Piece by: PAUL AMUKO

08 May 2023

•Do you believe that you don't have an accent? TY Ngachira, a Kenyan content creator, is determined to prove you wrong with his trending Tik Tok videos.

Kenyans have a unique way of speaking English that is a blend of British English, Swahili, and the various tribal languages spoken in Kenya.

However, many Kenyans believe that their way of speaking is the "correct" or "neutral" way of speaking English, making it difficult for them to recognize their accent.

We explore the reasons behind Kenyans' belief that they don't have an accent, and why it's important to embrace our accents as a reflection of our cultural identity and heritage.

Firstly, it's important to understand what an accent is. An accent refers to the unique way in which an individual pronounces words, based on their geographical location, social class, and other factors.

It's the sound of the language that people hear when a person speaks.

Kenyans have been speaking English as a second language for many years, and as such, have developed their own unique way of speaking.

This has resulted in a unique accent that is a blend of British English, Swahili, and the various tribal languages spoken in Kenya.

Through his videos, TY Ngachira breaks down the various unique phrases and pronunciations used by Kenyans, showing that their way of speaking is, in fact, an accent.

Through a trending Tik Tok video, TY Ngachira breaks it down, to whether you speak English or Kenyan, he claims while the rest of the world speaks English Kenyans just speak Kenyan.

''ever been in an airport abroad and hear a guy go, me i told me i cannot do that.’’ He claims it’s only kenyans who say me i.

Another thing that Kenyans say that is really weird, you think they are Spanish at first and the start talking, they say 'si' all the time, but their 'si' is at the beginning, ''si i told you, si i’m here recording, si we are there.’’

He continues to state that Kenya is the only country where ‘my friend’ is a threat, ''my friend listen. My friend the way you are going...other countries my friend is a good thing.’’

He further states that the one phrase that he doesn't like when Kenyans use and no one else in the world uses is 'Trust you me’ he rants, ''who is being trusted, is it you is it me, Kenyans would be like Kenya is best English speaking country trust you me.’’

One of the reasons why Kenyans believe that they don't have an accent is because they are accustomed to hearing their way of speaking.

They are surrounded by people who speak in a similar way, and as such, they don't hear any significant differences in the way they speak. This makes it difficult for them to recognize that they have an accent.

Another reason why Kenyans believe that they don't have an accent is that they may compare their way of speaking to that of other African countries.

Kenyans are proud of their country, and they believe that their way of speaking English is better than that of other African countries.

This is because Kenya has a long history of British colonization, and as such, the English language has been ingrained into the culture for many years.

In conclusion, Kenyans believe that they don't have an accent because they are accustomed to hearing their way of speaking, and they compare their way of speaking to that of other African countries.

While Kenyans may have a unique way of speaking English, it's important to remember that everyone has an accent, and that accents are simply a part of what makes us unique.

It's important to embrace our accents, as they are a reflection of our cultural identity and heritage.