Kiswahili: An African pride under siege

[Arnold mrass cannambo]

OPINION

By Mweha Msemo | Apr 13, 2018

Tanzania is a unique country in sub-Saharan Africa in having a single, widely used and accepted African national language that connects its entire population. Kiswahili - a language estimated to have at least 100 million speakers across the continent is mostly spoken there; it is also the only official international language of Africa that is really indigenous to the continent. Tanzania boasts highest proficiency in the language, although there is a craze amongst the country's population threatening to take that pride away.

Kiswahili has been spoken in Tanzania for centuries, and it is due to that fact that there has been peaceful co-existence among its more than 100 ethnic groups. The country's first president, made it possible by using the language to connect the entire country despite traditional and cultural diversity.

In the past few years, Kiswahili has seen massive growth within and outside the continent whereby it has been conferred with an official or national language status by several countries in Eastern Africa. Unlike many widely spoken languages, which are native to Africa, Kiswahili is an official language in many countries in East and Central Africa and widely used in schools. Kiswahili is the only language from Africa included among the official languages of the African Union and its status as a lingua franca in the east and central African region makes it an extremely important language. It is taught in more than 50 universities in United States of America and many other universities in Europe and Asia.

Now, despite seeing such successes, Kiswahili is going through tough times at home. Kenya hosts the world's second largest population of speakers behind Tanzania, and Kiswahili is also an official working language alongside English. There are more speakers of Kiswahili than English in the country although it is widely known that Kiswahili sanifu (standard Swahili) mostly exists in its coastal regions but when it comes to big cities like Nairobi and Kisumu, "Sheng" is in power. Sheng is generally a concoction of Kiswahili, English and some local languages mostly used among Kenyan urban youths although it has now spread to rural areas, and influenced other people beyond borders. Hardly anyone cares much to learn Kiswahili sanifu since the language is mostly used in informal settings; most official matters from academic instructions to court and parliamentary sessions are all conducted in English.

In Tanzania, where Kiswahili is believed to be strongly existent and perfectly used, is also starting to loosen its grips on the language that defines the country and its people. Just like in Kenya with their "Sheng", Tanzania has adopted a similar concoction referred to by many as "Swanglish", which is increasingly coming to fashion amongst many people. Words in "Swanglish" are sometimes shortened, reversed or twisted versions of the originals, but often a mixture of both English and Kiswahili.

"Swanglish" was once considered a language of the educated and elites since they were the ones with a few show-off vocabularies (picked from school abroad) to throw into a conversation, but today it is commonplace to come across lowly educated individuals who prefer applying English words (which often happen to be wrong replacements) in Kiswahili conversations, and only to make it worse, some dare to Americanise (and sometimes Anglicise) their accents and produce even more unpleasant lingo. Sometimes they (so-called native speakers) would go as far as asking "how do you say this in Swahili?" while others would refer to every English term they use as "technical". For instance, someone would say, Hiki kinatumika kuongozea gari katika ulekeo autakao dereva; kiataalam tunakiita "steering wheel", this translates to "this is used to control a car in whichever direction the driver wishes; it is "technically" called steering wheel.

There has been a wide spread belief that the use of "Swanglish" presents people as smarter and more educated, but it is those same people that use it who cannot fluently communicate in either of the two. The fact that English is a huge problem in Tanzania is widely understood within and outside borders, and now the country is speeding towards losing Kiswahili; this makes one wonder what happens next when proficiency of Kiswahili among Tanzanians disappears completely. Who will become the proudly Swahili people in the coming generations?

In daily Kiswahili conversations, one should not be surprised to hear these: "actually", "in fact", "because", "not really", "although", "of course", "exactly" "after all" "salary slip" "bank statement", "system", "shopping", "birthday", "breakfast", "lunch", "beach", "as a matter of fact", "air conditioner" etc.

What irks so bad is the fact that most users of this mixture are neither proficient in English nor Kiswahili.

In Tanzania, Kiswahili is suffering neglect since its speakers do not put efforts in strengthening it. Much of the effort has been shifted to English through English medium schools, where every parent wants to take their children. This move, however, has my support since the position of the language in global interactions is highly crucial and inescapable, but Kiswahili is even more important for it represents and tells many stories about not only Tanzania but also the whole of East Africa and beyond.

I remember hearing an old man once saying, "Today most Tanzanians are just comfortable speaking Kiswahili, but no longer awesome in it". I must admit I concurred with that statement since it is true that our tongues may have been used to the language and provided easiness and comfortability with speech, but that fact does not necessarily make someone masterly.

Today, barely any youth can go two or three sentences without "varnishing" with a few English words and Kiswahili cha mtaani (street language) - which produces new words on a daily basis that beclouds the original terms, and adopted by younger kids who grow up clueless of the right words to use. Kiswahili cha mtaani is a dynamic language with an ever-changing and developing vocabulary. The youth are still coming up with new words and expressions, inventing and borrowing, as they always have, from numerous languages.

Some of the commonly used street words in Tanzania includes: jero (five hundred shillings), buku (a thousand shillings), moko (moja), bese/be (two), mshkaji/mwana/msela (friend), demu/mtoto (girl), wakishua (from a wealthy background), (ma) njota (water), mshiko/chapaa (money), danta (down), noma/kwere (problem/chaos), boya (stupid), mazagazaga/zaga (stuff/things), parangana (resist/work hard), skonga (school), kitaa (neighbourhood/street) sanua (tell/inform) etc.

Many people are used to these to the extent that they cannot remember the last time they used the original versions of such words.

The mass media (mostly electronic) is arguably favouring the situation as many television and radio personalities use "Swanglish" in all varieties of programmes - from entertainment which features mainly youth hosts and guests, to serious programmes that engage high ranking governmental officials, scholars, businesspersons and others. People watch and listen to these interviews and dialogues and pick up whatever comes their way, especially when heard from most influential people such as journalists and politicians. The media, which has a great power to influence the people, can be a perfect weapon to assassinate a language and also a great keeper to preserve it.

Apart from the media and celebrities, numerous reasons are reportedly fuelling the trend: people in the academia are also sometimes blamed to have contributed in putting Kiswahili in such state. In schools, from primary to higher levels of education, "Swanglish" is increasingly gaining momentum during the learning process. This is due to another unfortunate fact that English is "partially" taught as a subject in all public schools in the country mostly by teachers who cannot speak it themselves. It becomes the language of instruction in secondary and tertiary education levels where teaching materials are in English as per the curricula but some academics opt for Swanglish, which encourages the situation to worsen. Consequently, this terrible mixture affects everyone from pre-schoolers to university dons.

Source: Pambazuka News

 

[MK254]

Taratibu naona Watanzania wameanza kutoka kwenye athari za kijamaa, herd mentality na kuanza kuwa na uhuru wa kujiamulia. Ni jambo la ovyo sana kwa serikali kulazimisha watu jinsi ya kuishi, Kiswahili tunakipenda sote lakini haifai kwa watu kulazimishwa kukitumia, inafaa maamuzi yawe ya kila mtu binafsi.

Dunia ya sasa haiwezekani ukawaongoza watu kama mbuzi, maana utandawazi umeifanya dunia imekua kama kijiji, hata Kim wa Korea Kaskazini yamemshinda hadi amesalimu amri na kuanza kuwaachia watu wake. Leo hii mwanangu mdogo mwenye umri wa miaka sita anazungumza lugha kadhaa, anatumia Kiingereza tena kwa kujiamini yaani kitu ambacho nikiwa kwenye umri wake hata sikua najua kuomba maji kwa lugha ya Kiingereza.

Cha msingi ni kuwaachia watu wajifunze na kuongea lugha watakazoweza kwa kadiri ya uwezo wao, akitaka ajifunze Kirusi asiishie kuchekwa na kuonwa mtumwa, au akizungumza Kisukuma, Kichagga au Kikikuyu asionwe mshamba. Hata wenzetu Ulaya wapo mbioni kujifunza lugha zaidi ya moja, Mmarekani au Muingereza anajifunza Kifaransa, Kijerumani na Mjerumani, Mrusi, Mchina anajifunza Kingereza na pia kunao wanajifunza hata Kiswahili.

Mimi nakipenda sana Kiswahili maana kinaniunganisha na watu zaidi ya milioni mia moja wa Afrika Mashariki, pia napenda sana lugha yangu ya asili ya Kikikuyu, ni lugha inayonipa fahari ya kuunganishwa na mababu zangu na asili yangu, nikienda kijijini najumuika na wadau huko tunaongea Kikikuyu hadi raha, lakini hata hivyo napenda Kingereza maana kinanipa uwezo wa kuwasiliana na yeyote yule duniani. Akiibuka Mnaijeria au Mghana au Mmarekani tunafanya biashara bila matatizo.

 

[bagamoyo]

Kwa Tanzania lugha ya Kiswahili imejikita katika jamii kiasi haitegemei serikali tena kuikuza lugha hii kubwa barani Afrika.

Mfano taasisi za dini Tanzania ndiyo mshika dau mkubwa kuhakikisha lugha hii ya Kiswahili inatumika ktk misa, swala, mikusanyiko na mihadhara tofauti sana na jinsi taasisi za dini zilivyo Kenya hasa nje ya pwani ya Kenya.

Mfano nchini Tanzania kuanzia Kyerwa Bukoba mpaka Bagamoyo dini inaenezwa kwa lugha ya Kiswahili . Tukio kubwa kama Kanisa Katoliki nchini Tanzania linaadhimisha kumbukumbu ya miaka 150 tangu lianze shughuli zake Tanzania. Pata Historia kamili hapa Daily News Digital.

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Mtakatifu Yohane Maria Muzei, mzaliwa wa eneo la Kagera (Tanzania ya leo),wa Mashaidi wa Uganda, inaonesha jinsi Tanzania kupitia mifumo ya jamii (dini mbalimbali) imeweza kupenyeza Kiswahili Afrika Mashariki, Kusini mwa Afrika na nchi za Maziwa Makuu.

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[bagamoyo]

Kanisa Tanzania na nafasi yake ktk kukuza na kueneza Kiswahili Afrika Mashariki:

Father Nicetac Kyala, anaelezea Kanisa Kuu la Kristo Bagamoyo, ambalo kwa sasa ni maktaba ya mfano Afrika Mashariki kutunza kumbukumbu za lugha, utamaduni, historia na mila za wenyeji lilikuwa likitumika kama soko la watumwa,pamoja na Vito mbalimbali vya Thamani ambavyo vimeachwa na Wakoloni hao,Pia utaweza kujionea mbuyu mkubwa ambao una Historia ya Sehemu hiyo.

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Source: Global TV online

 

[bagamoyo]

Kisumu, Kenya

Waumini Wajaluo Kenya wazindua rasmi tafisiri ya Qurani Tukufu kwa lugha ya Kijaluo.

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Source: K24TV

More info / Habari ya ziada:
DINI MADHEHEBU TANZANIA KAMA WADAU WAKUBWA KUENEZA LUGHA YA KISWAHILI.

Wakati umma wa Waislamu wa Tanzania, pwani mpaka ndani ndani huko bara wanaunganishwa kwa Lugha ya Kiswahili ktk ibada na mihadhara ya kuongeza waumini hali ni tofauti nchini Kenya katika kuleta umoja miongoni mwa waumini.

 

[Kidzude]

Mtazamo kingamizi

 

[joto la jiwe]

Kila nchi lazima iwe na pesa yake rasmi, bendera yake, wimbo wa taifa na Lugha yake ya rasmi ambapo shughuli zote za nchi za serikali lazima zitumia vitu hivi.

Ni failed States pekee ambazo zinatumia pesa za nchi zingine kama vile Zimbabwe uchumi ulipokufa, serikali iliruhusu Randi ya South Africa na USD zitumike rasmi. Ni Kenya pekee hapa duniani ambapo shughuli za chama na serikali zinaendeshwa kwa lugha ambayo sio lugha ya taifa iliyotajwa katika Latina.

Hii article inasema waziwazi kwamba wakenya wengi wanatumia kiswahili kuliko kiingereza, sasa viongozi wanapotumia kiingereza wanawalenga wananchi walio wengi au wachachi waliotabaka la Juu? Ukisikia Tanzania inaongoza Africa ktk inclusiveness ni pamoja na hili. Kenya haiwajali kabisa watu wa tabaka la chini, capitalism imetengeneza matabaka ya watu, Kenya ina matatizo mengi Sana, Kenya is a confused country.

 

[eliakeem]

Muandishi amejaribu kukielezea kitu kinachoitwa MISIMU ambayo ni maneno ambayo huzaliwa, hukua na kufa. nakumbuka miaka ya themanini na tisini tulikuwa na jarida la SANI ambalo lilikuwa na sehemu ya iliyoitwa KIFIMBO CHEZA. ktk sehemu HII ilikuwa mahsusi kwa kurekebisha wachafuzi wa lugha. Mzee KIFIMBO CHEZA alikuwa na kazi ya kuhakikisha vijana wanatumia lugha vizuri, walioharibu lugha (mfano kutumia maneno; njagu - polisi, manzi - msichana, debe - muziki, kwanja - muziki, mandondo - maharagwe) waliadhibiwa. Sasa huu ni mfano tu wa jinsi MISIMU ilivyokuwepo tangu kitambo, lkn hakukuwa na madhara makubwa kama ambayo muandishi anavyojaribu kutuaminisha.

Kuchanganya kwa lugha ya malkia na kiswahili siyo jambo geni, ukienda ulaya kwenye nchi zisizozungumza kiingereza utakuta wanaongea baadhi ya maneno au kuingiza maneno ya kiingereza katika sentensi za lugha wanazoongea. na hilo halina madhara katika lugha husika. na hilo pia limefanyika kwa miaka mingi.

Niwatoe tu wasiwasi, hayo maneno yanayotumika ni MISIMU, hayana madhara kwa maneno au lugha ya msingi inayotumika kwa miaka mingi.

Lakini katika mafunzo au nyanza zote rasmi, MISIMU isiwe na NAFASI. maneno rasmi tu (ambayo yamo kwenye kamusi ya kiswahili) ndiyo yatumike kwenye nyanja hizo.

 

[eliakeem]

KISWAHILI ni TUNU YETU na KITABAKI kuwa TUNU YETU.

 

[tuusan]

Sijaamini nimesoma iyo makala yote mwanzo hadi mwisho,nimeipenda alivyoandaa ,lugha rahisi kabisa unasoma unaelewa Kiingereza.

Watanzania wengi huongea lugha tatu, ya kabila lake, Kiswahili na kingereza kwa wale waliobahatika kusoma zaidi, tunaamini lugha ya kingereza Ni lugha ya kitaalam kwasababu ndio yakufundishia sekondari na vyuoni

Kiswahili ni lugha yakimazungumzo popote pale kinakubalika ndani ya Tz hii utatumia Kiingereza kama una uhakika ni muhimu kukitumia na unaezungumza nae awe anakijua vilivyo.

 

[Kunyongo]

The problem with Kenyans is that they fail to recall on the fact that in Tanzania today kiswahili is "a child born language" while in Kenya is " a child learning language".