斯瓦希里语是东非民族语言之一,主要应用于坦噶尼喀、桑给巴尔和肯尼亚,如“坦噶尼喀”即斯瓦希里语“高原之帆”之意。其次,在索马里、莫三鼻给、布隆迪、尼亚萨兰、东南阿拉伯和印度西岸,也有不少人操这种语言。通常认为使用斯瓦希里语的人数为一千二百万到一千五百万左右,而据最近材料称,约有四千万左右。斯瓦希里语为班图语系东部语族,有二十来种方言。各种方言的语音、语法和词汇虽有些差别,但以通行于东非沿岸和内陆地区的基温古札方言为标准。随着原始公社制的瓦解、城市的不断出现,以及不同语言的居民联合军队的形成,斯瓦希里语获得了广泛的传播和发展。至二十世纪初叶,它已成为东非流行最广的语言了。 Swahili is one of the East African national languages, mainly used in Tanganyika, Zanzibar and Kenya, such as “Tanganyika” or “Swahili” plateau sails. Second, many people speak this language in Somalia, Mozambique, Burundi, Nyasaland, South-East Asia and the West Bank in India. The number of speakers of Swahili is commonly thought to be 12 million to 15 million, which, according to recent sources, is estimated at about 40 million. Swahili is the eastern language of the Bantu language, with over twenty dialects. Although there are some differences in phonetics, grammar and vocabulary among various dialects, it is based on the Chingngudhogo dialect which runs through the East African coast and inland areas. With the collapse of the primitive commune system, the continuous emergence of cities, and the formation of a united army of inhabitants of different languages, Swahili has gained widespread dissemination and development. By the early twentieth century it had become the most popular language in East Africa.