In my time in Kenya, it was so interesting to see how English functioned across different social settings. I paid careful attention to when people used English, when they shifted into Swahili, and when they used various indigenous languages. My observations reminded me of Alastair Pennycook’s critique of English as not merely a language but a tool for imperialism, colonial education, and global inequality (Pennycook, 2002). I encountered his philosophies in my Introduction to Global Engagement three years before this trip. Pennycook challenges the idea that English is simply a neutral tool for communication. Instead, he shows how English often carries social and economic power, especially in postcolonial contexts where fluency can become associated with intelligence, professionalism, and access (Pennycook, 2002).
I saw glimpses of this during the Kenya Education Fund (KEF) workshop. The professional seminars were mostly conducted in English, with only occasional moments of Swahili. One particular moment that stood out to me was when a student answered a question in Swahili, and a mentor gently encouraged him to speak in English next time. The correction was not harsh, but it still hinted at how English was treated as the expected language of formal participation and a marker of professionalism.
Outside the formal workshop setting, the students mainly spoke Swahili with one another. With the students I got closer to, I noticed they seemed more expressive, relaxed, and confident in Swahili, while they were often more hesitant in English. This raised questions for me about the dual identities language can create. A person may be bold and emotionally open in one language, but more reserved in another because that language carries different social pressures.
I also noticed a contrast at Merishaw, a private school. Here, I overheard students mainly speaking to each other in English. This suggested another layer of privilege. From my conversations with people familiar with this context, I learned that comfort with English is often connected to class and access. For some students without this access, speaking English can feel like a performance required to enter academic or professional spaces. Pennycook’s work helped me understand that English in Kenya cannot be seen only as a practical communication tool. It carries colonial history and social hierarchy, but it is also reshaped by local speakers who use it alongside Swahili and indigenous languages. Overall, my experience showed me that language is never just language. English often signaled professionalism and access, while Swahili created spaces of ease, intimacy, humor, and belonging.
Reflections
Pennycook, A. (2002). English and the discourses of colonialism. Routledge.
