Kenyan American English Dictionary

I suppose it is because we are so focused on language, but I have been noticing differences in vocabulary and terminology even when speaking in English. I am also motivated by the fact that soon I will probably be teaching and I need students to be able to understand what I am saying. My American accent will hamper them enough. I thought it would be fun to share some of my discoveries with you in Cindy’s Kenyan English Dictionary.

We’ll start with a few words:
chips = French fries
innerwear = underwear
queue here = form a line here
rubber = eraser
washroom = room with toilet and sink only
bafu = room to take shower
wash = wash hand, face, and legs
bathe = wash entire body
hoot = honk horn
car park = parking lot
zebra crossing = pedestrian crosswalk
trolley = shopping cart
look sharp = look nice, well dressed

Now let’s move on to some sentences.
I read in Niarobi. = I studied there. I went to school there.
Let’s give a clap. = Let’s give them a hand, let’s applaud for them.
Are we together? = Does everyone understand?
He’s eating money. = He’s taking money (in reference to a politician’s corruption).
Since it’s eating up your mind let’s review. = It is confusing you, you don’t understand so let’s go over it again.
Do you fear them? = Are you afraid of them?
Let’s go and take tea. = It’s time for tea break. Let’s go have some tea.
The phone cries. The door cries = They make high pitched noises.
Did you jump? = This was said when one of us read the wrong answer. It means did you lose your place?
My husband went to pick him. = My husband went to pick him up from school.
The school provides transport. = The school provides transportation.
It was sweet. = It was tasty, not it was sweet and yummy with a lot of sugar.
Use words like this to make conversation more delicious. = Make the conversation more interesting and longer.
My thinking is destructed. = I’ve lost my train of thought. I’ve forgotten what I was going to say.
Allow me to rub here. = Allow me to erase this part of the board.
They abuse it. = They don’t use it correctly. They mistreat the machine.
Did you revise your lesson? = Did you study last night?
Is what? = What do you mean? I don’t understand.
I slept late = I went to bed late last night. That’s exactly the opposite of what we mean when we say it!
Verbs can never hang alone. = Verbs can never stand alone, they must have subject prefixed added to them.
The road will branch. = The road will divide.
I won't restrict you. = I won't stop you. I won't limit you to that.
I have a small heart. = I cry easily for others. I'm worried about them. (We would say they have a big heart.)
I expect you to be picking from them. = I expect you to be learning from them.

They have two sayings that sum up their attitude about time.
Polepole ndia mwendo. = Slowly, slowly is the journey.
Polepole ya kobe humfikisha mbali. = The slowness of the tortoise enables him to go far. In other words, don’t get in a hurry. People are more important than being on time and getting tasks done. Who says we don’t have things to learn from Kenyans?