Swahili Grammar

obligatory courses

Basic knowledge of Swahili structure and lexicography.

Blended learning

The subject of the course is an introduction to knowledge of the history of Swahili language and dialects as well as descriptive grammar of this language in the field of phonology,

morphology and syntax.

The course offers an introduction to the knowledge of the Swahili language history and its dialects and focuses on the description of the Swahili grammar in regard to phonology, morphology and syntax. The contents of the course include the following topics discussed from the perspective of a theoretical analysis:

History of the Swahili people and language

Genetic classification and dialectal diversity of Swahili

Inventory and distribution of phonemes and allophones in Standard Swahili

Syllable structure in the native lexicon and in loanwords

Prosodic word (“minimality” principle) and accent

Morphophonological processes (prefixal, suffixal, vowel harmony)

Structure of nominal root and nominal categories

Productivity of nominal classes

Derivation of nouns from verbal bases

Structure of verbal root and verbal extensions

Verbal extensions: their combinations and frequency

Pronouns, ideophones and other grammatical categories

Mechanism of congruence, the nominal group, the nominal and verbal sentence, the time-aspect system, verbs on the auxiliary function, expressing comparison, syntactic specificity of locative classes, single and complex sentence (coordinates and subordinate), transitive transitivity, functions and grammatical properties of verb derivative forms, dependent speech.

Ashton E. O., 1944, Swahili grammar, including intonation, Longman: Londyn.

Ohly R., Kraska-Szlenk I., Podobińska Z., 1998, Język suahili, Dialog: Warszawa.

Polomé E. C., 1967, Swahili language handbook, CAL: Waszyngton.

Zúbková Bertoncini E., 1987, Kiswahili kwa furaha, cz. I, Opera Universitaria, Napoli.

+ prace poświęcone poszczególnym zagadnieniom

Loogman, A. 1965. Swahili Grammar and Syntax. Louvain.

Massamba, D. P. B. 1987. „The effect of language modernization on the phonological system of the Kiswahili language”. Kiswahili 54/1-2: 142-151.

Nurse, D. i Th. Hinnebusch. 1993. Swahili and Sabaki: A Linguistic History. Berkley: University of California Press.

Nurse, D. i Th. Spear. 1985. The Swahili: Reconstructing the History and Language of an African Society, 800-1500. Philadelphia: University of Pensylvannia Press.

Ohly, R., I. Kraska-Szlenk i Z. Podobińska. 1998. Język suahili. Warszawa: Dialog.

Piłaszewicz, S. i E. Rzewuski. 2004. Wstęp do afrykanistyki (rozdział 8 ). Warszawa: Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego.

Polomé, E. C. 1967. Swahili Language Handbook. Washington: CAL.

After completing the course of the program student:

Knowledge:

- has extensive knowledge of the Swahili language structure at the syntax level;

- is aware of the complex nature of Swahili;

- is aware of the linguistic diversity of the world.

Skills:

- uses the basic concepts of syntax;

- can describe the most important phenomena of Swahili syntax.

After completing the course student:

Knowledge:

- has a basic knowledge of the Swahili language, its structure, history and script,

- is aware of the linguistic variety and its influence on the cultural and political situation of the world,

- has rudimentary knowledge of translation rules from the Swahili language into Polish.

Skills:

- can use the knowledge of socio-cultural issues of the Horn of Africa in typical professional situations,

- has a command of Amharic at the basic level,

- can analyze and interpret basic source texts in Swahili,

- can properly function in the linguistic and cultural environment of East Africa,

Social competences:

- understands the need lifelong learning,

- can cooperate and work in a group as well as forge relationships and build social relations,

- can establish relations and cooperate with representatives of other cultures,

- has awareness of the cultural distinctness and its religious, philosophical, traditional and historical roots and its significance for understanding modern world,

- has awareness of the cultural distinctness and its religious, philosophical, traditional and historical roots and its significance for understanding modern world,

- recognizes the need of dialogue between cultures

Written exam at the end of the academic year and class attendance.