Why Swahili is a Great Language to Know? | Felicitas Becker | TEDxYouth@Antwerp

Key Concepts

Swahili language, social distinction, verb conjugation, modular verb roots, grammatical gender, subtext associations, Swahili proverbs, Swahili poetry, compassion, current history in language, loanwords, social commentary.

Social Commentary and Language

The speaker, Phy Becca, expresses her enjoyment of the Swahili language, highlighting its unique qualities and cultural insights. She begins with a Swahili cartoon, "Kipanya Little Mouse," to illustrate how the language reflects social distinctions through clothing and expresses a critical attitude towards government abuse with a grim sense of humor. The cartoon depicts characters representing different social classes: Kamati (the committee), Seri (a gangster), and a "nyonge" (a wretched, marginal person). The dialogue reveals a cynical view of government and taxation.

Example: Kamati says, "if he doesn't have anything just take his trousers," reflecting a harsh attitude.

Verb Conjugation and Word Formation

Swahili is presented as a language where much can be conveyed in a single word due to its verb conjugation system. The speaker demonstrates how prefixes and suffixes are added to verb roots to modify their meaning.

Example: The word "Nitaiosha" (I will wash it) is formed from the root "-osha" (to wash) with prefixes indicating the subject ("Ni-"), tense ("-ta-"), and object ("-i-").

The modular system for verb roots is explained with the example of "-jua" (to know). By adding different prefixes and suffixes, it can become "juana" (to know each other), "julikana" (to be known), and "julisha" (to let someone know). This allows for concise expression.

Example: "Namjulisha" (I will let him/her know) and "Anajulikana" (He/she is well known).

Grammatical Features and Subtext

Swahili does not use grammatical gender, simplifying pronoun usage. The speaker also points out interesting subtextual associations within the language, where words related to each other share thematic connections.

Example: "Nyoka" (snake) is related to "kunyoka" (to be straight), which the speaker finds interesting because in English, "snaking" implies not being straight. "Kazi" (work) is derived from "kuka" (to reside, to live somewhere), acknowledging that running a home is work.

Geographic Distribution and Linguistic Background

Swahili is spoken by over 200 million people across East Africa, originating on the Swahili coast. It belongs to the Bantu language family, which includes up to 700 languages with nearly 400 million speakers. Swahili has incorporated loanwords from Arabic, Hindi, Portuguese, and English.

Proverbs and Poetry

While "Hakuna Matata" is a well-known Swahili phrase, the speaker emphasizes that Swahili proverbs often have more complex meanings.

Examples:

• "Lima jua ule kivuli" (Cultivate in the sun so you can eat in the shadow) - an exhortation to hard work.
• "Mlevi wa mvinyo huamka, mlevi wa mali haamki" (Someone who is drunk on wine will sober up, but someone who is drunk on wealth will not) - a critical view of wealth.
• "Mfuata ulioko pwani" (The traveler is the one who is on the shore) - could mean you have to show up to succeed or that sometimes you just get lucky.
• "Kikulacho ki nguoni mwako" (That which bites you sits in your clothes) - the people who can hurt us the most are the people who are close to us.

Swahili poetry is also highlighted, with examples of both classical and contemporary forms. Newspaper poems, often submitted by ordinary people, are a common feature.

Compassion and Current Events in Language

The speaker notes that Swahili has rich ways of expressing compassion, such as the word "Pole," which translates to "I'm sorry for your troubles" and is used in various situations. "Samahani" is a different word for "sorry."

Current events and history are reflected in the language through new words and phrases.

Examples:

• "Mwana Beijing" (Child of Beijing) - an assertive woman, referring to the UN Women's Conference in Beijing.
• "Kosama" - to beat someone badly, derived from Osama bin Laden's first name.
• "Kikosovo" - something small and inadequate, referring to the wars in the Balkans.
• "Kichwa cha muni" (ostrich head) - a colloquial term for Donald Trump, referencing his hairstyle and facial features.

Conclusion

The speaker concludes by emphasizing that Swahili, despite being a language from a distant place, can enrich and deepen one's understanding of the world, even for people in Europe. It offers unique perspectives and ways of expressing ideas that can be insightful and valuable.