Abstract
Colonial history exposes Tanzania to triple linguistic heritage, that has at times plunged the nation into linguistic confusion. This heritage involves Kiswahili, ethnic community languages (ECLs) and English. Whereas each of the languages has been limited to some use through policies, some of the languages have pushed their own way, often breaking policy boundaries. It is shown in this paper that, firstly, the exclusion of ECLs by post independence policies has denied the nation important socio-cultural and economic avenues that could foster rapid social and economic development. Secondly, policies have not succeeded to strictly confine the three languages to some use. Thirdly, despite the rigour on English, competence in the language among the population remains consistently low. Fourthly, sustainable national development can be realized only by exploiting the triple linguistic heritage already in place in the country.
Recommended Citation
(2022)
"The Triple Linguistic Heritage in Tanzania: Opportunities and Challenges,"
Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences: Vol. 10:
No.
1, Article 4.
DOI: 10.56279/jhss/2
Available at:
https://commons.udsm.ac.tz/jhss/vol10/iss1/4