Malawian English
Encyclopedia
Malawian English is the English language
as spoken in Malawi
. English and Chichewa
are the country's two official language
s.
English was introduced into Malawi towards the end of the 19th century, due to the influence of British explorers, missionaries, the arrival of the African Lakes Corporation, and colonial administrators present since the establishment in the 1890s of the British Central Africa Protectorate. The seventy years of British colonial rule that followed the Scramble for Africa
, set the groundwork for English to grow into the area's dominant and most socially prestigious language.
Since Malawian independence, the dominance of English has continued:
This remains true despite a large majority of Malawians speaking Chichewa and the small number of English speakers outside urban centres. Also, in Malawian government schools, students are taught in Chichewa, and learn English as a second language from about age 10. But in international schools in Malawi (like Saint Andrew's International High School in Blantyre
) which follow the British curriculum, English is the language students are taught in, and do not learn Chichewa at all, as it is regarded as a mere local language.
English words are even replacing their equivalents in other Malawi languages. One study of a corpus
of Chichewa discourse captured over a ten-year period found that references to numbers greater than 3 were exclusively in English, at least in urban areas.
Malawian English has a slight tinge of non-linguistic expressions that are still used, such as "eesh!", an exclamation meaning "oh my!"
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
as spoken in Malawi
Malawi
The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size...
. English and Chichewa
Chichewa language
Chewa, also known as Nyanja, is a language of the Bantu language family. The gender prefix chi- is used for languages, so the language is also known as Chichewa and Chinyanja.-Distribution:...
are the country's two official language
Official language
An official language is a language that is given a special legal status in a particular country, state, or other jurisdiction. Typically a nation's official language will be the one used in that nation's courts, parliament and administration. However, official status can also be used to give a...
s.
English was introduced into Malawi towards the end of the 19th century, due to the influence of British explorers, missionaries, the arrival of the African Lakes Corporation, and colonial administrators present since the establishment in the 1890s of the British Central Africa Protectorate. The seventy years of British colonial rule that followed the Scramble for Africa
Scramble for Africa
The Scramble for Africa, also known as the Race for Africa or Partition of Africa was a process of invasion, occupation, colonization and annexation of African territory by European powers during the New Imperialism period, between 1881 and World War I in 1914...
, set the groundwork for English to grow into the area's dominant and most socially prestigious language.
Since Malawian independence, the dominance of English has continued:
- official government records are written in English,
- parliament conducts its deliberationsPolitics of MalawiPolitics of Malawi takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Malawi is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the...
in English, - the laws of Malawi are written in English,
- progression into secondarySecondary educationSecondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
and higher educationHigher educationHigher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
requires certification of competence in English, - nearly all Malawian newspapers are published in English (though some include small Chichewa supplements),
- English remains the language of commerce in the country.
This remains true despite a large majority of Malawians speaking Chichewa and the small number of English speakers outside urban centres. Also, in Malawian government schools, students are taught in Chichewa, and learn English as a second language from about age 10. But in international schools in Malawi (like Saint Andrew's International High School in Blantyre
Blantyre, Malawi
Blantyre or Mandala is Malawi's centre of finance and commerce, the largest city with an estimated 732,518 inhabitants . It is sometimes referred to as the commercial capital of Malawi as opposed to the political capital, Lilongwe...
) which follow the British curriculum, English is the language students are taught in, and do not learn Chichewa at all, as it is regarded as a mere local language.
English words are even replacing their equivalents in other Malawi languages. One study of a corpus
Text corpus
In linguistics, a corpus or text corpus is a large and structured set of texts...
of Chichewa discourse captured over a ten-year period found that references to numbers greater than 3 were exclusively in English, at least in urban areas.
Malawian English has a slight tinge of non-linguistic expressions that are still used, such as "eesh!", an exclamation meaning "oh my!"
External links and sources
- Malawi's Ministry of Information and Tourism
- Malawi SDNP and UNDP Malawi, supported by the United Nations Development ProgrammeUnited Nations Development ProgrammeThe United Nations Development Programme is the United Nations' global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP operates in 177 countries, working with nations on their own solutions to...
- University of Malawi website, including admission requirements
- Mzuzu University