Swahili language

Dialects

Since colonial times circa 1870 to 1960 and into the present time Kiunguja, the Zanzibar dialect of Swahili, has become the basis of Standard Swahili as used in East Africa. Nevertheless Swahili encompasses more than fifteen distinct dialects including:

Related Topics:
Kiunguja - Zanzibar - Standard Swahili

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Kiunguja: Spoken on Zanzibar island and environs. The basis of Standard Swahili.
• Kimrima: Spoken around Pangani, Vanga, Dar es Salaam, Rufiji and Mafia Island.
• Kimgao: Spoken around Kilwa and to the south.
• Kipemba: Spoken around Pemba.
• Kimvita: Spoken in and around Mvita or Mombasa. Historically the major dialect alongside Kiunguja.
• Kiamu: Spoken in and around the island of Lamu (Amu).
• Kingwana: Spoken in the eastern and southern regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Sometimes called Copperbelt Swahili, especially the variety spoken in the south.
• Kingozi: Is a special case as it was the language of the inhabitants of the ancient town of "Ngozi" and is perhaps the basis of the Swahili language.
• Shikomor, the languages of the Comoros Islands, are closely related to Swahili. The dialects: Kingazija (or shingadzija) spoken on Grande Comore and Mahorian spoken on Mayotte are usually considered Swahili dialects.
• Kimwani: Spoken in the Kerimba Islands and northern coastal Mozambique.
• Chimwiini: Spoken in Barawa, in the southern coast of Somalia.
• Sheng - a sort of street slang, is a blend of Swahili, English, and some ethnic languages spoken in and around Nairobi in informal settings. Sheng originated in the Nairobi slums and is considered fashionable and cosmopolitan among a growing segment of the population.