Language matters

Zambia has over 70 languages. Nyanja is the main local language and also the language that the people around me both at home and at work speak. Thus Nyanja is the only local language of which I have learned any words. Nyanja is closely related to Chichewa, which is spoken in Malawi. English is the official language in Zambia and probably because of the large number of languages, it is also used a lot. For instance, all the street advertisement is in English. Most of the people speak English, and especially the ones, with whom I need to talk, speak fluent English. I am not particularly gifted when it comes to learning languages, so it has been difficult to try to find the motivation to learn Nyanja – especially because I know that I won't manage to get very far in only six months.

I know that it's polite to try to learn the local language and people often ask me whether I speak Nyanja. They also encourage me to learn more when they hear the few words that I know. That's why I decide regularly that I need to learn Nyanja and grab the Chichewa Intensive Course book that is in my office. Equally regularly, I get frustrated by just reading the first chapter: Instead of starting with the usual phrases like ”My name is Jill. What is your name?”, it starts with the ever-useful sentences such as ”He leaves the hoe here.” (”Usiya khasu pano.”) and ”We take the bow.” (”Titenga uta”). (The book is written by Rev. Fr. N. Salaun and it was first printed in 1969. It is targeted at missionaries working in Malawi and Zambia.)

I met an American volunteer in Malawi, who had stayed there only a little bit longer than I in Lusaka and who was able to have simple conversations in Chichewa. Thus, I have again decided that I need to learn Nyanja, but this time I am going to go and see whether I could find a bit more modern book from a book store. The unfortunate part is that even if I manage to learn some Nyanja there is always the next question: ”What about Bemba? Have you learned any Bemba?”.