Is It Necessary To 'try' And Adapt An American,west Indian Or British Accent ?

Just a personal observation I'm sure shared by some  others

I have noticed that some Nigerians/Africans  find it necessary to adapt the accent and some times mannerisms  of the mentioned cultures.

*NB (I am aware it could be said this happens all over the world.*) keeping the discussion minimised to Nigeria/Africa

Even after only a week in some cases  the American, West Indian or British twang is becoming evident and the mannerisms i.e the walk,dress sense and even in some cases the native tongue (Yoruba/Hausa/Ibo etc) is beginning to get mixed up with this sudden change of 'identity'

In one case I was approached by a Nigerian guy 'bowling' up to me (the limp, hop swagger walk) and in the strongest African accent with the American twang said to me "waazzzzzzzz up baby gaul" my name is 'Jydeee' .

I just said don't you mean 'JIDE'??  and left him standing there

Or the case of the young lady   who was on a radio station (London) obvious to every one listening  that this person had an  Nigerian  accent she already mentioned her name as 'Sadie' I think she meant 'SHADE' speaking with an American twang.

The radio host said hey so were in the states are you from the girl said California when asked where in California  she started to stutter and then put the phone down

I'm proud of my heritage


Your views please guys

lots of nigerians overseas will try to sound american or british. Its amusing to listen to them. I guess they do it for acceptance or something. They insist that's the only way they can be understood when they speak. They just sound demented. I just think it would be really absurd if every single person on earth sounded american or british or western. Diversity is beauty.

When in X(where X is a place anywhere in the world ) do as the X'ers do 

@Topic

True talk

Stemming out from a deeply rooted inferiority complex

Shame on them all

Mr. Bush becomes Mr. Igbo Irumole

i don't buy it! When you say "brushing up" you are indirectly accepting that you are inferior to anyone. Why shld anyone look down on you for speaking with a yoruba ccent? I proudly announce the fact that i'm Nigerian and its a standing joke here that anyone who can pronounce my yoruba name well on the first attempt should congratulate themselves. Its sad that only Africans consider themselves inferior to be seen speaking their mother tongue. The Chinese speak with the most atrocious accents and YET Americans are falling over themselves to go learn Mandarin!
 
Infact i consider ebonics inferior to the Nigerian accent and meant only for jail birds and drug addicts.
Be who you are . . . speak with an accent if you must. Frecnh people speak english with a heavy accent, unlike us they don't however feel the need to "brush up" when they come to America.

Anyway i think this thread also exposes one fact that is so easy to miss . . . reverse inferiority complex. We have people here who consider themselves "priviledged" to be able to speak in an American or British accent by accident of birth or long period of residence in foreign countries. Looking down on those who are trying to change their accents is just one way of expressing that inner feeling.

REAL Americans and Brits don't care what accent you use. So long as they can understand whatever you say is fine by them. i don't see British people laughing at French or Germans who try to copy the British accent on their forums.
Nigerians need to get real, remove the log in their own eyes before attempting to remove the mote in their brother's eye.

@ topic,

i've wondered the same thing that's why when a nigerian/african "try" to talk to me with that fakeass accent, i just totally ignore them and keep on walking.

@ Fox, that's an interesting point.

There is the "acceptance" thing, then there is the "dilution" factor.

The acceptance aspect is always very evident - you speak to a Nigerian / African, and half the time, there's an incredible mixture, of African and diabolical British / West Indian and American twang!  It's often hard to make out what they're trying to say, as there's a subconscious shift back to their original accent, funny! 

The dilution factor is easier to understand. Depending on how long someone has lived in a different country to their native one, their accents MAY gradually change. I'm not talking a couple of years, unless the person was quite young when they relocated. It takes an adult a long, long time to lose their African accent. I was born here, and I've spent 12 years in Nigeria. I've been in the UK for almost 20 years, and can honestly say, I don't sound English! My African accent is not very evident, I'd say I have more of a black home counties accent, i.e no particular one.

I don't see the point in trying to refine a British accent,  just be articulate in my current tones, and be able to communicate effectively with my black brothers and sisters, as well as white folk. I can't stand the annoying shift between different accents, which is something a lot of people do, subconsciously. Not uncommon for a supposedly "Americanised" African to suddenly break out of their "adopted" twang and back into a Nigerian one, especially when they lose their tempers and begin to shout! 

There's a lot of this "accent shift" amongst a lot of Nairalanders on here too. For some reason, these are the same people who think it's "cool" to use terms like "niggaz". Why would anyone want to call their black brethren that? White Americans, mostly Southerners have used that term for decades, in the most derogatory way to refer to blacks! In Memphis, it's still very common today. Why would a black man / woman use that term?