I thought it would be interesting to do a post on some of the English words we've had to learn since coming here to Kenya. Before I go any further though, I want to make it clear that I am in no wise belittling or making fun of the English spoken here. Much of it is carried over from British English because Kenya was a British colony until 1963. Some of it is probably unique to Kenya. But it is still English. Have you ever wondered why English is different around the world? I believe it is because cultures are different around the world and culture shapes language. So here we go. I will give you the word used here in Kenya, and beside it, I'll give the American definition for that word.
Boot--the trunk of your car
Bonnet--the hood of your car
Hoot--to honk the horn in the car
Pick--to pick someone up (I will pick John from school.)
Biscuit--a cookie
Scone--an American biscuit, also a dinner roll
Chips--French Fries
Crisps--potato chips
Washroom--restroom
First floor (the floor above the ground floor)--In America, it is our second floor. This has gotten me so lost and confused here in Kenya!
Cooker--stove
Nappy--diaper
Football--Soccer
Overspeed--to go over the speed limit
Take--means to eat food or to drink something (I will take chai now.)
Zed--The letter "z" is not "zee"; it is "zed".
4 comments:
Most of those are pretty much the same here, too! Makes for some interesting translations in my American English mind at times! Here in Zambia, they often interchange L's and R's. Emily becomes Emiry (emory?), and sometimes I just don't know what word they're saying until context makes it clear- light/right, cloud/crowd, road/load... you get the idea! Makes it easy to smile! :-)
That is so interesting, Lisa! They do that here too, but it is only certain tribes that switch those two letters. When they do it with Swahili words, it really throws me for a loop sometimes, and I think that I’ve not heard that word before. Then a few minutes later, it dawns on me!
I found this interesting because Walter's dad uses a lot of these phrases. :D
Hi Jessi,
I see three things on your list that we also say in Canada: Chips, Washroom, and Zed. Growing up I always heard that Americans changed it to Zee to rhyme the Alphabet song.
I do see a lot a similarities with what is said in England.
Sandra :)
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