SWAH 401 is the first part of Elementary Swahili. Students will be introduced to the basic elements of Standard Swahili language and culture. At the end of this course, students are expected to reach Novice High according to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) proficiency guidelines. The course is designed to help students acquire conversational ability on basic topics necessary for survival in a Swahili setting.
Why study Swahili?
Swahili is a Bantu language spoken in East and Central Africa in countries such as Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Burundi, Rwanda and The Democratic Republic of Congo. Knowledge of Swahili language is therefore important to anyone travelling to East and Central Africa to do research, conduct business, or provide services to local communities. Further, the growth of Swahili as a language of wider communication in Africa and a fast-growing international language with many second language speakers and learners around the world cannot be overemphasized. Moreover, after learning Swahili, you will be in a good position to learn hundreds of other Bantu languages spoken in Africa.