Swahili lessons

[Allamagan]

I find all these very usefull.

Thanks Warrior,

 

 

am

[Warrior of Light]

Asalaam aleykum,

 

Samahani nimechukua wakati mrefu mpaka kujibu nasaha na dua zenu. Ndugu zanguni amin kwa dua zenu, Mwenyezi Mungu atuzidishie sote. Amin

 

Originally posted by nabadshe:

hope u'll not mind giving us some important profile on swahili language history, how it came to being? and how big areas it covers in africa?. Cause i heard that its the most popular language in Africa and actually was once suggested to be official african language, correct me if am wrong.

Hope this will help.

 

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE SWAHILI LANGUAGE

(by Hassan O. Ali; revised by Abdurahman Juma)

 

The Swahili language, is basically of Bantu (African) origin. It has

borrowed words from other languages such as Arabic probably as a

result of the Swahili people using the Quran written in Arabic for

spiritual guidance as Muslims.

 

As regards the formation of the Swahili culture and language, some

scholars attribute these phenomena to the intercourse of African and

Asiatic people on the coast of East Africa. The word "Swahili" was

used by early Arab visitors to the coast and it means "the coast".

Ultimately it came to be applied to the people and the language.

 

Regarding the history of the Swahili language, the older view linked

to the colonial time asserts that the Swahili language originates

from Arabs and Persians who moved to the East African coast. Given

the fact that only the vocabulary can be associated with these groups

but the syntax or grammar of the language is Bantu, this argument has

been almost forgotten. It is well known that any language that has to

grow and expand its territories ought to absorb some vocabulary from

other languages in its way.

 

A suggestion has been made that Swahili is an old language. The

earliest known document recounting the past situation on the East

African coast written in the 2nd century AD (in Greek language by

anonymous author at Alexandria in Egypt and it is called the Periplus

of Erythrean Sea) says that merchants visiting the East African coast

at that time from Southern Arabia, used to speak with the natives in

their local language and they intermarried with them. Those that

suggest that Swahili is an old language point to this early source

for the possible antiquity of the Swahili language.

 

It is an undeniable truth that Arab and Persian cultures had greatest

influence on the Swahili culture and the Swahili language. To

demonstrate the contribution of each culture into the Swahili

language, take an example of the numbers as they are spoken in

Swahili. "moja" = one, "mbili" = two, "tatu" = three, "nne" =

four, "tano" = five, "nane" = eight, "kumi" = ten, are all of Bantu

origin. On the other hand there is "sita" = six, "saba" = seven

and "tisa" = nine, that are borrowed from Arabic. The Swahili

words, "chai" = tea, "achari" = pickle, "serikali" =

government, "diwani" = councillor, "sheha" = village councillor, are

some of the words borrowed from Persian bearing testimony to the

older connections with Persian merchants.

 

The Swahili language also absorbed words from the Portuguese who

controlled the Swahili coastal towns (c. 1500-1700AD). Some of the

words that the Swahili language absorbed from the Portuguese

include "leso" (handkerchief), "meza" (table), "gereza"

(prison), "pesa" ('peso', money), etc. Swahili bull-fighting, still

popular on the Pemba island, is also a Portuguese legacy from that

period. The Swahili language also borrowed some words from languages

of the later colonial powers on the East African coast - English

(British) and German. Swahilized English words include "baiskeli"

(bicycle), "basi" (bus), "penseli" (pencil), "mashine"

(machine), "koti" (coat), etc. The Swahilized German words

include "shule" for school and "hela" for a German coin.

 

For centuries, Swahili remained as the language for the people of the

East African coast. Long-time interactions with other people

bordering the Indian Ocean spread the Swahili language to distant

places such as on the islands of Comoro and Madagascar and even far

beyond to South Africa, Oman and United Arab Emirates. Trade and

migration from the Swahili coast during the nineteenth-century helped

spread the language to the interior of particularly Tanzania. It also

reached Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Congo, Central African Rebublic, and

Mozambique.

 

Christian missionaries learnt Swahili as the language of

communication to spread the Gospel in Eastern Africa. So, the

missionaries also helped to spread the language. As a matter of fact

the first Swahili-English dictionary was prepared by a missionary.

During the colonial time, Swahili was used for communication with the

local inhabitants. Hence the colonial administrators pioneered the

effort of standardizing the Swahili language. Zanzibar was the

epicenter of culture and commerce, therefore colonial administrators

selected the dialect of the Zanzibar (Unguja) town as the standard

Swahili. The Unguja dialect (Kiunguja) was then used for all formal

communication such as in schools, in mass media (newspapers and

radio), in books and other publications.

 

Now Swahili is spoken in many countries of Eastern Africa. For

Tanzania, deliberate efforts were made by the independent nation to

promote the language (thanks to the efforts of the former head of

state, Julius K. Nyerere). Tanzania's special relations with

countries of southern Africa was the chief reason behind the spread

of Swahili to Zambia, Malawi, South Africa, and other neighbouring

countries to the south. Swahili is the national as well as the

official language in Tanzania - almost all Tanzanians speak Swahili

proficiently and are unified by it. In Kenya and Uganda, it is the

national language, but official correspondence is still conducted in

English.

 

Thus, Swahili is the most widely spoken language of eastern Africa

and many world institutions have responded to its diaspora. It is one

of the languages that feature in some world radio stations such as,

the BBC, Radio Cairo (Egypt), the Voice of America (U.S.A.), Radio

Deutschewelle (Germany), Radio Moscow International (Russia), Radio

Japan International, Radio China International, Radio Sudan, and

Radio South Africa. The Swahili language is also making its presence

in the art world - in songs, theatres, movies and television

programs. For example, the lyrics for the song titled "Liberian girl"

by Michael Jackson has Swahili phrases: "Nakupenda pia, nakutaka pia,

mpenzi we!" (I love you, and I want you, my dear!). The well-

celebrated Disney movie, "The Lion King" features several Swahili

words, for example "simba" (lion), "rafiki" (friend), as the names of

the characters. The Swahili phrase "hakuna matata" (No troubles or no

problems) was also used in that movie.

 

The promotion of the Swahili language is not only in its use but also

deliberate efforts are made throughout the world to include it in

education curriculum for higher institutions of learning. It is

taught in many parts of the world.

[Rahoo]

Haddad, i lived in kenya and uganda for long time and visited Tanzania. i think that Uganda is a place for married couples, cause it has alot of views and it is queit place to leave and raise kids. however, kenya has it's on advantages, kenya is good for singles who want to mingol. it has lots who social groups to keep u busy. Tanzania is okey but it is a dead place to me. people are not open and it is poor country too.

[Warrior of Light]

Originally posted by Rahoo:

Tanzania is okey but it is a dead place to me. people are not open and it is poor country too.

True, Tanzania is a poor country what do you expect from a country which followed socialism then changed gear to capitalism. With the miss management and neverending corruption times life is getting more tougher. Been back here for approximately 3 weeks, we have a drought, cases of bank robberies and daily blackouts. Inshallah kheir but hope is there.Im seeing some drastic changes.

[Baluug]

Originally posted by Warrior of Light:

Been back here for approximately 3 weeks

Are you mysam?

[Warrior of Light]

[Baluug]

[Pucca]

oh please do continue with the class (i dont know how i missed this); like ahura i also at one time *long time ago* spoke swahili...but ofcourse i've forgotten it over the years. i plan on mastering the basics inshallah before i visit the area in the upcoming year*inshallah*.

 

 

thanks, they're helpful lessons !

[Nazir]

I forgot my swahili it got replaced with english :confused:

[Nazir]

:confused: