The Kamusi Project
How do we deal with this issue?
Submitted by machariasamuel on 20 July 2006 - 4:17pm
since language is an aspect of culture and culture is dynamic do you think that it is possible to have an exhoustive kamusi Or dictionary for the kiswahili language?
especially considering that we kiswahili speakers belong to a society with a rapidly changing culture. ( I am a Kenyan who grew up in a sub urban society)
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English
Swahili
How do we deal with this issue?
I think the answer lies in your own question. Kiswahili, and for that matter ANY language, is a reflection of society at large. Implying that we can have an exhaustive kamusi, is tantamount to saying that language is finite. This is clearly not the case, as youth culture, media/social event change our language constantly. To quote some examples: Victorian English (or even some people's grandparents) when they say "queer" they mean "odd". Whereas nowadays "queer" is a derogatory term for "homosexual". MTV youth culture has changed some perceptions so that if someone say "this is a bad/sick tune" - they actual mean "good!". And kiswahili is not immune. Public transport buses used to be called "basi" - note the phonetic pronounciation. But then the slang term is "dala-dala". (Once again the phonetic pronounciation being a bastardization of "dollar dollar".) Thus we can see language evolves and is dynamic, and the likelihood of an exhaustive kamusi is tantamount to chasing one's tale.
let us preserve it
I believe the onus is on us who knew the swahili sanifu to preserve it. This is not to say that we should not shange dynamically with the cultural changes but that we should strive not to forget the essence of swahili. That is what we owe our descendants. let us call it "Moti" but never forget it is also called "gari"
Walter Oduk
Hardware/Software Engineer
Houston Community College
713-718-5855
walter.oduk@hccs.edu
Kiswahili cha mtaani
Even those who speak "street" Kiswahili know the 'proper' version, and would wonder when a 'respectable' person speaks the 'street' version. That goes on until more persons know the street version than the 'proper' one: then it become proper, and that would be the opportune moment to include the word in this dictionary. It will be unfair for someone to learn a word; only to become a laughing stock when he/she uses it at a community of Kiswahili speakers because it is used at a 'formal' situation where the word is not expected to be used.
Chumvi
"Ni ujuha mtupu!"
http://www.cm.co.tz/chumvi
[old site]http://chumvi.tripod.com
Ujuha mtupu
Kwa nini rafiki watumia "ujuha mtupu" kama nembo au kauli mbio yako? Michango yako kwenye tovuti hii haina uhusiano hata kidogo na upumbavu.Hii ni aina ya kiinimacho, mazingaombwe au nini?