Swahili

Swahili or Kiswahili is a Bantu language and the first language of the Swahili people. It is a lingua franca of the African Great Lakes region and other parts of eastern and south-eastern Africa, including Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Mozambique, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

History

The Swahili language originates from the Bantu languages. It has borrowed words from other languages such as Arabic, due to historical interactions with Arab nations. The name Swahili comes from the Arabic word Sawahil, meaning "coasts". The language is also significantly influenced by Persian, English, Portuguese, German, and French.

Geographic distribution

Swahili is the official language of Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda. It is also widely spoken in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and serves as one of the working languages of the African Union and the East African Community.

Dialects

There are several dialects of Swahili, including Kiunguja (spoken in Zanzibar), Kimvita (spoken in Mombasa), and Kiamu (spoken in Lamu). Standard Swahili is based on the Kiunguja dialect.

Grammar

Swahili grammar is typical for Bantu languages, with a system of noun classes and complex verb conjugation. Swahili verbs are inflected for tense, aspect, mood, and subject and object agreement.

Writing system

Swahili is written in the Latin script. It was previously written in the Arabic script in some regions, a script known as Aljamiado.

Learning and teaching

Swahili is taught in academic institutions from Africa to the Americas. It is often taught as a foreign language in various institutions around the world, particularly in English-speaking countries.

See also

• Swahili culture
• Swahili literature
• Swahili music