Linguist opposes making Swahili national language
Mar 11, 2005
PROF. Livingstone Walusimbi, a linguist majoring in African languages and lecturing at Makerere University, has slammed government’s proposal to adopt Swahili as the second national language.
By Cyprian Musoke
PROF. Livingstone Walusimbi, a linguist majoring in African languages and lecturing at Makerere University, has slammed government’s proposal to adopt Swahili as the second national language.
He told the legal and parliamentary affairs committee on Wednesday that making Swahili a national language would impose two foreign languages on Ugandans.
The constitutional (amendment) bill 2005 says the official language of Uganda is English, and that Swahili is recognised as the second official language.
“Swahili is not an indigenous language of Uganda, and it is what we call a ‘pidgin’ language without a culture. If a language without a culture is made a national language all our indigenous languages and culture will slowly fade away,†the don said.
He said whereas many African countries were developing their indigenous culture, Uganda seemed to embrace the foreign ones more.
Walusimbi proposed that after English, Luganda should be adopted for the central region, Runyakitara for the west, Luo/Iteso for the Nilotics, and Lugbara/Madi for those who originated from central Sudan.
PROF. Livingstone Walusimbi, a linguist majoring in African languages and lecturing at Makerere University, has slammed government’s proposal to adopt Swahili as the second national language.
He told the legal and parliamentary affairs committee on Wednesday that making Swahili a national language would impose two foreign languages on Ugandans.
The constitutional (amendment) bill 2005 says the official language of Uganda is English, and that Swahili is recognised as the second official language.
“Swahili is not an indigenous language of Uganda, and it is what we call a ‘pidgin’ language without a culture. If a language without a culture is made a national language all our indigenous languages and culture will slowly fade away,†the don said.
He said whereas many African countries were developing their indigenous culture, Uganda seemed to embrace the foreign ones more.
Walusimbi proposed that after English, Luganda should be adopted for the central region, Runyakitara for the west, Luo/Iteso for the Nilotics, and Lugbara/Madi for those who originated from central Sudan.