Comments on: Do you think Swahili/Kiswahili should or can be the language of the African Continent? Why and how? http://www.onlineswahili.com/do-you-think-swahilikiswahili-should-or-can-be-the-language-of-the-african-continent-why-and-how.htm Learn how to speak Swahili Wed, 19 Jan 2011 17:40:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Kwa Nini Hufahamu? http://www.onlineswahili.com/do-you-think-swahilikiswahili-should-or-can-be-the-language-of-the-african-continent-why-and-how.htm/comment-page-1#comment-76 Kwa Nini Hufahamu? Sun, 18 Oct 2009 18:19:51 +0000 http://www.onlineswahili.com/do-you-think-swahilikiswahili-should-or-can-be-the-language-of-the-african-continent-why-and-how.htm#comment-76 I will admit that Kiswahili is relatively easy to learn and might make a good international language, but I don't see the feasibility of forcing people throughout Africa to learn Swahili. You mentioned that only those in Uganda, Kenya & Tanzania speak Swahili, but that isn't entirely true within these countries. Many of the Masa'i speak KiMasai and English, with very little Swahili. Also, older adults and young children in rural villages tend to speak the local tribal language better and more fluently than Kiswahili. People on the borders in the neighboring countries (like Malawi & Zambia) often speak Swahili better than some East African natives because it is the language of commerce across the border. However, one must remember that many hoping to bring in tourist dollars are learning English, German, French, Dutch, Japanese, Hindi or Mandarin in order to speak with the tourists. I don't believe it is very realistic to expect Africans to learn and share in Swahili when each language has it's own background and reasons behind it's use. I will admit that Kiswahili is relatively easy to learn and might make a good international language, but I don’t see the feasibility of forcing people throughout Africa to learn Swahili. You mentioned that only those in Uganda, Kenya & Tanzania speak Swahili, but that isn’t entirely true within these countries. Many of the Masa’i speak KiMasai and English, with very little Swahili. Also, older adults and young children in rural villages tend to speak the local tribal language better and more fluently than Kiswahili. People on the borders in the neighboring countries (like Malawi & Zambia) often speak Swahili better than some East African natives because it is the language of commerce across the border.

However, one must remember that many hoping to bring in tourist dollars are learning English, German, French, Dutch, Japanese, Hindi or Mandarin in order to speak with the tourists. I don’t believe it is very realistic to expect Africans to learn and share in Swahili when each language has it’s own background and reasons behind it’s use.

]]> By: Richard E http://www.onlineswahili.com/do-you-think-swahilikiswahili-should-or-can-be-the-language-of-the-african-continent-why-and-how.htm/comment-page-1#comment-77 Richard E Sun, 18 Oct 2009 18:19:51 +0000 http://www.onlineswahili.com/do-you-think-swahilikiswahili-should-or-can-be-the-language-of-the-african-continent-why-and-how.htm#comment-77 Suppose we say that English should be the language of North America, because more people in North America are descended from English speakers than any other language. Even though a majority of people already speak English on this continent, forcing everyone to speak it would be an outrage and would not work and should not be tried, either. To force a Zulu or a Yoruba to learn Swahili would be just as silly as to force him to learn English or Afrikaans or Chinese. There are at least 600 languages or dialects spoken in Africa by more than 100,000 people. I see nothing wrong with adding Swahili as an acceptable language for the AU to do business in. But as for adopting any language as the official language of any continent, forget it. This would be just dumb, even on Antarctica. Suppose we say that English should be the language of North America, because more people in North America are descended from English speakers than any other language.

Even though a majority of people already speak English on this continent, forcing everyone to speak it would be an outrage and would not work and should not be tried, either.

To force a Zulu or a Yoruba to learn Swahili would be just as silly as to force him to learn English or Afrikaans or Chinese. There are at least 600 languages or dialects spoken in Africa by more than 100,000 people.

I see nothing wrong with adding Swahili as an acceptable language for the AU to do business in.

But as for adopting any language as the official language of any continent, forget it.

This would be just dumb, even on Antarctica.

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