Swahili Compact |
|
Other Courses: |
About The Swahili LanguageSwahili is the official language of Kenya and Tanzania, and is also spoken in Uganda, Zaire, Rwanda, and Burundi. Its more proper name is "Kiswahili." As a Bantu language (part of the Niger-Congo family), Swahili has also absorbed a heavy Arabic element owing to the influence of Arabic settlers on the eastern African coast dating back as early as the 7th century A.D. The name of the language is actually derived from an Arabic word meaning "coastal." By imitating the speech of the native speakers on the Pimsleur Swahili tapes, you will be learning what is considered the standard speech of an "educated" person in Tanzania or Kenya. Why The Pimsleur System WorksThe late Dr. Paul Pimsleur was much more than a language teacher. He did research on how both children and multi-lingual adults learn languages and discovered key principles that unlocked the mystery of how we learn languages. The Pimsleur programs provide a method of self-practice with an expert teacher and native speakers in lessons specially designed to work with the way the mind naturally acquires language information. The various components of language -- vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar -- are all learned together without rote memorization and drills. Using a unique method of memory recall developed by renowned linguist, Dr. Paul Pimsleur, the programs teach listeners to combine words and phrases to express themselves the way native speakers do. By listening and responding to thirty minute recorded lessons, students easily and effectively achieve spoken proficiency. » The Pimsleur Method « |
