Modern Swahili Grammar

Modern Swahili Grammar is an important contribution to the study of Swahili grammar from pedagogical and lingustic perspectives, and thus relevant to both students of Swahili and scholars of linguistics and sociolinguistics. At a descriptive level, the book covers phonology, morphology and syntax. The following areas of Swahili grammar are also covered in detail: affixes, derivation, inflection, parts of speech, relatives, tenses, demonstratives of reference, pronominalisation, phrases, clauses and sentences. Grammatical explanations are always followed by exercises and comprehensive vocabulary lists are also included.

This book is intended for university students and anyone interested in learning Standard Swahili grammar as spoken in the East African Community of Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. The most comprehensive grammar book currently available, some of the concepts covered in this book are greetings, numerals, telling the time, the Noun Class system, simple tenses such the past, present and future, adjectives and possessives. The book then progresses to more complex concepts such as Direct and Reported Speech, various verb typologies, other tenses, prepositions and conjunctions, adverbs and relative pronouns. Each chapter includes many examples and sample sentences, easy to read charts, practice questions, answers to the practice questions, and a list of new vocabulary used within the chapter. On completing this book, the reader will be able to read, write and converse in Swahili with confidence.

Swahili Grammar and Workbook provides a practical and comprehensive companion to Swahili grammar, filling in gaps left by other textbooks. Presenting the essentials of Swahili grammar in a highly accessible fashion, it reduces complex language topics to helpful rules and mnemonic aids, enabling maximum grammar retention and accurate usage. Grammar points are followed by multiple examples and exercises, allowing students to consolidate and practice their learning. No prior knowledge of linguistic terminology is required. Key features include: Twenty five language notes covering key topics such as: personal pronouns; the Swahili noun class system; special class combinations; the imperative, the subjunctive, and the conditional moods; the use of comparatives; the use of monosyllabic verbs; the passive form and various other forms of verb extensions; the relative clause Clear, detailed and jargon-free grammatical explanations supported by an assortment of helpful diagrams, charts and tables and many relevant and up-to-date examples A wide range of communication-oriented exercises to reinforce learning and develop students’ ability to use Swahili actively Audio files to support pronunciation practice, clearly linked to relevant sections of the book and available for free download at http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9781138808263/ Four appendices, Swahili-English and English-Swahili vocabulary lists, a bibliography and an index presented at the back of the book for easy access to information. Written by a highly experienced instructor, Swahili Grammar and Workbook will be an essential resource for all students and teachers of Swahili. It is suitable for use both as a companion reference text in language courses and as a standalone text in independent grammar classes.

Comprehensive Swahili-English Dictionary is the latest publication of its kind and offers the most current use of the language among Swahili speakers today. The Dictionary has more than 60,000 entries and is is both a cultural guide to Kiswahili, and a cultural conversation between two influential languages in this 21st century. Mohamed A Mohamed was born in Zanzibar, Tanzania. He holds a Ph. D degree in Applied Linguistics from Columbia University, U.S.A. He has previously served as a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Dar es Salaam between 1982-1987 before moving to Moi University as an Associate Professor in the School of Social, Cultural and Development Studies. Later, he served as Full Professor and also Head of the Department of Languages, Literature and Linguistics in the same university. In 1996, he joined Zanzibar University at Tunguu and served as a Full Professor for two years. Currently, he teaches at the State University of Zanzibar and is also the Research Coordinator of the institution. Professor Mohamed has also served as a part-time lecturer at Columbia University in U.S.A, the City College of the City University, the Hunter College of the City University and the York University in the United Kingdom. He is the author of a number of books. These include Modern Swahili Grammar, Kamusi ya Visawe (A Dictionary of Swahili Synonyms) among others. His other works that are now in the pipeline include Comprehesive English-Swahili Dictionary, Kamusi Fafanuzi ya Kiswahili (A Comprehensive Swahili-Swahili Dictionary) and Kamusi ya Vinyume (A Dictionary of Antonyms).

Exploring Swahili Grammar Book helps you to learn Swahili Grammar with detailed examples in both English and Swahili sentences. The book explains in detailed examples on how to construct sentences grammatically and correctly.

This work contains a very condensed grammar of literary Swahili, the traditional literary language. It serves as a vehicle for the Islamic literature, both prose and poetry, including the town chronicles, as well as the long didactic poems on moral duties.