TikTok video of S'pore boutique staff has people confusing S'porean accent with Nigerian accent

Sound the same meh?

Hannah Martens | April 11, 2023, 12:39 PM

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You know that feeling when you are overseas, and you can instantly recognise your fellow Singaporeans from how they speak?

This viral video which has since garnered 6.4 million views on TikTok, may now have you questioning if you know the Singaporean accent.

On Apr. 2, a local clothing boutique, Lovet, posted a TikTok video of their employees getting ready for their first shift at their pop-up at Jewel Changi Airport.

In the video, each employee introduced themself by stating their names and saying, "This is me before my shift."

To Singaporeans, these girls sound like any average Singaporean accent that we can recognise in a heartbeat.

@shoplovetOur pixies are READY to conquer our Jewel Exclusives (III) launch! 🫡♬ original sound - SHOPLOVET

However, the overwhelming consensus in the comments indicated otherwise.

Nigerian accent?

Many TikTok users flooded the post's comment section, claiming that the girls' Singaporean accent sounded just like a Nigerian accent.

And many seemed to agree.

Screenshot via TikTok

Screenshot via TikTok

Screenshot via TikTok

Screenshot via TikTok

One TikTok user in the comments shared that she was born and raised in Singapore, and when she moved to the U.S., many mistook her Singaporean accent for a Nigerian one.

Screenshot via TikTok

Are they similar?

It seems like the way Nigerians and Singaporeans pronounce certain words in a similar fashion.

In this TikTok video below that compares the British accent to the Nigerian accent, some words like "tortoise", "comfortable", and "banana" in the latter accent sound quite similar to how Singaporeans pronounce them.

@handluggageonly British Accent 🇬🇧 vs Nigerian Accent 🇳🇬 #accentchallenge #britishaccent #nigerianaccent #learnontiktok #houseoftiktok #british #nigerian ♬ original sound - Hand Luggage Only

In this other TikTok video, while the "African" accent is not Nigerian, it is still quite similar. However, compared to a Singapore accent, the two appear to sound very different.

@nanc.e we not this gangster one btw 🤪 #fyp #tiktoksg ♬ original sound - eva - nancy!

Top photos via Lovet's TikTok