"Say that again..."

The tale of my accents requires a little back story. I was born in the United States. Shortly after, my parents decided that my brother and I should be schooled in Nigeria [It was an interesting life, but that is not the focus of this post].  I picked up an accent there, as I was very young at the time this happened. The Nigerian accent is quite interesting. Words are typically pronounced exactly how they are spelled. Some say there is a British influence on how Nigerians speak but, I beg to differ. I have mingled with British folk, and the Nigerian accent is as far from it as east is from west. A typical Nigerian would pronounce butter as bot-a and water as wot-a. The intonation and the flow of words with the Nigerian accent are remarkably different from Western accents' rhythm.

Nigerian Accents- as seen on Pinterest

Of course, I was comfortable speaking in a Nigerian accent as a resident of the country. Everyone spoke exactly like me or close enough. All my English/Grammar classes from primary one (first grade) to SS3 (twelfth grade) were taught by teachers who spoke in their Nigerian accents. The only exceptions were in the Phonetics/Diction classes, where the teachers imitated British accents. As a young student, the order of the day was to mock these Diction teachers who spoke through their noses. They were **forming**  and we were not having it. Alas, we had no choice but to sit through those classes (and pass the class as well) so we endured the charade. To my knowledge, none of us actually implemented what we were taught in those classes in our daily speech.

**Nigerian slang which means faking**

Fast forward to moving back to the United States after fourteen years-- WOW! Can someone say culture shock?! I stood out in more ways than I could count and my accent started getting some attention.  On the one hand, I was pleased that some people seemed to like how I spoke and complimented me. However, on the other hand, I felt alienated because of my accent. A common phrase that I would hear constantly is "Say that again..." Yes, I speak pretty fast. I am a very excitable person and I sometimes get passionate about what I am speaking about. I understand that my fast speech may have had something to do with it, but I would still be told to "Say that again..."  when I spoke slowly enough. I was asked to "Say that again..." when I said "cane-o" instead of "kuhnu" and "pro-ces" instead of "proh-ces". All of that was frustrating enough, but what really got me was the sheer IGNORANCE. I was constantly shocked by the audacity of some **ig'nant** people.

** Slang word which literally translates to ignorant**

Her: So where are you from?
Me:  Nigeria (read below for the reason why I gave this answer)
Her: Wow, that is really cool. You speak English very well.

Me: (Shocked and not entirely sure what just happened) Thank you?

This conversation above happened over 7 years ago, so I am paraphrasing a bit. I knew enough at that time to know that the question "Where are you from?" is mostly addressed to people with accents. I also knew, from personal experience, that the person asking the question did not expect to hear "United States" as the answer to the question. The lady I mentioned above is a representation of how quickly people jump to their preconceived notions about Africa. I realized very early on, upon my transition back into American society, that there is a very distorted imagery of Africa as a whole, presented to the Western world. The problem is deeply rooted in the American education system. The media's propagation of Africa as that dependent, clingy, broke uncle that nobody wants at the family reunion because he never seems to have his life together, is damaging. If I see one more commercial about starving Africans😠. But, I digress... 

Allow me to share a brief history lesson. Most of Africa was colonized- some by the French, some by the Portuguese, most by Britain, including Nigeria. Nigeria was formed haphazardly by amalgamating (some big English word I picked up in Nigeria😏) different tribes with different languages and customs into one nation. English is the official language for that reason. [P.S: Stop asking me if I speak Nigerian. Please and thanks.] The educational system and the media need to be more careful and intentional in their portrayal of  Africa and African countries. It is appalling that a whole continent should constantly be painted with a broad brush. For example, according to Hollywood, all African accents sound the same. An actor playing a Nigerian (their name is always Babatunde) could sound Kenyan or Tanzanian and vice versa 😒. We deserve better.

Different Nigerian languages and geographical locations- as seen on Pinterest

So surprise!!! I grew up speaking English first before speaking any other language. Yes, it does sound different but it is English, I promise. I note that there is absolutely nothing wrong with speaking a foreign language as a first language. Speaking English is not a crown jewel by any means. However, I must emphasize that "foreign-sounding English" is still English (could even be better English) because many times, the assumptions about accents are wrong. It is prevalent in today's world to be discriminated against or stereotyped based on one's accent. Several research studies prove this to be a fact. People naturally attach assumptions about a country to a person who speaks with an accent from that country. Perhaps that explains why a person with an African accent could be considered unqualified, while a person with a British accent would be considered highly educated.

I felt disadvantaged by my Nigerian accent, so I started working on developing an American one. The American accent was a discovery for me. I realized that just as Nigerian accents have different tweaks and twangs based on tribal language, American accents differ by location. Within a big city like New York, accents can differ depending on the borough. For example, Brooklynites and Long Islanders have distinct lingo. As a young fourteen-year-old girl with many insecurities, I decided to master this elusive American accent. It was difficult (and still is, to be honest), but I felt most comfortable with what I call Black people lingo (officially called ebonics or AAVE). NO, all black people do NOT sound the same in America. However, there is a general sound you hear when you go to areas densely populated by minorities. I found that easier to imitate because there is a familiar musicality in the speech. The more I tried to imitate an American accent, the less "Say that again..."  became a trademark in my conversations.

So, do I still have a Nigerian accent? YUUUP! Depending on who I am speaking to, I speak a certain way. I tend to imitate whoever is speaking to me. If I am comfortable enough or starting to get passionate, my Nigerian accent becomes dominant. So far, I have come to a place of accepting my sound. I was heavily influenced by one of my favorite reads of all time, "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. [If you do not know her, kindly step out from under that rock you live under]. I related to the main character's eventual acceptance of her sound and her refusal to conform to societal pressures. Truth is, society will not stop being itself, and there is a certain level of ignorance in America that may never completely be dealt with, but **WE MOVE**. I like to say that I am a mixing bowl of accents- Nigerian, American, and even a little British side (she comes out when I am playful😜). I have fun with my various accents now. It is even a source of pride for me to be able to "switch up". There is beauty in diversity, and sounding different is part of that.

**According to the Urban Dictionary, this means carrying on regardless of the situation**

Final thoughts

We all have accents, but we don't understand how "other" makes us feel until we find ourselves in societies where we are the exception. Have you ever been told you sound different? Have you ever fancied yourself a British accent or wished to sound "more American"? Have you been teased, called out, or ridiculed for sounding different or pronouncing words differently from how your counterparts did? Here is the hard question that I hope I can get some honest answers to - Do you unwittingly form conclusions about others based on how they speak English? Let's talk!