara and English name?
Nope, akara is not neither an informal nor formal English word, rather a Nigerian originated word for bake bean it fried bean.
the word or name is a pure Nigerian pidgin language and it's only popular among Nigerians and few western countries. Though People have mistaken the word to be an English word. Let's see English name for akara.
English name for akara
Here are few English name that can be used to formally refers to 'akara'
Akara English name: bean cake, or fried bean, or bean fritter (these names are popular among the native English speakers but very far from us Nigerians. Let me use both the local and the foreign name in an English expression so that we have a cleared picture of how it sounds like in an expression.
Example 1: I had akara and tea this morning (piggin [akara] blended into formal English expression) unintented code mixing.
Example 2. I go buy akara for that junction this morning, e sweet well well. (Pure Nigerian pidgin)
Revised version of the above example
Example 3. I bought fried bean (baked bean, Bean cake, or bean fritter) at the junction this morning and it was very delicious. (Pure formal English expression)
Note, in the above example, I enclosed the three words in bracket: baked bean, Bean cake, and bean fritter. If you are making your own sentence, use only one word else it might results in tautology (that is, reductant use of same word repeatedly or unnecessarily)
Related Phrases / synonyms of akara:
Here are few related Phrases or words that are similar in meaning akara: Fried akara, peppered akara, hot akara, afternoon akara.
Pronunciation of akara
Akara is pronounced as "ah-kah-rah".
See In IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) below
/əˈkɑːrə/
/ə/: Like the "a" in "about"
/kɑː/: Like "car" (here carries the emphatic stress, it should be pronounced with more energy.
/rə/: Like "ruh."
The emphasis is on the second syllable: "au-KAH-rah." So while making your pronunciation, place more emphasis on the second syllable.
So, the first letter 'A' and the last letter 'A' is not pronounce as /æ/ as in cat but pronounced /ə/ or au and last ruh respectively.
5 contextual examples of akara in pidgin English
1. Akara na my best food for morning chop.
2. Mama Nkechi dey sell correct akara for junction every Saturday.
3. I buy akara and bread yesterday, e sweet well-well.
4. If dem fry the akara with fresh pepper, e go dey spicy die!
5. Abeg, give me akara and pap, make I take cool my belle.
