Languages of Kenya
Kenya is a linguistically rich country with over 60 languages that reflect its diverse ethnic communities and historical influences.
Kenya has only two official languages English and Swahili that were introduced during colonization and trade with the Arabs respectively.
Swahili is Kenya’s national language and was introduced due to Arabic influence and developed as a lingua franca along the East African coast where Arabs and African communities traded . Swahili ‘s simplicity and adaptability have made it a famous language thus enabling communication among Kenya ‘s diverse populations. The language is widely used in schools , media , government among others .
Besides Swahili another commonly used language in Kenya is English obtained from the British colonial rule . English is used a primary language in sectors such as administration, higher education and formal business . The language is taught in schools to ensure that Kenyans are proficient in a globally recognized language.
Beyond the official languages , different communities as well have other indigenous languages that have enabled their cultures to be preserved for centuries.
The most common are the languages of the Bantu including; Kikuyu , kamba and Luhya and these are most spoken in the central , western and eastern parts of Kenya . These languages are used in preserving cultural identity through , communication, story telling and traditional ceremonies.
Nilotic languages are also available in Kenya and are spoken by communities in Rift valley and western kenya like Luo , kalenjin such as Nandi , kipsigis and Tugen and the Masai people . The kalenjin languages spoken by the Nandi , kipsigis and Tugen are famous because they are spoken by most the renowned athletes in Kenya . The Masai language is famous because of its unique phonetic sounds and the tribes cultural prominence .
Apart from the official and indigenous languages, Kenya is a home to various foreign languages spoken by foreign communities . The Asians speak Hindi , Gujarati , Punjabi and The Muslims along the Coast speak Arabic .
French and German are also growing in popularity and they are taught in schools and universities as foreign languages.
In conclusion , Kenya’s linguistic diversity reflects its rich heritage uniting tradition and modernity through indigenous, national and global languages.
