Table of Contents
- 1 What is the official language in Kenya?
- 2 What is the official language in Namibia?
- 3 What is the difference between national language and official language?
- 4 How many official languages does Kenya have?
- 5 Why did Namibia choose English as an official language?
- 6 How English became an official language in Namibia?
- 7 What is the difference between official language and lingua franca?
- 8 What is the official language of Namibia?
- 9 How many official languages are there in South Africa?
- 10 Is Swahili a legal language in Kenya?
What is the official language in Kenya?
Swahili
English
Kenya/Official languages
What is the official language in Namibia?
English
Namibia/Official languages
Namibia is a multilingual country wherein German is recognised as a national language (a form of minority language). While English has been the sole official language of the country since 1990, in many areas of the country, German enjoys official status at a community level.
Does Namibia speak Swahili?
In 2018, South Africa legalized the teaching of Swahili in schools as an optional subject to begin in 2020. Botswana followed in 2020, and Namibia plans to introduce the language as well….Swahili language.
| Swahili | |
|---|---|
| Native speakers | Estimates range from 2 million (2003) to 18 million (2012) L2 speakers: 90 million (1991–2015) |
What is the difference between national language and official language?
In broad terms, national languages refer to the tongues spoken on a certain territory (usually a nation-state, but not always) by one or several groups of people. Official languages are the ones used by a region’s government for official purposes.
How many official languages does Kenya have?
The country has two official languages, Swahili, spoken by the majority, and English which Kenya inherited from the British colonizers. While English is used in official matters, Swahili is much more commonly spoken by the people.
Which country has the same official language?
Portugal and Brazil has the same official language. There are many different languages in different countries in the world. To unify a nation according to the linguistic preferences, the different countries have their own official languages.
Why did Namibia choose English as an official language?
In the end, English became the sole official Namibian language. Swapo chose English as a means to enable Namibia’s cultural groups to communicate with each other because the country has many indigenous tribes and consequently a wide variety of languages. English, therefore, provides a neutral means for communication.
How English became an official language in Namibia?
When Namibia was administered by South Africa, Afrikaans, German, and English enjoyed an equal status as official languages. Upon Namibian independence in 1990, English was enshrined as the nation’s sole official language in the constitution of Namibia.
Why is English the official language in Namibia?
From 1884 to 1915, Namibia was under German colonial rule. After South Africa pushed Germany out of Namibia, German lost its official status and Afrikaans and English became the official languages of Namibia.
What is the difference between official language and lingua franca?
There are 11 national recognised official languages in the country, but the lingua franca is English – it’s the one language that the vast majority of residents of the country can speak, to one degree or another, to allow communication between those who have different home languages.
What is the official language of Namibia?
However, after Namibia achieved independence from South Africa in 1990, the country’s new government declared English to be the only official language in Namibia, as stated in the country’s constitution. The language is now used in the country’s government administration as well as in schools and universities as a medium of instruction.
What are the two official languages of Kenya?
Of these languages, Swahili and English are the two official languages as recognized by law. There are other major regional languages in the country with two of the most widely spoken being Kikuyu and Luhya languages.
How many official languages are there in South Africa?
Prior to 2003, the language policy in South Africa had room for only 2 official languages, English and Afrikaans.
Is Swahili a legal language in Kenya?
The Swahili language is incorporated into the Kenyan education system and is a mandatory subject taught up to high school level of education. The use of Swahili in Kenya is regulated by the “Chama cha Kiswahili cha Taifa,” a government body based in Nairobi.