Examples Of The Colloquial Use Of "Killing It", "Killing Me", & "___ Don't Kill Me With Laughter" In YouTube Discussion Threads For Videos Of Three Nigerian "Professor John Bull" Television Episodes

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part II of a two part pancocojams series that highlights YouTube videos of three complete episodes of the Nigerian television series Professor John Bull.

Part II showcases three complete episodes of the Professor John Bull series: Season 1 Episode 5 ("A Good Flavour") that was showcased in Part I of this series, Season 2 - Episode 3 (Selfie Stick), and Season 2 - Episode 5 (Oil Windfall). I'm showcasing these particular episodes , in part, because of their titles, and in part because of their high total number of viewers compared with some of the other episodes of this series.

Part II also includes definitions for the American colloquial terms "killing it" and the American colloquial term "killing me". This post also includes some examples from those videos' discussion thread of these terms as well as examples of forms of "killing me" such as " __ don't kill me with laughter" and "___ won't kill me with laughter".

I believe that these particular humorous intent forms of "killing me" are seldom, if ever, used in American English. Also, I believe that the "[person's name or something] "killed me" form of the killing me colloquialism is also seldom used in American English. Instead I think most Americans who use the colloquial "killing me", just say or write "I'm dead" to infer that they have laughed so much that they "died from laughing".

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/06/information-about-example-of-nigerian.html for Part I of this series. Part I presents information about the Nigerian television series Professor John Bull and showcases a YouTube video of the above mentioned episode. This episode features guest star Nigerian Highlight superstar Flavour N'abania.

Selected comments from that YouTube video's discussion thread are also included in this post. Some of these comments refer to that television series and/or that episode, and one or more of its actors. Most of the other featured comments in this post include examples of African American Vernacular English or certain examples of Nigerian Pidgin English and/or examples of the Nigerian language custom of using multiple o's as intensifiers (a way of emphasizing what was said or written).

As of the publication date for this pancocojams blog post, the latest episode of this series that has been published on YouTube is Professor JohnBull Season 6 - Episode 8 (Hip Life) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMzSPwgs-FY Published on Jun 1, 2018.

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The content of this post is presented for cultural, linguistics, and entertainment purposes.

All copyright remains with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are involved with the Nigerian Professor John Bull television series and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publisher of this television episode on YouTube.

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PERTINENT DEFINITIONS (IN THIS CONTEXT) FOR THE AFRICAN AMERICAN VERNACULAR ENGLISH ORIGINATED TERM "KILLING IT"
https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Killing%20It
"Killing it
Absolutely dominating
Wow! That's half price chocolate promotion is killing it!
#smashing it#awesome#amazing#unreal#dominating
by Howtobealegend101 July 10, 2015"
-snip-
Another way of defining this use of "killing it" is "doing something extremely wall".

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DEFINITIONS FOR THE AMERICAN COLLOQUIAL TERM "KILLING ME"
From https://www.quora.com/What-does-it-mean-when-a-guy-says-Youre-killing-me
"Jack Hallows, Answered May 6 [no year given]
...“You’re killing me” is a term of exclamation that can mean a few different things depending on the context of the conversation prior to the phrase being used.

A few examples include:

Humor - “Hilarious joke, dude! You’re killing me!”

Exasperation - “Ugh, more overtime, boss? You’re killing me!”

Frustration: “You’re killing me with all these needless questions! Read the chapter!!”

Complimentation: “That last run was is awesome, man. You’re killing me on the scoreboards!”

Literally: “Stop stabbing. You’re killing me.”

There are other usages for the phrase, but these examples are to give you a gist of how people generally use the term “you’re killing me.”
-snip-
The humor definition is the only one that is pertinent to this post.

I think that in the United States, when the words "You're killing me" are used humorously, the words "with laughter" are almost always unspoken, but they are understood.

Also, I think that the humorous sentences "[Person's name] don't kill me with laughter" and "[Person's name] don't kill me" [with or without the words "with laughter"] aren't commonly used in the United States.

Furthermore, it seems to me, that Americans skip over the terms "__ don't kill me" or "___ won't kill me", but say "You're killing me" and "I'm dead" when we mean that someone is/was so funny that they felt like they were dying laughing.

The fact that these forms of the "killing me" colloquialism appear to be common in Nigeria (and perhaps elsewhere in West Africa and other regions of the huge continent of Africa) may be of some interest to people interested in differences between linguistic uses throughout the world. However, no qualitative value is implied by my pointing out these (possible) colloquial differences.

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SELECTED EXAMPLES OF "KILLING IT' AND "KILLING ME" FORMS FROM THREE YOUTUBE DISCUSSION THREADS FOR THREE "PROFESSOR JOHN BULL" TELEVISION EPISODES
A few additional comments from these discussion threads are included to provide background and/or explanations for the other comments.

Numbers are added to these comments for referencing purposes only.

Example #1: Professor JohnBull - Episode 5 (A Good Flavour)



n the 5th episode of Professor Johnbull, Glo-sponsored TV drama series, the erudite academic slams arrogant star artistes and wannabes who allow fame and success to adversely affect their social relations.

The latest episode of the popular television drama series, titled A Good Flavour features star highlife crooner, Chinedu Okojie, popularly known as Flavour who visits the intellectual to request a favour.

Though Flavour attempts to make his visit to the academic’s abode absolutely private and ‘’without the usual drama of his entire crew’’, the professor’s household still feels awe-struck as Caro (Mercy Johnson-Okojie), Churchill (Junior Pope) and Elizabeth (Queen Nwokoye) exhibit different reactions upon sighting the star artiste in their residence."...
-snip-
Selected comments from this video's discussion thread.

All of these selected examples are from late 2016 or 2017 except the last two which are from 2018.
1. Shan Carol
"seriously mercy is killing me with laughters with her English. .lol."

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2. Obaapa Haizel
"Chia. Mercy won't kill me one day with laughter"
-snip-
"Chia" is a Nigerian Pidgin English word that means "My goodness" (OMG), "What!", and similar exclamations.

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3. sonia paloma
"This has got to be one of the funniest episode so far 😂😂😂. Mercy is a force to reckon with, she is an amazing actress"

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4. Marie Francine
"wahoo mercy u are really killing it,not withstanding this drama is also interesting"

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5. Paul Chijioke
"laugh wan kill me ooh. nice episode"

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6. Franklinan Chipmunk
"Mercy Johnson no go kille me with laugh"

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7. Melody Bashiri Ahmad
"Very fantastic, and Mercy remain the best. I like and enjoyed it, especially Mercy's grummar," I was listening you on tv and watching you on radio", hahahaha. I'm 4rm Malawi and I am Mercy's biggest fan.

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8. melissa s.
"hahaha! oh mercy u are a very good actress. cant stop laughing!
God bless Proffessor John Bull's family"

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9. Blessing Osagie
"Mercy Johnson pls don't kill me with laugh ooo😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
-snip-
In Nigerian sentences, multiple o's reinforce, intensify, and/or emphasize what is written or said.

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10. Chidimma Ibe
"loool. Mercy will not kill me oooo.Her character was like "Fla." As if she knows him personally. Lol"

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11. mycelebrity mamilou
"Mercy killed me, in fact all of them"

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12. Forka Gwendoline
"ehhhh I was watch caro won't kill me abeg😫😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
-snip-
“Abeg” = Nigerian Pidgen English for “please”

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13. Lillian Atieno, 2018
"mercy de mercy again I can't stop laughing chai this girl won't kill me hehehe ........"

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14 F A DEEN GABS
"Mercy u nor go kill me wit laugh. Nice episode and seeing Flavour was amazing"

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Example #2: Professor JohnBull Season 2 - Episode 3 (Selfie Stick)





Professor JohnBull, Published on Nov 21, 2016

The emergence of smart phones and the social media platforms have no doubt accelerated the conversion of the entire world into a global village. But the downsides of such emergence may be far greater than the positive sides, given the abuse the instruments have been subjected to in contemporary times.

As the Season 2 of the Globacom-sponsored TV Drama Series, Professor Johnbull, enters its episode 3 today (Tuesday), the sitcom treats yet another social malady among the young generation; the abuse of smart phones
-snip-
Selected comments from this discussion thread (All of these selected examples are from 2017 except the last one.)

Note: "Caro" is the role that is played by Mercy Johnson (also referred to as Mj) in this series. Bishop and Jumoke are two is another character in this series.

1. Diana Mercy
"😂😂😂😂😂....i love thissss..... it's so liiit.... mercy u go kill me oo..."
-snip-
"Lit" is an African American Vernacular English term meaning "hot"; "on fire" (very good).

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2. anderson smith
"mercy Johnson abegi no kill me oh .hahhahhahah"

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3. Ntsako Phakula
"Some phone even have shrine", haaaaa ah ah 😂😂😂 they will not kill me today."

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4. Just Dele
"please u guys just ve to do something about Mercy......she is killlling mii"

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5. Vera Weh Ngong
"Hhahahahhahahaha i am dying here ooohh.Mercy Johnson no go kill me sha"

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6. jodome stephen
"i love jumoke..shes kill her role"

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7. christiana badmus
"snap shot it like dat mercy has killed me ohhhhhh"

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8. susy prom
"aunt mercy will not kill me with laugh.😍😍😍"

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9. bola point
"😃😃😃watching now nd my ribs already cracking"

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10. HENRY HILEKAAN
"Na y 4 mercy she d kill me die wit her borkeing English"

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11. bryan musango
"mercy pls i won,t die for u hahahahahahhahahahah snapshots it like that thats how i want it be"

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12. Precious Ben
"i cant stop laughing.. Mercy U killed it gurl"

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13. Hannah Owusu
"I don die ooo.... snap it like that.... Mercy Johnson go kill person oo😂😂😂"

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14. NEXUS TV
"this is the best thing that has happened in the Nigerian screen. thank you so much Glo for bringing this too us.also thank u Mr TChidi for the high quality production."

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15. Hamidah Naku
"Mercy Johnson i swear yu are killing me with laughters😂😂😂😂😂😂😂the way she paused for the picture and she kept saying that snap shot it like that😂😂"

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16. Vera Saturday
"mercy Johnson done kill me..."

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17. One Love
"mercy Johnson nor want use laugh take kill meooooooh"

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18. Obafemi Osineye
"I was not thinking straight? You are thinking zigzag"

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19. Selinah Maina
"ahahahaaaa mercy you have killed it"

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20. Elvis Imafidon
"mercy Johnson u no go kill me o"

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21. They.love.maria 101
"I'm African and this type of comedy is very funny for me. 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂"

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22. Queency Belen Corona
"bishop will not kill me with laugh ooo"

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23. Ndayaragije Johnapelte
"haha on14:30 and all the way he killed me na me go die to day ooooo😂😂😂😂"

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24. E'Owen Trendee
"hahahaha..... Mercy Johnson killed it on this Episode...... ''selfish wood !.haha"

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25. Johnson Amanda
"Mercy Johnson and Yvonne killed this hot. hahaha that was how I was want it. it is my photo picture... snapshot it like that biko nu."

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26. kefee Gold
"mercy Johnson will not kill me with laugh"

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27. Happy Sonia
"Hahaha... MJ won't kill me Selfish wood lol"

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28. sharon samson
"looking for something by Caro posing...Caro wan kill me with laugh"

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29. Babie Barbz
"hahahhahahahahahahahahahah mercy Johnson na too funny"

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30. Risk-taker Queen
"selfie wahala....(selfish)MJ u nor go kill me oooo....I'm up👌👍😃😂😘...thanks guys"
-snip-
"Wahala pronounced (wa-ha-la) is the meaning of (Trouble) or (problem) used by the Yoruba tribe and commonly used throughout Nigeria." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wahala_(Yoruba)

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31. Mercy Akor
"Mercy Johnson will kill someone with laugh. God! i wonder how she managed this role so well. Very very funny comedy. Cracking ma rib"

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32. Telma Britanny, 2018
"This is my best of all caro killed it

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Example #3: Professor JohnBull Season 2 - Episode 5 (Oil Windfall)



Professor JohnBull, Published on Dec 5, 2016

As Season 2 of #ProfessorJohnbull enters its 5th episode this Tuesday, the sitcom focuses on some sharp practices in the nation's oil sector.

The episode, aptly entitled Oil Windfall, dramatises the negative effects of over-dependence on the black gold as the nation's economic mainstay. Oil Windfall also highlights the way of life among youths in oil producing areas as one of the attendant effects of over-dependence on the natural resource.

The discovery of oil in the country in the early 1960s was no doubt a good development which has led to the growth of the nation's economy. But over the years, events and situations have come to show that over-dependence on oil also has its own attendant effects.

The essence of Oil Windfall, the 5th episode of Season 2 of Professor Johnbull, is to educate the public on the negative effects of over-dependence on oil by any economy. We hope it will help in educating our viewers that there are other potential natural resources other than oil that we can tap into for our existence."...
-snip-
Selected comments from this discussion thread (All of these selected examples are from 2017 excerpt the last one.)

Note: "Caro" is the role that is played by Mercy Johnson (also referred to as Mj) in this series. Okon and Bishop are two other characters in this series.

1. Adegoke Samuel
"JEEEEEZ!!!! this Okon go kill Person oh!...... THUNDER YOU DEY HEAR!"

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2. Nicki Lanky
"thunder you dey hear????? okon nor kill me with lafff oooo please"

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3. Sara Ibock
"mon DIEU prof prof you and the sound technician in the studio are kill me thanks for giving us smile every season over and out"
-snip-
"Mon Dieu" (French for "My God") is a recurring saying that Professor John Bull makes.

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4. Emy ben
"okon you are foolishly funny, you no kill person honestly hahaha"

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5. Tracy Umoffıa
"Flash na fresh boy sha"
-snip-
"na" = Nigerian Pidgin English meaning "is" http://naijalingo.com/words/n/alphabet

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6. Okon na idiot,
"Mercy is d clown dis show.....love d show sha"
-snip-
"sha" = [Nigerian Pidgin English] meaning "anyway, like that"

http://naijalingo.com/words/s/alphabet

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7. Maudly Julien
"You people won't kill me especially Imeh Bishop AKA Okon and Mercy Johnson"

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8. blessing Okpara
"i was understood you sir😂😂mercy will not kill me oo😃😃"

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9. Elektra Sexy
"hahahahahaaaaa caro you are blessed, jesus oooooo this people non go kill me with laff ooooooooooo"

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10. GLORY EBUBECHI
"Let him give us our money eloquent if not we will give him beatingloquent.... Okon 2016"

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11. Marie Claudia
"hahahahhahahah i swear this Calabar man will not kill me with laugh. profprof let him give us our moneylonkwet if not we'll beat him look wety."

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12. Benny Josh
"Good job guys....we really enjoyed this episode.
#okonlagos thunder you dey hear????? you are a mondieu"

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13. Prince Peky
"Lol ... let him give us our moneyloquent if not we will give him beatingloquent 😂😂😂😂😂... thunder u dey hear ??? Omg can't stop laughing . Okon is just too good pls 🙏😀"

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14. Mabel Odilia, 2018
"Thunder you dey hear according lol i wan die for laugh

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15. ogbu blessing
"lol laugh want to kill me oooo"

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16. Michelle Wamby
"Make I start insulting people tuisdio. Bishop will not kill me before my time oh"

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17. Tamunodiepiriye Minakam
"Hahahahaha.....😂😂😂😂😂,thunder you dey hear,thunder you dey hear...Chei...I am dead o"

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18. Kind Melody Bob Van, 2018
"Olaniyi and caro are killing it. Oh my gosh"

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This concludes Part II of this two part pancocojams series.

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Visitor comments are welcome.