Language is powerful — it captures not just words, but culture, values, and the way people see the world. In Yoruba, one of Nigeria’s most spoken languages, there’s a word: Iregun.
At first glance, Iregun might seem simple, but its meaning carries deep cultural weight. Many Yoruba speakers use this term to describe a behavior or attitude that surfaces after someone does something good for another person. But what exactly does it mean in English?
The Meaning of Iregun
In Yoruba, Iregun generally refers to:
- Blowing your own trumpet after helping someone.
- Self-praise or drawing attention to your good deeds.
- Exalting yourself for acts of kindness you’ve done for others.
Imagine someone who gives you a lift to work, then goes around telling everyone how they “saved your day” — that’s Iregun.
Possible English Equivalents for “Iregun”
There isn’t a single English word that fully captures the richness of “Iregun,” but there are phrases and terms that come close:
Self-praise – Praising yourself for what you did.
Self-exaltation – Lifting yourself up or boasting after doing good.
To toot one’s own horn – A common English idiom that means “to brag about yourself.”
Virtue signaling (in some contexts) – Though usually used for public moral show-offs, it can overlap when someone loudly announces their good deeds.
Boasting of one’s kindness – Making noise about your generosity.
How to Use “Iregun” in Context
Here are examples of how the word is used in Yoruba and translated into English:
- Yoruba: “Ma ṣe iregun fún mi lórí ìrànlọ́wọ́ tí o ṣe fún mi.”
English: “Don’t blow your trumpet about the help you gave me.” - Yoruba: “Ó ṣe ìrànlọ́wọ́, ó sì bẹ̀rẹ̀ sí í ṣe iregun ní gbogbo ibi.”
English: “He helped and then started bragging everywhere about it.”
The Cultural Weight of Iregun
In Yoruba culture, kindness is most respected when done quietly. Helping others without expecting recognition is seen as noble, while Iregun — announcing your kindness — is often frowned upon.
It’s as if the Yoruba are saying:
“If you must shout about your good deeds, were they really done from the heart?”
This cultural perspective explains why the word carries a slightly negative undertone — it’s not simply celebrating your actions; it’s over-celebrating them.
Conclusion
In English, Iregun translates loosely to self-praise or tooting your own horn — bragging about good deeds instead of letting them speak for themselves.
While we might not have a single word that perfectly captures its cultural nuance, the idea remains universal: true kindness doesn’t need a loudspeaker.
