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Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Africa > Tanzania > Swahili

Swahili

A language of Tanzania

ISO 639-3: swh

Population	350,000 in Tanzania (2006). 313,200 monolinguals. Population total all countries: 787,630.
Region	Zanzibar, coastal areas. Also in Burundi, Canada, Kenya, Libya, Mayotte, Mozambique, Oman, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United States.
Language map	Tanzania, reference number 58
Alternate names	Kisuaheli, Kiswahili
Dialects	Mrima, Unguja (Kiunguja, Zanzibar), Pemba, Mgao. The Bajun dialect has 85% lexical similarity with the Amu dialect, 78% with the Mvita, 72% with the Mrima; Mvita has 86% with Amu, 79% with Mrima; Mrima has 79% with Amu.
Classification	Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, G, Swahili (G.40) A member of macrolanguage Swahili [swa] (Tanzania).
Language use	Official language. 30,000,000 rural people are L2 users; they use the local language for most activities, but Swahili [swh] with outsiders. It is also common for people of numerous ethnic groups besides Swahili who grow up in certain towns to speak Swahili as L1.
Language development	Fully developed. Bible: 1891–1996.
Writing system	Latin script.
Comments	SVO. Muslim, Christian.

Also spoken in:

Burundi

Language name	Swahili
Population	6,360 in Burundi (2000).
Region	Widelyspread in the capital. L1 in Buyenzi, Quartier asiatique, Muslim neighborhoods, and Congolese neighborhoods (probably Congo Swahili). Spoken by Muslims in other cities like Gitega.
Language use	National language. Religious services.
Comments	Muslim.

Kenya

Language name	Kiswahili
Population	131,000 in Kenya, increasing. 66,000 Bajuni (1994 I. Larsen BTL), 6,000 Siyu, 3,000 Pate, 15,000 Amu, 25,000 to 30,000 Mvita, 13,900 Shirazi (1989 census), 2,000 Vumba (Heine and Möhlig 1980).
Region	Coast Province.
Language map	Kenya, reference number 21
Alternate names	Arab-Swahili, Kisuahili, Kiswaheli, Suahili
Dialects	Amu, Mvita (Kimvita, Mombasa), Bajuni (Bajun, T’ik’uu, Tikulu, Tukulu, Gunya, Mbalazi, Chimbalazi), Pate, Pemba (Phemba, Hadimu, Tambatu), Mrima, Fundi, Siu (Siyu), Shamba (Kishamba), Matondoni.
Language use	Official language. Classical and modern literature. GIDS 1. All domains. All ages. Positive attitude.
Language development	Literacy rate in L1: 80%. Literacy rate in L2: 70% (English). Kiswahili [swh] is compulsory in primary education. Taught in secondary schools.
Comments	Bajuni most divergent. The Bajuni and Pemba dialects may be separate languages. Traders; small businessmen; Bajun: fishermen; agriculturalists. Muslim.

Mayotte

Language name	Swahili
Population	2,740 in Mayotte (Johnstone 1993).
Comments	Muslim.

Mozambique

Language name	Swahili
Population	10,000 in Mozambique (2006).
Region	Northern.
Language map	Mozambique, reference number 32
Language use	L2 speakers in Mozambique.

Somalia

Language name	Swahili
Population	184,000 in Somalia (2006).
Region	Mwini in Baraawe (Brava), Lower Shabeelle, and scattered in southern towns; Bajun in Kismaayo District and nearby coast. Most fled to Kenya due to civil war.
Language map	Somalia
Dialects	Mwini (Mwiini, Chimwiini, Af-Chimwiini, Barwaani, Bravanese), Bajuni (Kibajuni, Bajun, Af-Bajuun, Mbalazi, Chimbalazi).
Comments	Reportedly came centuries ago from Zanzibar. Mwini: artisans (leather goods); Bajun: fishermen.

South Africa

Language name	Swahili
Population	2,000 in South Africa (2006).
Region	Chatsworth, an urban area near Durban on Natal coast.
Alternate names	Arab-Swahili, Kisuahili, Kiswaheli, Suahili
Comments	Zanzibaris brought from Zanzibar and northern Mozambique from 1873 to 1878. Market gardeners. Muslim.

Uganda

Language name	Swahili
Population	2,330 in Uganda (2000).
Alternate names	Kisuaheli, Kiswahili
Dialects	Shamba (Kishamba).
Comments	Muslim.

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

Augustin, Maryanne. 2007. "Topic and focus in Swahili."  

Floor, Sebastian. 1999. "Confirmative demonstratives."

Floor, Sebastian. 2003. "Demonstrativos confirmativos."

Frantz, Donald G. 1983. "Advancements to direct object in Chi-Mwi:ni."

Lewis, Scott. 2003. "Mbugu/Maʼa project."  

Nicolle, Stephen M. 1996. Conceptual and procedural encoding in relevance theory: a study with reference to English and Kiswahili.

Nicolle, Steve. 2001. "A comparative study of ethnobotanical taxonomies: Swahili and Digo."

Noss, Phil and Peter Renju. 2007. "Mwalimu Nyerere engages his people: Scripture translation in Swahili verse."  

Stegen, Oliver. 2005. Developing Bantu language descriptions in Swahili: strengthening both Tanzanian vernaculars AND Swahili in education.