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The revival of the status of English in Tanzania

What future does the status of the English language have in Tanzania?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 May 2015

Dunlop Ochieng
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Extract

Discussion about the official or national language in Tanzania is basically a discussion about Kiswahili and English. These two languages have been competing for official status in Tanzania since Tanganyika (Tanganyika refers to the Tanzania mainland before it united with Zanzibar in 1964) gained its independence from Britain in 1961 (Rubagumya, 1991; Schmied 1991: 195; Mulokozi, 2010). Yahya-Othman & Batibo (1996) describe the competition between English and Kiswahili in Tanzania as a swinging pendulum. In a certain period of time, the status of English rises, and in another period of time the status of Kiswahili rises, and vice versa.

Type
Research Article
Information
English Today , Volume 31 , Issue 2 , June 2015 , pp. 25 - 31
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

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