Going into CGST 206, Global Engagement In Practice, taught by Professor Anita Deeg-Carlin, I was incredibly excited for the study abroad component of the course. Throughout the class, we delved deep into the culture and issues across different social spheres in contemporary Africa, with a particular focus on Nairobi, Kenya in preparation for our trip to the vibrant city during spring break to work with KEF, an education-based NGO.
Part of our preparation for our visit included an introduction to the Swahili language. As an Intermediate Arabic speaker, I was very curious to see what sort of connections may exist between the two languages and was subsequently delighted to find many connections in the two languages’ history and vocabulary. This comes from the meshing of Bantu languages and Arabic from traders on the Swahili coast to create the language known as Kiswahili. The word “Swahili” in and of itself comes from the Arabic word “Sahiliyi”, meaning coastal. Attached below is a short reading we worked with early on in the class that talks more about this (special attention to pages 106-107):
And a subsequent quick reflection I did for the class:
