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A Reason To Change Your Accent When You Travel Abroad (america) - Travel - Nairaland

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A Reason To Change Your Accent When You Travel Abroad (america) by Chemical2(m): 4:26pm On Sep 11, 2014
Hello folks,

I have always been appalled when i listen to people speak some kind of ''Americanized English'' after living abroad for some period of time. I have always dissociated myself from such people who ''form'', as they put it until recently i found myself in a similar position. Hence i have decided to share from my experience why people compulsorily need to adjust/change their accent when they travel abroad. Before i begin a brief history.

I grew up Delta state, attended a first generation federal university and always wished i could further my studies abroad. 5 years after graduation, my wish came true. Had a graduate teaching assistant position in an American state university. The first time i had to teach undergraduate was hell. Those guys are so programmed to understand a particular type of word structure, for example if you say submit your assignment they will all be starring at you but if you say turn in your home work smiley they will do just that. I could not communicate with my Nigerian accent. I struggled. I was forced to attend an English as a second language class with chinese guys that cannot make a simple sentence...Kai, man don suffer. Note that i had scored close to100 points in Toefl. That didn't change anything as i had a very poor evaluation report from my student.

My funding was threatened by that report as those evaluations were taken very seriously by the department. After weeks of struggling,i finally learnt the code; ''change your accent''. I did just that and almost became the best TA in the department. My evaluation report greatly improved.

I have friends here that refused to change their accent but it's telling hard on them even in the grocery store they cannot communicate. The funny thing is that each area/states has it own unique accent. The whites here have accent different from black Americans. Sooner or later, they will be forced to. After doing that for 5 years to survive, how do you expect me to return to Nigeria with my Nigerian accent intact? So, when next you see a dude or a lady forming ''accent'', think twice as it may not be intentional but a survival strategy. Contributions welcomed. Thank you.

9 Likes

Re: A Reason To Change Your Accent When You Travel Abroad (america) by Unionised(m): 4:38pm On Sep 11, 2014
tell your friends to use SIGN Language...

1 Like

Re: A Reason To Change Your Accent When You Travel Abroad (america) by Chemical2(m): 4:53pm On Sep 11, 2014
lol@ sign language. They are not all deaf you know..probably writing on the board is better but you cannot write everything on a board and expect to finish up in 50 mins.
Re: A Reason To Change Your Accent When You Travel Abroad (america) by londoner: 4:59pm On Sep 11, 2014
Chemical2: Hello folks,

I have always been appalled when i listen to people speak some kind of ''Americanized English'' after living abroad for some period of time. I have always dissociated myself from such people who ''form'', as they put it until recently i found myself in a similar position. Hence i have decided to share from my experience why people compulsorily need to adjust/change their accent when they travel abroad. Before i begin a brief history.

I grew up Delta state, attended a first generation federal university and always wished i could further my studies abroad. 5 years after graduation, my wish came true. Had a graduate teaching assistant position in an American state university. The first time i had to teach undergraduate was hell. Those guys are so programmed to understand a particular type of word structure, for example if you say submit your assignment they will all be starring at you but if you say turn in your home work smiley they will do just that. I could not communicate with my Nigerian accent. I struggled. I was forced to attend an English as a second language class with chinese guys that cannot make a simple sentence...Kai, man don suffer. Note that i had scored close to100 points in Toefl. That didn't change anything as i had a very poor evaluation report from my student.

My funding was threatened by that report as those evaluations were taken very seriously by the department. After weeks of struggling,i finally learnt the code; ''change your accent''. I did just that and almost became the best TA in the department. My evaluation report greatly improved.

I have friends here that refused to change their accent but it's telling hard on them even in the grocery store they cannot communicate. The funny thing is that each area/states has it own unique accent. The whites here have accent different from black Americans. Sooner or later, they will be forced to. After doing that for 5 years to survive, how do you expect me to return to Nigeria with my Nigerian accent intact? So, when next you see a dude or a lady forming ''accent'', think twice as it may not be intentional but a survival strategy. Contributions welcomed. Thank you.


You can make your accent more mellow, or slow down your speech in order to be understood, as people can often tell a "put on" accent.

I also now understand why some people informally change their names. Its actually because other people judge based on the name, especially abroad.

I was reading an article of a man named Jose, who got no reply to his job applications until he changed one thing. He took the "e" out of his name on his resume, to become "Joe" and the replies came flooding in.

I think you should be able to switch between accents depending on the situation.

1 Like

Re: A Reason To Change Your Accent When You Travel Abroad (america) by Chemical2(m): 5:54pm On Sep 11, 2014
londoner:


You can make your accent more mellow, or slow down your speech in order to be understood, as people can often tell a "put on" accent.

I also now understand why some people informally change their names. Its actually because other people judge based on the name, especially abroad.

I was reading an article of a man named Jose, who got no reply to his job applications until he changed one thing. He took the "e" out of his name on his resume, to become "Joe" and the replies came flooding in.

I think you should be able to switch between accents depending on the situation.

I agree with you however switching becomes more difficult with time.
Re: A Reason To Change Your Accent When You Travel Abroad (america) by Mystiqme: 9:00pm On Sep 11, 2014
Chemical2:

I agree with you however switching becomes more difficult with time.
Same thing. In my first semester here, my students literally couldn't hear me, but with time I slowed down my speech and lightened up my accent.
But sorry o, when I call home to speak to my parents or my friends, I speak with correct Nigerian accent o. Maybe you find it difficult to swicth your accent, but I find it easy.

2 Likes

Re: A Reason To Change Your Accent When You Travel Abroad (america) by Vicjustice: 12:32am On Sep 12, 2014
Chemical2: Hello folks,
I have always been appalled when i listen to people speak some kind of ''Americanized English'' after living abroad for some period of time. I have always dissociated myself from such people who ''form'', as they put it until recently i found myself in a similar position. Hence i have decided to share from my experience why people compulsorily need to adjust/change their accent when they travel abroad. Before i begin a brief history.
I grew up Delta state, attended a first generation federal university and always wished i could further my studies abroad. 5 years after graduation, my wish came true. Had a graduate teaching assistant position in an American state university. The first time i had to teach undergraduate was hell. Those guys are so programmed to understand a particular type of word structure, for example if you say submit your assignment they will all be starring at you but if you say turn in your home work smiley they will do just that. I could not communicate with my Nigerian accent. I struggled. I was forced to attend an English as a second language class with chinese guys that cannot make a simple sentence...Kai, man don suffer. Note that i had scored close to100 points in Toefl. That didn't change anything as i had a very poor evaluation report from my student.
My funding was threatened by that report as those evaluations were taken very seriously by the department. After weeks of struggling,i finally learnt the code; ''change your accent''. I did just that and almost became the best TA in the department. My evaluation report greatly improved.
I have friends here that refused to change their accent but it's telling hard on them even in the grocery store they cannot communicate. The funny thing is that each area/states has it own unique accent. The whites here have accent different from black Americans. Sooner or later, they will be forced to. After doing that for 5 years to survive, how do you expect me to return to Nigeria with my Nigerian accent intact? So, when next you see a dude or a lady forming ''accent'', think twice as it may not be intentional but a survival strategy. Contributions welcomed. Thank you.
Changing one's accent is not really necessary, but speaking more deliberately and clearly with appropriate pronouncing of words are relevant.
You are right, in many cases, even unaware of it, accent can begin to form or evolve in a person who lives in English speaking countries ie: The UK, Ireland, the US, Canada, Australia and New-Zealand etc, but it is somehow ridiculous to see a Nigeria who lives in Italy, Greece or Spain etc trying hard to mimic Black American accent. That's funny

3 Likes

Re: A Reason To Change Your Accent When You Travel Abroad (america) by Dreambeat: 11:53am On Sep 12, 2014
Had the same problem.It's pretty difficult trying to communicate with the thick Nigerian accent over there.It's even more difficult understanding theirs,especially the African Americans.About slowing down while talking like a poster suggested,I don't understand what that means.I don't think slowing down your speech is the issue,it is the way we pronounce words in this part of the world.There are some letters in a word that are meant to be somewhat silent during pronunciation but we tend to vocalize them.This is just the way we were all brought up.
Re: A Reason To Change Your Accent When You Travel Abroad (america) by Originalsly: 1:29pm On Sep 12, 2014
Hmmm....interesting. Like a poster said earlier....it is better you slow down your speech and speak correct English. That is better and more understandable than trying to fake an accent that you don't have a grip of. What exactly is the Black American accent? A Black/White New Yorker would find it very difficult having a conversation with someone from the deep south ...Black/White . He would prefer to have a conversation with a foreigner who been living in the US for 5 years. Accent is regional...so would you be faking a Southern accent?...a New York accent?....a West coast accent?...or just mixing it all up?...that mixing up is what leads to more confusion and hightlight the fakeness of your accent. If someone starts talking to you with Hausa accent then mid sentence swithches to Yoruba and the next sentence is Igbo accent...would you be listening to what he is saying or be thinking wtf who be this guy? This is no different from faking American accent. Lastly...the faking of "American accent" was one of the main reasons why Nollywood lost popularity in the US....that was a big complaint and turn off.PS.....on the reverse...OP...if you live 5 years in the US...doing what you do...you may think your Nigerian accent is intact...but trust me...on returning home...the first five words out of your mouth the average Nigerian would know you live abroad!

5 Likes

Re: A Reason To Change Your Accent When You Travel Abroad (america) by Chemical2(m): 6:22pm On Sep 12, 2014
Originalsly: Hmmm....interesting. Like a poster said earlier....it is better you slow down your speech and speak correct English. That is better and more understandable than trying to fake an accent that you don't have a grip of. What exactly is the Black American accent? A Black/White New Yorker would find it very difficult having a conversation with someone from the deep south ...Black/White . He would prefer to have a conversation with a foreigner who been living in the US for 5 years. Accent is regional...so would you be faking a Southern accent?...a New York accent?....a West coast accent?...or just mixing it all up?...that mixing up is what leads to more confusion and hightlight the fakeness of your accent. If someone starts talking to you with Hausa accent then mid sentence swithches to Yoruba and the next sentence is Igbo accent...would you be listening to what he is saying or be thinking wtf who be this guy? This is no different from faking American accent. Lastly...the faking of "American accent" was one of the main reasons why Nollywood lost popularity in the US....that was a big complaint and turn off.PS.....on the reverse...OP...if you live 5 years in the US...doing what you do...you may think your Nigerian accent is intact...but trust me...on returning home...the first five words out of your mouth the average Nigerian would know you live abroad!

You made some sense. However i don't agree with the bolded. Slowing down your speech doesn't make much difference. As someone rightly said i think it's the way we pronounce some words. Knowing when to leave some consonants/letters silent and when to vocalize it. I went to the main office and was looking for Professor Murphy. I tried to explain to the front desk personnel but he didn't understand because of the way i pronounce Murphy. I didnt stress out the 'r'.

1 Like

Re: A Reason To Change Your Accent When You Travel Abroad (america) by claremont(m): 8:53pm On Sep 12, 2014
There is no such thing as an 'American accent', in the same way there is no such thing as a 'Nigerian accent'. Accents have wide variation which might be due to local geographical regions, upbringing, culture e.t.c. A London accent is different from a Birmingham accent, in the same way someone who speaks with a Hausa accent can be clearly distinguished from a Yoruba man, someone who has an Etonian (upper-class) upbringing would speak differently from someone who was raised on the streets.

On the issue in question, I think it is better to speak clear and concisely, rather than putting on a show of a newly developed accent. I have found out that it is easier to get understood if you speak proper English with the right tenses, as compared to speaking using the wrong English in a miserable attempt at trying to mimic an accent.

3 Likes

Re: A Reason To Change Your Accent When You Travel Abroad (america) by Nobody: 6:33am On Sep 13, 2014
Chemical2: Hello folks,

I have always been appalled when i listen to people speak some kind of ''Americanized English'' after living abroad for some period of time. I have always dissociated myself from such people who ''form'', as they put it until recently i found myself in a similar position. Hence i have decided to share from my experience why people compulsorily need to adjust/change their accent when they travel abroad. Before i begin a brief history.

I grew up Delta state, attended a first generation federal university and always wished i could further my studies abroad. 5 years after graduation, my wish came true. Had a graduate teaching assistant position in an American state university. The first time i had to teach undergraduate was hell. Those guys are so programmed to understand a particular type of word structure, for example if you say submit your assignment they will all be starring at you but if you say turn in your home work smiley they will do just that. I could not communicate with my Nigerian accent. I struggled. I was forced to attend an English as a second language class with chinese guys that cannot make a simple sentence...Kai, man don suffer. Note that i had scored close to100 points in Toefl. That didn't change anything as i had a very poor evaluation report from my student.

My funding was threatened by that report as those evaluations were taken very seriously by the department. After weeks of struggling,i finally learnt the code; ''change your accent''. I did just that and almost became the best TA in the department. My evaluation report greatly improved.

I have friends here that refused to change their accent but it's telling hard on them even in the grocery store they cannot communicate. The funny thing is that each area/states has it own unique accent. The whites here have accent different from black Americans. Sooner or later, they will be forced to. After doing that for 5 years to survive, how do you expect me to return to Nigeria with my Nigerian accent intact? So, when next you see a dude or a lady forming ''accent'', think twice as it may not be intentional but a survival strategy. Contributions welcomed. Thank you.

Interesting point of view! I can see you did what you had to do! I do switch up my accent when I need to! I find it very easy to do and it's funny to me! Lol. Since I've done it for years. If I were to visit Nigeria, I can still adapt to the language and when I come back, I am still able to adapt. It can be done...so you shouldn't have to worry about it being intact! I think at the end of the day, you're Nigerian roots are always in you no matter how long you're away. smiley

1 Like

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