The name of the
Kiswahili language comes from the word "Swahili", meaning "the coast"
in Arabic language. The prefix "Ki" means the language of, so
"Kiswahili" literally means "language of the coast".
The name of the
Kimwani language comes from the word "Mwani", meaning "the coast"
in Mwani/Ibo language. The prefix "Ki" means the language of, so
"Kimwani" literally means "language of the coast".
Should
Kiswahili, just like Kimwani have been named from its own language, the name of
the language would have been “Kipwani”. The name coming from the word “Pwani”,
meaning “the coast” in Kiswahili language. The prefix “Ki” meaning the language
of, so “Kipwani” would have literally meant ‘’language of the coast.”
Let’s take
examples of the words defining “coast” in three languages of East Africa –
Kiswahili, Kimwani and Kimeru.
|
Descriptive |
Locative |
Language |
|
Pwaa |
Pwani |
Kiswahili |
|
Mwaa |
Mwani |
Kimwani |
|
Mbwaa |
Mbwaainĩ |
Kimeru |
Kimwani and
Kiswahili both describe their languages as being languages of the coast.
However, Kiswahili uses a lexicon from a foreign (Arabic) language to describe
itself as a language of the coast, while Kimwani uses its own language to
describe itself as a language of the coast. Kimeru is a new word from the
previous name that the people described themselves and their language before
displacement from the coast by British-backed Busaidi Arabs in the 1700s.
It would be
great for the collective decision to made to rename Kiswahili to Kipwani. The name
Kipwani can be applied as a neologism until it permanently catches on.
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