There has been a lot of recent work to standardize the names of countries in Swahili. We're trying to incorporate all of that work into the Kamusi lexicon, but we've also got dozens of other projects happening, so it won't be complete immediately. If you want to help, please refer to the appendix of the 2nd edition of the Kamusi ya Kiswahili Sanifu (not available for purchase on Amazon, unfortunately), and help us enter the terms.

Although some of the country terms are still under dispute (which we indicate when we enter the term in the Kamusi), there is unanimous agreement that the standard Swahili for Germany/ German language is Ujerumani/ Kijerumani.

I've even read "Ujermani" / "Kijermani" somewhere, without a vowel in between. This indicates that -ru- would have been spoken.

Thanks for the confirmation of what I had learned. Incidentally, the [u]Kamusi ya Kiswahili sanifu[/u] may not be available from amazon.com, but it is listed at amazon.ca for $23.95 Canadian (a much better deal than any price I've seen recently in the US): http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/0195723694/702-3991233-6175219

Lilendi

http://www.geocities.com/lilandr/lingvoj/svahila/index_sw.html

I am an msemaji myself of 18 years and although I am not a linguist, I've never been taught "ujerumani." I've only heard the -re- and not the -ru-.

Natumaini hii imekuwa msaada mdogo kwako.

Lea

>I notice the dictionary has
>"Ujerumani" but "-jeremani". My own
>limited experience checked against
>Google suggests that the former
>(-ru-) is more normative than the
>latter (-re-), but I do not
>consider myself enough of an
>msemaji wa Kiswahili to go around
>changing such things. Advice?
>
>Lilendi
>

I agree with your opinion, but my usage experience is circa the 1970s...

Tiel