Languages of Rwanda
Kinyarwanda is the national language of Rwanda,[1] and the first language of almost the entire population of the country. It is one of the country's official languages alongside French,[2] English,[3] and Swahili.[4] Rwandan Sign Language is used by the educated deaf population.
French had been the language of administration from the country's time under Belgian administration, between the First World War and independence in 1962. Since the 1994 genocide, the complications of relations with successive French governments and the return of numerous Tutsi refugees from anglophone Uganda meant an increase in the use of English by a higher proportion of the population and administration.
In 2008 the government changed the medium of education from French to English.[5] By 2018 the Rwandan government had introduced French as a foreign language class at the primary school level, and French was still widely used by members of the upper classes. A Rwandan historian, Antoine Mugesera, stated that French is still used among the educated while Kinyarwanda is used for matters relating to simple topics and messages.English is now considered as the primary language among other foreign languages.[6]
Swahili is used by some people, in commerce, and is taught as a subject in schools.[7]
References[]
- ^ LECLERC, Jacques. «Rwanda» dans L'aménagement linguistique dans le monde, Québec, CEFAN, Université Laval, 24 Dec. 2015 (accessed 29 August 2016)
- ^ "Rwanda: MPs Approve Law Making Kiswahili Official Language". All Africa. All Africa. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
- ^ https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97245421 English To Become Official Language In Rwanda
- ^ "Kiswahili adopted as Rwanda's fourth official language". 10 February 2017.
- ^ "Rwanda". 15 August 2013.
- ^ "Rwanda reconsiders role of snubbed French language". Agence France Presse at the Daily Monitor. 2018-08-10. Retrieved 2018-11-11.
- ^ "Aménagement linguistique," Rwanda
External links[]
- Linguistic situation of Rwanda (in French)
- Ntakirutimana, Évariste (National University of Rwanda). "LE FRANÇAIS AU RWANDA" (Archive). University of Nice.
- Steflja, Isabela. "The Costs and Consequences of Rwanda’s Shift in Language Policy" (Archive). . 31 May 2012.
- McGreal, Chris. "Why Rwanda said adieu to French" (Archive). The Guardian. Friday 16 January 2009.
- Languages of Rwanda