Language -Proficient nit picking!

authored by Ddembe on 26. May 2007 at 19:21

Toro says,

“2) “…We all know English is not the most expressive of languages and does not translate local languages well enough to convey the full meaning!” Ddembe.

I beg to differ on this one. In my opinion, any language can be as expressive as the other depending on the proficiency of the person using it, context of presentation and the audience. If the statement above was true then Shakespeare could not be as popular today as it was several centuries ago! Or that we would not have such terms as “Sikuru Ndereva” for ScrewDriver or E motoka for Motor car etc, etc.”

That my friend is exactly my point! You nit picking is appreciated.

Most of us are more proficient in our mother tongues and therefore find it more natural to convey certain deep meanings in our tongue! These meanings may otherwise get lost in translation! Furthermore, out audience being Ugandan is even more likely to understand certain things in the context of our mother tongues than in that of a poorly translated post in English. the context in which many of us write (direct translation) maybe grammatically and syntaxically incorrect to an Englishman but it makes all the sense to a Ugandan! It is therefore natural that we should spice our writings to a Ugandan audience with Ugandan words. go to a Kenyan Tanzanian or Nigerian site and you will see what I mean! Their English is bastardised with local dialects to the point of being unrecognisable -but it is what makes them unique and feel at home!

As for swahili, I am all for regional integration and all that jazz -but first and foremost I will concentrate on what makes me, what makes me a part of my community as well as what makes me a Ugandan -my ethnic identity and language! Integration does not demand that I lose myself -if it does then you can count me out!

A man who does not know where he comes from cannot know where he is going!!! First I am a muganda with a unique culture and language, then I am a Ugandan, then I am an East African, then an African and then a citizen of the world -in that order!