Notes: Swahili was originally spoken along the coast and islands of East Africa, and absorbed many Arabic words from Arab traders. Swahili spread inland as a lingua franca as the coastal people became the middlemen in an extensive trade network. Consequently Swahili is the most widely spoken
Bantu language, and is a second language for most of its speakers. It has official status in Kenya, Tanzania, and recently Uganda, and is spoken in several surrounding East African countries.
Speaker: Bengo Mrema (N), Mark Kile (N)