Nuzo':
People can be funny o.

Why should I take pride in speaking another man's language with a heavy Nigerian accent? That's ridiculous to say the least.

First, the so called "fake" accent was a survival tactics for me, but it later grew on me with time. Besides, Nigerian accent has a way of distorting the real pronunciations of some English words. One can only notice this when you communicate with native English speakers.

I speak fluent central Igbo and numerous Igbo dialects, a bit of Yoruba and Hausa....and of course pigeon. And I never fail to communicate with them whenever I have the opportunity to. Isn't these enough to show how much Nigerian I am?

Imagine someone speaking Igbo to me with American accent. I would never take such person serious.

There's nothing unpatriotic, unAfrican/unNigerian or self hating about speaking American/British accented English. English lang is not Nigerian Language to start with.

Nuzo':
People can be funny o.


I speak fluent central Igbo and numerous Igbo dialects, a bit of Yoruba and Hausa....and of course pigeon. .

Afam4eva:
Pls who are these native English speakers. Is it the British, Americans, Australians, Canadians, New Zealanders. Why don't Americans, Canadians, Australians speak and pronounce words like the native English speakers? Why must Nigerians now do that?

Nuzo':


Native English speakers are known to be British, Americans, Australians, Canadians, New Zealanders.

Notice that unlike Nigeria, all these countries DIRECTLY have their roots from UK.

googlepikin: my dear if you can carefully read dis your english you are writing here you go know sey you grow for village.

Afam4eva:
You're very wrong. Americans are made up of Germans, Irish, English, Italins etc. It's a multi-ethnic counry but English eclipsed all other languages as the official language. Even though a lot of Americans can no longer speak their original language, their native language is not English. Apart from that, was there any such thing as American English in the old? How come they created a unique brand of English instead of speaking what the English were speaking.

Lilimax: I detest fake accents. I only speak their accent(American) when I'm in their midst but always speak my Nigerian English(especially pidgin)when I'm in the midst of my Nigerian friends. There is no need of faking it...

Nuzo':


No sir, I'm not wrong. But that doesn't make you wrong either.
The native Americans and non English speaking Europeans were over shadowed by the colonial Englishmen as a result war, diseases and civilization with the help of Scots and Irish.

These events facilitated the expansion of English settlements and authority with little compromise to other non-Eglish speakers. And this lack of compromise extended to the use of English languge.

With this, its very safe to say that USA is a native English speaking country.

This is not the case for Nigeria.

Afam4eva:
If Americans are native English speakers then how come they don't speak like other native speakers(English). They have an accent and spellings unique to them. Why did they have to come up with their own way of speaking instead of speaking like the British.

Nuzo':
People can be funny o.

Why should I take pride in speaking another man's language with a heavy Nigerian accent? That's ridiculous to say the least.

First, the so called "fake" accent was a survival tactics for me, but it later grew on me with time. Besides, Nigerian accent has a way of distorting the real pronunciations of some English words. One can only notice this when you communicate with native English speakers.

I speak fluent central Igbo and numerous Igbo dialects, a bit of Yoruba and Hausa....and of course pigeon. And I never fail to communicate with them whenever I have the opportunity to. Isn't these enough to show how much Nigerian I am?
Thats an adult reasoning, leave ignorant people to argue about stuff they know nothing about

Imagine someone speaking Igbo to me with American accent. I would never take such person serious.

There's nothing unpatriotic, unAfrican/unNigerian or self hating about speaking American/British accented English. English lang is not Nigerian Language to start with.

Afam4eva:
If Americans are native English speakers then how come they don't speak like other native speakers(English). They have an accent and spellings unique to them. Why did they have to come up with their own way of speaking instead of speaking like the British.

50calibre: All these people saying if you don't fake an accent, you won't be understood, don't know what they are talking about.

If you hear a proper Scottish accent, you will run away. It's thicker than the thickest Igbo accent, yet when a proper scot is speaking, he expects you to understand what he is saying, he doesn't in any way try to modify his accent. The responsibility falls on the listener to understand what you are saying, not you.

Even in America, you can detect an accent in people of Hispanic, Caribbean or Asian descent.

The only accent I feel like imitating, is the Jamaican accent, it's crazy.

All of them = ala them!
Yes = yah Man!

stillwater: You don't have to change accents. Just pronounce your words well and you won't have any problems. Invest in good primary and secondary schools. Be attentive in English class and learn your phonetics. Wole Soyinka and Chimamanda Adichie have Nigerian accents and they are understood, so there's no need to switch anything. Stop making Tuface your mentor!

bigx: Bullcrap, How many foreigners change their accents for us to understand them when they come here?
No matter how long I stay abroad, I'd proudly speak my Nigerian English, any one who doesnt like it can enter sewer.
They are not feeding me

Aringon: Tell a typical Nigerian to pronounce words such as :
Measure
Pleasure
Treasure
Pressure
Commission
Television
Station

50calibre: All these people saying if you don't fake an accent, you won't be understood, don't know what they are talking about.

If you hear a proper Scottish accent, you will run away. It's thicker than the thickest Igbo accent, yet when a proper scot is speaking, he expects you to understand what he is saying, he doesn't in any way try to modify his accent. The responsibility falls on the listener to understand what you are saying, not you.
!

ZACHIE: The true masters non-native users of English do not speak with accent.
Nigerian accented English is beauty to the ear so long as the syntax and grammar are above the plebeian.
Soyinka does not have any accent
Fela Kuti never had one.
Achebe never did
Olu Tomori spoke like a village man
All the top users of English that i know all through school spoke with a common Nigerian tongue but stood out and are respected. Same with their Ghanaian and East African counterparts.
Tafawa Balewa was one maestro of the language, respected even in the grave till tomorrow. He spoke with correct pronunciation in mind and not borrowed accent. His voice did the trick for him.
Ngugi Wa Thiongo has probably spent more of his adult life outside Kenya, yet he never dropped his way of speaking.

If you use language just communicate around streets, use your borrowed accent If you must be counted as a true master of the language, stay true to your native accent but get the pronunciation right.

toshmann:

If you are looking for a job, I'm sure it is your responsibility to understand that Scottish accent
Also if you are employed and clients who bring the money for the company comes, it is also your responsibility to understand what they are saying

But if you are president of Nigeria, like GEJ or OBJ and these foreign companies are looking for contract, then you can speak with umuezealaogwara accent and even the president of the United States will try to understand you

Otherwise, adapt or get left behind.

toshmann: And talking of American accent(s), hope you guys know that there are many many many many American accents?

The south have their own, the north-east have their own, the mid-west have their own etc. and southerners will tell you that Texas accent is different from Mississippi accent which is different from Tennessee accent.

The day some dude came from Nashville, my Ohio colleague could not understand him. Even Kentucky which is just across the river from Cincinnati has a different accent.

delors:
Bros, Fela Kuti never had one? You shaq? Hw many times did u hear achebe speak before he died? he was a novelist, not a public speaker. Listen to your politicians when they parle...you go fear afraid. Soon, na u go talk say GEj nor get accent. When my president spoke at the last UNGA (although na only chairs be the audience), the kind thick accent my oga dey chew for mouth nor be small thing.