‘Yarn’ connotes storytelling. For example, ‘spin (somebody) a yarn, tale, etc’ is a standard expression in English which means telling somebody a long, false story that is intended to deceive them. There are also other popular expressions such as ‘spin yarns’ in English.
Nigerians say ‘yan’ instead of ‘yarn’ as a natural adaptation of the English word to fit the rhythmic patterns of Nigerian Pidgin and local languages. ‘Yarn’ has been butchered to sound like ‘yan’ in Pidgin English or even in Nigerian English. The need for pronunciation ease gave rise to both the misspelling and mispronunciation of ‘yarn’ as ‘yan.’
This adaptation also highlights the influence of Nigerian languages, where elongated vowel sounds are less common. By dropping the ‘r’ and simplifying the word to ‘yan,’ Nigerian Pidgin creates a more melodic expression that aligns with the phonetic tendencies of local languages.
The word, ‘yan,’ has become a conversational tone of Nigerians, and it is seen as more relatable. Hence it is common to hear people say: yan opata, yan me story, yan me something, etc.
Interestingly, ‘yan’ has brought about a semantic shift, resulting in a broader meaning of ‘yarn’ that goes beyond just storytelling to accommodate gossip, rumours, or idle talk.
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