WORLD HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -The language itself began when this stem of the Bantu branch of languages evolved to include Arabic words and was written down in Arabic. This, not surprisingly, was a result of the Muslim merchants who traded with the Swahili. It was in this context that Swahili became a common language in eastern Africa.

Detailed explanation-2: -Once just an obscure island dialect of an African Bantu tongue, Swahili has evolved into Africa’s most internationally recognised language. It is peer to the few languages of the world that boast over 200 million users.

Detailed explanation-3: -SWAHILI is a Bantu language widely used as a lingua franca in East Africa and having official status in several countries. The Swahili originated from the intermarriage of Arabs with the coastal Bantu communities. The Swahili live in urban centers along the East African Coast. The Swahili were initially called Wangozi.

Detailed explanation-4: -Archaeological work indicates that Swahili culture emerged as a package from about 1250CE as the result of the indigenous Iron Age cultures absorbing influences from the Kenyan coast (Chami 2002, 1).