mathematics
In Tanzanian discourse
lugha ya mitaani is contrasted with lugha fasaha literary language or Kiswahili fasaha literary Swahili. Kiswahili sanifu Standard Swahili is rarely used in contrast to LyM, except by Swahili scholars.
Kiswahili fasaha is described as Swahili as it is taught at school, and as it can be found in books. Beside Lugha ya Mitaani one can also hear the term Kibongo language of Bongo, i.e. Dar es Salaam, alluding to the fact that Dar es Salaam is the centre of linguistic creativity.
The attitude of Tanzanians towards Lugha ya Mitaani is ambivalent, as Ohly has already noted with respect to Swahili slang (1987: 3). Especially in rural areas and by older people it is seen as uchafuzi wa lugha language pollution used by wahuni bachelors and hooligans. Others recognise Lugha ya Mitaani as enriching Standard Swahili, which is seen as rather bookish (cf. Ohly 1987: 4).
Special forms of Lugha ya Mitaani
The complex of local Lugha za Mitaani is made up of geographically and socially indexed
variants which deviate more or less from each other. Besides that, some special codes can be identified which are connected to Standard Swahili in various ways. To different degrees they are part of the linguistic context of LzM, and probably stimulate the linguistic creativity in certain ways.
Lugha ya Kiswahili ni lugha inayokua kila siku. Watu wanaoikuza lugha hiyo hasa ni vijana na waimbaji wa muziki aina ya taarabu yaani mipasho. Kwa hiyo maneno mengi ya vijana huja na kupita na mengine hubakia na kuendelea kutumika hadi leo.
inspekta noisy and inquisitive person
mzamiaji = somebody who comes to a place or event without invitation
kidudu mtu = bad person, someone who threatens
kikáladi = coloured person
kiroba = 1. passenger who gets a free lift, 2. somebody being in bad shape
dakika moja mbele = stupid person, fool
domo zege = rhetorically slow and clumsy person
ngombe rich person getting pinned down by hooligans
mchovu = lazy person, somebody without money
teja = drug user
mchizi = friend
shwaini = pig, person with bad manners
mshikaji = friend
mbushi = layman, rural person
pimbi = short person
1/2 (
mbovu, mdosho, mkaskazini), and classes = 4/5 (
mlupo), but many to classes 5/6 (
anti, kolboksi, luzi), to classes
7/8 (
kiluzi, kingasti, kipepe, kipopo, kirukanjia).
(5) Respectful terms
anti : address and reference
sista: address
(6)
Attractive women (normally not used as address) =
chuma, demu, manzi, mkaskazini, kingasti, mdosho, pótabo, shi, sista du, totoz, kifaa;
(7)
Contemptuous terms (normally not used as address) =
gashi, luzi, kiluzi, ngozi, chupi, ngoma;
(8)
Girlfriend/lover (used in reference; predominantly used with possessive) =
chuma, sholi, manzi, demu, totoz, kishtobe, shi;
(9)
Girlfriend (used in address; predominantly used with possessive) =
asali wa moyo, mwandani, laazizi;
(10)
Promiscuous women & prostitutes =
a) Not yet settled: kiluzi, kipepe, kipopo, kirukanjia, mdosho, mlupo, luzi;
b) Prostitutes: shankupe, changudoa, sidi, mama huruma, mbovu, shangingi, gubeli;
c) Nymphomaniacs: kolboksi, maharage ya mbeya, shugamemmi, waluwalu, kimeo;
(11)
Women with big bodies =
gubeli, jimama, nyambizi, shangingi, tinginya
(12)
Women perceived as unattractive =
kimeo something bad and rotten, even a woman
(13) Term used among women, especially as address =
shosti good friend
(14) Mother =
Bi mkubwa, kibize, maza;
