LANGUAGE IS CULTURE

We have moved to a country where English is not the native language. While people do know some, in order for us to live, work, and build relationships here, we must learn Swahili! So, we started a Beginner’s Course studying for 4 hours each morning and then putting it into practice in the afternoon. We have several nationals working on our training center who are very kind and patient with us as we conjugate verbs, remember tenses, and insert the appropriate prepositions... always speaking very, very slowly!

We have learned much about the Tanzanian culture by studying Swahili. On the first day, we learned how extremely important greetings are here. One does not simply pass by another with a friendly smile, casual wave, or brief passerby conversation. Instead, when you greet someone here, you have a conversation, asking about how they slept, how they woke up, how their morning is going, is there any news about their wife or children, how is their work, etc. Not only that, but we learned there are a number of ways one could ask us these questions! Needless to say, we had a lot to learn! But it really is incredible that after only a few days we were able to carry on brief conversations with nationals, some who don’t speak any English at all!

Here are a few cautions about Swahili that we’ve been told while learning. So, if you ever venture across the big pond, make sure your diction is clear otherwise you may say something you really don’t mean to say!

·         KUNYWA = to drink; KUNYA = to poop. Our teacher told us, “don’t poop soda, drink soda!”

·         KUMI = ten; KUMA = private lady parts. Don’t use the wrong one when counting with kids; the classroom might not settle down for a few minutes!

·         VUA = to undress or…. to fish. Yep, we laughed about this one for a few minutes!

·         KOFI = to hit; KAHAWA = coffee. Say both out loud… don’t ask the waiter for ‘kofi’ in a Tanzanian restaurant, you might just get slapped!! :)

·         PIKA vs. PIKIA. The other day I asked our house helper to cook food for me (using pika) and after being corrected and told to use (pikia), I realized that I had asked her to cook me, not for me!

·         CHUPA = bottle vs. CHUPI = underwear. Again I say, be careful with pronunciation!

Language learning is exhausting and rewarding all at the same time. Little by little we will learn to speak here… and then the opportunities are endless!!