Swahili as a religious language
This paper examines the first two stages of the development of Swahili in eastern Africa, beginning with the role of Swahili as an Afro-Islamic language when it borrowed vocabulary and concepts from Arabic and Islam. Next came the 'oecumenical' stage when the language was also used by miss...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Print Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Brill
1992
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| In: |
Journal of religion in Africa
Year: 1992, Volume: 22, Issue: 4, Pages: 331-349 |
| Further subjects: | B
Africa
Language
Religion
Christianity
Islam
Language development
Sprachraum
Language usage
Suaheli
B Language B Islam B Swahili B Africa B Religion B Language development B Christianity B Language spread B Language usage B History |
| Parallel Edition: | Non-electronic
Electronic |
| Summary: | This paper examines the first two stages of the development of Swahili in eastern Africa, beginning with the role of Swahili as an Afro-Islamic language when it borrowed vocabulary and concepts from Arabic and Islam. Next came the 'oecumenical' stage when the language was also used by missionaries as an important medium for the spread of Christianity in the region. These processes occurred in the latter half of the nineteenth century and the first four decades of the twentieth. The process went beyond an exercise in translation. It involved the creation of a vocabulary to suit particular doctrinal needs as perceived on the East African coast and, separately, on the mainland. The underlying aim, however, was the same: to use Swahili as a religious language. (Documentatieblad/ASC Leiden) |
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| ISSN: | 0022-4200 |
| Contains: | In: Journal of religion in Africa
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