Swahili Language

Tanzania has a linguistic diversity unique in Africa with, for example, the rare Khoisan click Language characterized by implosing consonants (spoken only by the Sandawe and Hadza and common among South Africa's Bushmen and Hottentots) and Cushitic and Nilotic languages in the North of the country. But the lingua franca is a major Bantu Language with more than 100 dialects, Swahili, the name of which derives from the Arabic 'sahit' or 'the coast'. It is the only Bantu Language with written literature in Arabic script - the first manuscript dates back to the 17th Century, with the longest versified poetry epic in any African Language on the life of Muhammad.

In 1925 Swahili became the first instruction Language at Primary level and was declared Tanzania's official Language in 1963. Standard Swahili is Kiunguja spoken on Zanzibar and on the Mainland.

Tanzania has a linguistic diversity unique in Africa with, for example, the rare Khoisan click Language characterized by implosing consonants (spoken only by the Sandawe and Hadza and common among South Africa's Bushmen and Hottentots) and Cushitic and Nilotic languages in the North of the country. But the lingua franca is a major Bantu Language with more than 100 dialects, Swahili, the name of which derives from the Arabic 'sahit' or 'the coast'. It is the only Bantu Language with written literature in Arabic script - the first manuscript dates back to the 17th Century, with the longest versified poetry epic in any African Language on the life of Muhammad.

In 1925 Swahili became the first instruction Language at Primary level and was declared Tanzania's official Language in 1963. Standard Swahili is Kiunguja spoken on Zanzibar and on the Mainland.

Tanzania has a linguistic diversity unique in Africa with, for example, the rare Khoisan click Language characterized by implosing consonants (spoken only by the Sandawe and Hadza and common among South Africa's Bushmen and Hottentots) and Cushitic and Nilotic languages in the North of the country. But the lingua franca is a major Bantu Language with more than 100 dialects, Swahili, the name of which derives from the Arabic 'sahit' or 'the coast'. It is the only Bantu Language with written literature in Arabic script - the first manuscript dates back to the 17th Century, with the longest versified poetry epic in any African Language on the life of Muhammad.

In 1925 Swahili became the first instruction Language at Primary level and was declared Tanzania's official Language in 1963. Standard Swahili is Kiunguja spoken on Zanzibar and on the Mainland.