I am Kenyan and I must say sometimes my people deeply embarrass me with their inferiority complex? We have a joke in Kenya that when Kenyans are heading to the US, they lose their accent at the airport just before the plane takes off . A good majority of Kenyans who go to the US come back with their Kenyan accent completely erased, even if they have stayed in the US for only 6 months. They come back speaking like AA or just in mainstream American accent. On the other hand, I have seen Indians, Chinese, South Africans, Somalis, Sudanese etc staying in America and still keeping their culture and the way they speak{Here I don’t mean people born in the US but those who to study in their mid 20s onwards}

There is a Kenyan who went to the US and came back with an American wife after 7 years. Apart from his distinctive America accent, he had also apparently forgotten his mother tongue, including Swahili. My questions, do Nigerians who study and work in the US display this crass stupidity and inferiority complex?

^^^^Kenyans have a stronger accent than Nigerians, so, Nigerians shouldn't have a problem losing their accent.

Not really, I have been living in the U.S for the past 10 years now and even though i try to switch to akata accent when i am with my akata and oyinbo peeps my original naija accent will still come out once in a while. But if you think nigerians lose their accent very quickly just come ask all those naija people that call water, worra(And that is their version of an American accent)

^^^^It also depends on the people you hang around with.. If you hang around Americans, then you'll lose your accent easily - but if you hang around Nigerians, then your accent won't change..

some of you are too hung up on accents.

get a life and be proud of who you are without hating on others.

does somebody's accent pay your salary? Why not work on your low self esteem which is threatened by other people's accents.

why dont you curse out obama for his lack of a kenyan accent @ poster.

Tolaaaaannni: Not really, I have been living in the U.S for the past 10 years now and even though i try to switch to akata accent when i am with my akata and oyinbo peeps my original naija accent will still come out once in a while. But if you think nigerians lose their accent very quickly just come ask all those naija people that call water, worra(And that is their version of an American accent)

LOL, I can imagine someone saying "give me some worra" in Nigerian American English

I've been living in the US for some time now and I've developed two accents for myself: a Nigerian, and an American.

In school I use my "American accent" (which isn't all too American since people tell me I have a slight accent) while at home (and in the company of fellow Nigerians) I use my Nigerian accent (which I can use on command). So I'd say no; I haven't lost my accent.

odumchi: I've been living in the US for some time now and I've developed two accents for myself: a Nigerian, and an American.

In school I use my "American accent" (which isn't all too American since people tell me I have a slight accent) while at home (and in the company of fellow Nigerians) I use my Nigerian accent (which I can use on command). So I'd say no; I haven't lost my accent.

^^ same thing applies to me

odumchi: I've been living in the US for some time now and I've developed two accents for myself: a Nigerian, and an American.

In school I use my "American accent" (which isn't all too American since people tell me I have a slight accent) while at home (and in the company of fellow Nigerians) I use my Nigerian accent (which I can use on command). So I'd say no; I haven't lost my accent.

I hear you on the switching thing it's all about being flexible!!

odumchi: I've been living in the US for some time now and I've developed two accents for myself: a Nigerian, and an American.

In school I use my "American accent" (which isn't all too American since people tell me I have a slight accent) while at home (and in the company of fellow Nigerians) I use my Nigerian accent (which I can use on command). So I'd say no; I haven't lost my accent.

Well I have seen people like that too...although the majority I meet have completely lost their accents..I mean they speak totally like Americans but the went their 5 or 6 years when they were in late teens or early 20s...one told me that they had to develop the accent to be understood.

^and why does it bother you so much how other people speak?

^^^The Kenya chic/guy has inferiority complex lol...

tpia@:
^and why does it bother you so much how other people speak?

Actually, it does not bother me that much.I'm just keen on knowing why it is the AFRICANS who find it convenient to get rid of their accents as fast possible. And why they do it SPECIFICALLY in the US and UK. I have seen Africans stay in India 10 years but they don't come back with Indian accent or in Malaysia and they don't adopt Malaysian accent....Why Africans? why specifically in these Western countries? Perhaps I can get to know the roots of this inferiority complex. It is a contributing factor to our underdevelopment. By the way, you sound so snarky. I guess you are one of those "worra" guys

shymmex: ^^^The Kenya chic/guy has inferiority complex lol...

You are truly clueless on who has the inferiority complex here

i'm not the one with a chip on my shoulder going around looking to be offended by other people's accents.

seriously, [b]people like you annoy me [/b]and my opinion is if you dont like accents that are different from the ones in your village, then stay there.



who exactly is the cause of your inferiority complex because i feel you need to look closer to home. It didnt start after you heard other people talk when you landed overseas.

Freesia:

I hear you on the switching thing it's all about being flexible!!

Tolaaaaannni:
^^ same thing applies to me

Lol exactly.

Kenyaphilia:
Well I have seen people like that too...although the majority I meet have completely lost their accents..I mean they speak totally like Americans but the went their 5 or 6 years when they were in late teens or early 20s...one told me that they had to develop the accent to be understood.

I know what you mean. It's very frustrating to have people say that they can't understand you because of how you speak. However, I will never lose my original accent.

I do find a Nigerian's fake American accent funny, though. It's hilarious when someone from Naija says, "Yeah man. Wazzup man."

odumchi:

I know what you mean. It's very frustrating to have people say that they can't understand you because of how you speak. However, I will never lose my original accent.

I do find a Nigerian's fake American accent funny, though. It's hilarious when someone from Naija says, "Yeah man. Wazzup man."

What school do you go to?

igbo2011:
What school do you go to?

I'm still in high school.

I DON'T KNOW O.

All I know is that when I'm nervous, angry, VERY happy or emotionally distraught, I accentuate my accent.

m not nigerian but i'm sure my accent will never change because my both native languages are too different from english ....

odumchi:

I'm still in high school.

That's cool. I know that the curriculum is very racist there.

Kenyaphilia:

Actually, it does not bother me that much.I'm just keen on knowing why it is the AFRICANS who find it convenient to get rid of their accents as fast possible. And why they do it SPECIFICALLY in the US and UK. I have seen Africans stay in India 10 years but they don't come back with Indian accent or in Malaysia and they don't adopt Malaysian accent....Why Africans? why specifically in these Western countries? Perhaps I can get to know the roots of this inferiority complex. It is a contributing factor to our underdevelopment. By the way, you sound so snarky. I guess you are one of those "worra" guys

I think you are right, more thought should be given to this problem.

odumchi: I've been living in the US for some time now and I've developed two accents for myself: a Nigerian, and an American.

In school I use my "American accent" (which isn't all too American since people tell me I have a slight accent) while at home (and in the company of fellow Nigerians) I use my Nigerian accent (which I can use on command). So I'd say no; I haven't lost my accent.

Same here