What are the status of English language in Tanzania?
English, the former colonial language, is the de facto national working language and medium of instruction in secondary and higher education. However, English remains a minority language, spoken by approximately 5\% of the population, most of whom are members of a higher social class (Tibategeza, 2010).
Is English widely spoken in Tanzania?
Tanzania is an East African country and Swahili is the nation’s official language. English is widely spoken, and other languages spoken in the country are the native tongues of various ethnic groups. Most of Tanzania’s population is fluent in their mother tongue and one other language, mainly Kiswahili.
What is language situation in Tanzania?
Tanzania is a multilingual country. There are many languages spoken in the country, but no one language is spoken natively by a majority or a large plurality of the population. Swahili and English, the latter of which was inherited from colonial rule (see Tanganyika Territory), are widely spoken as lingua francas.
Why is Swahili better than English?
Swahili is said to be the easiest African language for an English speaker to learn. It’s one of the few sub-Saharan African languages that have no lexical tone, just like in English. It’s also much easier to read as you read out Swahili words just the way they are written.
Why is English spoken in Tanzania?
Though it is less widely spoken than Swahili, English is still spoken by a significant proportion of the population, having arrived in Tanzania during Britain’s colonization of the country (which followed its inclusion in German East Africa).
What is the status of English language in the world?
English has achieved prime status by becoming the most widely spoken language in the world – if one disregards proficiency – ahead of Mandarin Chinese and Spanish. English is spoken in 101 countries, while Arabic is spoken in 60, French in 51, Chinese in 33, and Spanish in 31.
Why do people in Tanzania speak English?
Why are more African countries adopting English as an official language?
While the English language is valued by African countries as serving global economic interests, it also may serve economic and peace relations within the continent. English may be viewed as a tool that crosses regional, cultural and linguistic barriers.
Do they speak English in Zanzibar?
The indigenous language spoken throughout Zanzibar is Swahili (called Kiswahili locally). For visitors, English and several other European languages, such as French and Italian, are spoken in Zanzibar Town and most tourist areas.
Does Tanzania speak German?
We do not speak German at all, colonial buildings and the way some towns (Tabora, Tanga, Moshi and Some inland missions) are built; shows some German heritage. Not the language. Wir sprechen kein Deutsch. The Germans are the ones who promoted the use of Swahili in every aspect.
Is Kiswahili international language?
Although the status of Kiswahili as an international language remains average, it continues to grow. Kiswahili is the most developed African language and a lingua franca of the Eastern and Central Africa.
Which countries speak Swahili in Africa?
It’s a national language in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, and an official language of the East African Community which comprises Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan.
Is Kiswahili the new official language in Tanzania?
Tanzania dumps English as its official language in schools, opts for Kiswahili. “In terms of barriers to entry, language has always been cited as an issue,” says Ahmed Salim, Senior Associate at Teneo Intelligence, a political risk consultancy that works with U.S investors with interests in the region.
What is the current status of Swahili as a language?
Current status. Swahili has become a second language spoken by tens of millions in three African Great Lakes countries (Tanzania, Kenya, and the DRC) where it is an official or national language. It is the only African language in the African Union.
Will Kiswahili be used as a medium of instruction?
The Ministry of Education released an official, if vague, statement in 1984: “Both languages, English and Kiswahili, will be used as media of instruction. English will be improved at all levels of education” (Wizara ya Elimu 1984: 19, cited in Lwaitama and Rugelamira 1990: 37).
Will Tanzania’s decision to turn English into a foreign language worsen labor shortages?
In Tanzania, foreign investors have complained about the lack of capacity in the labor force, with English language skills being a major area of concern. The decision to turn English into a foreign language could exacerbate this problem.