Kenya Languages: Difference between revisions

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Kenya

Languages

Description[edit | edit source]

Kenya's various ethnic groups typically speak their mother tongues within their own communities. There are a total of 68 languages spoken in Kenya.
Kenya is a multilingual country. The two official languages, English and Swahili, are used in varying degrees of fluency for communication with other populations. English is widely spoken in commerce, schooling, and government. There are more speakers of Swahili than English in Kenya. ^[1] ^[2]

British English - primarily used in Kenya. ^[3]
Swahili ^[4]

Largest Communities of Native Speakers in Kenya based on 2019 Census:

Bantu languages
- Kikuyu - 8.1 million
- Kamba - 4.7 million
- Luhya - 3.3 million
Nilotic languages
- Dholuo - 5.0 million
- Kalenjin - 1.9 million

Word List(s)[edit | edit source]

Swahili Word List - 101languages
Useful Swahili phrases - Omniglot
Swahili Phrase list - WikiTravel
Martin Benjamin & Elin Berglund, Swahili phrasebook & dictionary, Footscray, Victoria : Lonely Planet, 2014 - Available at WorldCat

Alphabet and Pronunciation[edit | edit source]

Alphabet

Swahili Alphabet - Wikipedia
Swahili Alphabet - Omniglot

Pronunciation

Swahili Pronunciation - Omniglot
Swahili Pronunciation guide - WikiTravel

Language Aids and Dictionaries[edit | edit source]

Dictionaries

D V Perrott, Swahili Dictionary, Hodder & Stoughton Ltd, 1965 - Available at WorldCat
Willy A Kirkeby, English Swahili dictionary, Dar es Salaam : Kirkeby Publ., 2002 - Available at WorldCat

Online Dictionaries

Language Aids

Swahili Grammar - ilanguages
Swahili Grammar - Wikipedia
Fidèle Mpiranya, Swahili grammar and workbook, New York : Routledge, 2015 - Available at WorldCat
F Burt, Swahili Grammar and Vocabulary, München : Lincom Europa, 2011 - Available at WorldCat
E O Ashton, Swahili grammar : (including intonation), London Longman 1977 - Available at WorldCat

Additional Resources[edit | edit source]

Edward Steere, A Handbook of the Swahili Language, Norderstedt Hansebooks GmbH 2017 - Available at WorldCat

References[edit | edit source]

↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Kenya," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenya#Languages, accessed 3 Feb 2022.
↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Languages of Kenya," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Kenya, accessed 3 Feb 2022.
↑ Wikipedia contributors, "British English," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_English, accessed 4 Feb 2022.
↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Swahili language," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swahili_language, accessed 3 Feb 2022.

Swahili Language Resources[edit | edit source]

Somali Language Resources[edit | edit source]

Parts of Kenya speak Somali. Below are language resources for the Somali language.

[1] Wikipedia contributors, "Kenya," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenya#Languages, accessed 3 Feb 2022.

[2] Wikipedia contributors, "Languages of Kenya," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Kenya, accessed 3 Feb 2022.

[3] Wikipedia contributors, "British English," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_English, accessed 4 Feb 2022.

[4] Wikipedia contributors, "Swahili language," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swahili_language, accessed 3 Feb 2022.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

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+{{Kenya-sidebar}}{{breadcrumb
-|Country=Kenya
-|Name=Kenya
-|Type=Topic
-|Topic Type=Background
-|Background=Languages
-|Rating=Standardized
-}}{{breadcrumb
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@@ Line 15: / Line 8: @@
 ==Description==
 Kenya's various ethnic groups typically speak their mother tongues within their own communities. There are a total of 68 languages spoken in Kenya.<br>
-Kenya is a multilingual country. The two official languages, English and Swahili, are used in varying degrees of fluency for communication with other populations. English is widely spoken in commerce, schooling, and government. There are more speakers of Swahili than English in Kenya. <ref>Wikipedia contributors, "Kenya," in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'', https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenya#Languages, accessed 3 Feb 2022.</ref> <ref>Wikipedia contributors, "Languages of Kenya," in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'', https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Kenya, accessed 3 Feb 2022.</ref><br><br>
+Kenya is a multilingual country. The two official languages, English and Swahili, are used in varying degrees of fluency for communication with other populations. English is widely spoken in commerce, schooling, and government. There are more speakers of Swahili than English in Kenya. <ref>Wikipedia contributors, "Kenya," in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'', https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenya#Languages, accessed 3 Feb 2022.</ref> <ref>Wikipedia contributors, "Languages of Kenya," in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'', https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Kenya, accessed 3 Feb 2022.</ref>
-Official Languages are:<br>
 * '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_English British English]''' - primarily used in Kenya. <ref>Wikipedia contributors, "British English," in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'', https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_English, accessed 4 Feb 2022.</ref>
 * '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swahili_language Swahili]''' <ref>Wikipedia contributors, "Swahili language," in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'', https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swahili_language, accessed 3 Feb 2022.</ref>
-Largest Communities of Native Speakers in Kenya based on 2019 Census: <ref>Wikipedia contributors, "Languages of Kenya," in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'', https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Kenya, accessed 4 Feb 2022.</ref>
+Largest Communities of Native Speakers in Kenya based on 2019 Census:
 * '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bantu_languages Bantu languages]'''
 ** '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kikuyu_language Kikuyu]''' - 8.1 million
@@ Line 27: / Line 19: @@
 * '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nilotic_languages Nilotic languages]'''
 ** '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dholuo Dholuo]''' - 5.0 million
-** '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalenjin_languages Kalenjin]''' - 4.6 million
+** '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalenjin_languages Kalenjin]''' - 1.9 million
-** '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maasai_language Maasai]''' - 1.2 million
-** '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkana_language Turkana]''' - 1.0 million
-* '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cushitic_languages Cushitic languages]'''
-** '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somali_language Somali]''' - 2.8 million
 ==Word List(s)==
@@ Line 37: / Line 26: @@
 * [https://omniglot.com/language/phrases/swahili.php Useful Swahili phrases] - Omniglot
 * [https://wikitravel.org/en/Swahili_phrasebook#:~:text=Phrase%20list Swahili Phrase list] - WikiTravel
-* Benjamin, Martin. ''Swahili phrasebook & dictionary.'' Footscray, Victoria: Lonely Planet, 2014. '''''Available at:''''' [https://www.worldcat.org/title/879400470 WorldCat].
+* Martin Benjamin & Elin Berglund, '''''Swahili phrasebook & dictionary''''', 	Footscray, Victoria : Lonely Planet, 2014 - [https://www.worldcat.org/title/swahili-phrasebook-dictionary/oclc/879400470&referer=brief_results Available at WorldCat]
-* [https://omniglot.com/language/phrases/somali.php Useful phrases in Somali] - Omniglot
 ==Alphabet and Pronunciation==
 '''Alphabet'''
 * [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swahili_language#:~:text=Phonology Swahili Alphabet] - Wikipedia
-* [https://omniglot.com/writing/kikuyu.htm#:~:text=Kikuyu%20alphabet Kikuyu alphabet] - Omniglot
-* [https://omniglot.com/writing/dholuo.php#:~:text=Latin%20alphabet%20for%20Dholuo Latin alphabet for Dholuo] - Omniglot
-* [https://omniglot.com/writing/dholuo.php#:~:text=Latin%20alphabet%20for%20Dholuo Latin alphabet for Dholuo] - Omniglot
-* [https://omniglot.com/writing/turkana.htm#:~:text=Turkana%20alphabet Turkana alphabet] - Omniglot
 * [https://www.omniglot.com/writing/swahili.htm#:~:text=Swahili%20alphabet Swahili Alphabet] - Omniglot
@@ Line 52: / Line 36: @@
 * [https://www.omniglot.com/writing/swahili.htm#:~:text=pronunciation Swahili Pronunciation] - Omniglot
 * [https://wikitravel.org/en/Swahili_phrasebook#:~:text=Pronunciation%20guide Swahili Pronunciation guide] - WikiTravel
-* [https://omniglot.com/writing/maasai.htm#:~:text=Maasai%20pronunciation Maasai pronunciation] - Omniglot
 ==Language Aids and Dictionaries==
 '''Dictionaries'''
-* Perrott, D. V. ''Swahili Dictionary.'' n.p.: Hodder & Stoughton Ltd,, 1965. '''''Available at:''''' [https://www.worldcat.org/title/1074425477 WorldCat].
+* D V Perrott, '''''Swahili Dictionary''''', Hodder & Stoughton Ltd, 1965 - [https://www.worldcat.org/title/swahili-dictionary/oclc/1074425477&referer=brief_results Available at WorldCat]
-* Kirkeby, Willy A. ''English Swahili dictionary.'' Dar es Salaam: Kirkeby Publ, 2002. '''''Available at:''''' [https://www.worldcat.org/title/179940490 WorldCat].
+* Willy A Kirkeby, '''''English Swahili dictionary''''', Dar es Salaam : Kirkeby Publ., 2002 - [https://www.worldcat.org/title/english-swahili-dictionary/oclc/179940490&referer=brief_results Available at WorldCat]
-* Barlow, A. Ruffell and T. G. Benson. ''English-Kikuyu dictionary.'' Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1975. '''''Available at:''''' [https://www.worldcat.org/title/2383341 WorldCat].
-* Axmed, Cabdulqaadir Xaaji Cali Xaaji, Nicholas Awde, and Martin Orwin. ''Somali-English, English-Somali dictionary and phrasebook.'' New York: Hippocrene Books, 2012. '''''Available at:''''' [https://www.worldcat.org/title/825000209 WorldCat].
 '''Online Dictionaries'''
@@ Line 65: / Line 46: @@
 * [https://en.bab.la/dictionary/swahili-english/ Swahili-English] - Bab.la
 * [https://glosbe.com/en/sw Dictionary English - Swahili] - Glosbe
-* [https://glosbe.com/en/ki Dictionary English - Kikuyu] - Glosbe
-* [https://glosbe.com/en/kam Dictionary English - Kamba] - Glosbe
-* [https://glosbe.com/en/kln Dictionary English - Kalenjin] - Glosbe
-* [https://glosbe.com/en/mas Dictionary English - Masai] - Glosbe
-* [https://glosbe.com/en/tuv Dictionary English - Turkana] - Glosbe
-* [https://glosbe.com/en/so Dictionary English - Somali] - Glosbe
 '''Language Aids'''
 * [http://ilanguages.org/swahili_grammar.php Swahili Grammar] - ilanguages
 * [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swahili_language#:~:text=Grammar Swahili Grammar] - Wikipedia
-* Mpiranya, Fidèle. ''Swahili grammar and workbook.'' New York: Routledge, 2015. '''''Available at:''''' [https://www.worldcat.org/title/892911314 WorldCat].
+* Fidèle Mpiranya, '''''Swahili grammar and workbook''''', 	New York : Routledge, 2015 - [https://www.worldcat.org/title/swahili-grammar-and-workbook/oclc/892911314&referer=brief_results Available at WorldCat]
-* Burt, F. ''Swahili Grammar and Vocabulary.'' München: LINCOM EUROPA, 2011. '''''Available at:''''' [https://www.worldcat.org/title/780132850 WorldCat].
+* F Burt, '''''Swahili Grammar and Vocabulary''''', München : Lincom Europa, 2011 - [https://www.worldcat.org/title/swahili-grammar-and-vocabulary/oclc/780132850&referer=brief_results Available at WorldCat]
-* Ashton, E. O. ''Swahili grammar.'' London: Longman, 1977. '''''Available at:''''' [https://www.worldcat.org/title/255772359 WorldCat].
+* E O Ashton, '''''Swahili grammar : (including intonation)''''', London Longman 1977 - [https://www.worldcat.org/title/swahili-grammar-including-intonation/oclc/255772359&referer=brief_results Available at WorldCat]
 ==Additional Resources==
-* Steere, Edward. ''A Handbook of the Swahili Language.'' Norderstedt: Hansebooks GmbH, 2017. '''''Available at:''''' [https://www.worldcat.org/title/1189527154 WorldCat].
+* Edward Steere, '''''A Handbook of the Swahili Language''''', Norderstedt Hansebooks GmbH 2017 - [https://www.worldcat.org/title/a-handbook-of-the-swahili-language-as-spoken-at-zanzibar/oclc/1189527154&referer=brief_results Available at WorldCat]
 == References  ==
 {{reflist}}
+===Swahili Language Resources===
+*[https://magicalkenya.com/visit-kenya/learn-swahili/ Swahili is Kenya’s national language.]
+*[http://www.kenya-information-guide.com/kenya-language.html Languages spoken in Kenya]
+*[http://www.lexilogos.com/english/swahili_dictionary.htm Swahili language resources]
+*[http://aboutworldlanguages.com/swahili Swahili language overview]
+*[http://learn101.org/swahili.php Swahili basics and grammar]
+===Somali Language Resources===
+Parts of Kenya speak Somali. Below are language resources for the Somali language.
+*[http://aboutworldlanguages.com/somali Somali language overview]
+*[http://learn101.org/somali_grammar.php  Somali basics and grammar]
+*[http://polymath.org/somali_grammar_list.php Somali grammar]
+*[https://glosbe.com/so/en Somali online dictionary]
+*[http://countrystudies.us/somalia/51.htm Country Studies - Somalia Language]
+*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somali_language Wikipedia - Somali Language]
+*[http://www.lexilogos.com/english/somali_dictionary.htm  Somali language resources]
+*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somali_language Somali language - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia]
+*[https://www.britannica.com/topic/Afro-Asiatic-languages Afro-Asiatic languages | Britannica.com]
 [[Category:Kenya]]