Season 6 Episode 1: The Swahili Coast
History of Africa

Season 6 Episode 1: The Swahili Coast

C1AdvancedAugust 19, 202421 min

Despite being the most widely spoken African language on Earth, KiSwahili originates from a people who are shockingly small in number. However, what the Swahili lacked in numbers, they made up for in influence and fascination. Join us for our sixth season, as we dive into the history of the Swahili coast, and the fascinating history of how its residents became adept city-builders, advanced maritime navigators, sly traders, and the masters of many fascinating civilizations. This includes the greatest Swahili civilization of them all, the Sultanate of Kilwa.

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Sentence 1 of 12 · 0:00

, ?

Okay, I would like for you to think off the top of your head of an African language.

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  • B21:57
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  • B213:32
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  • C119:24

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Fast, dense and idiomatic

A1 11%A2 20%B1 43%B2 24%C1 2%
  • 74% of the words are B1 or easier.
  • 155 words a minute: a natural pace.
  • 145 harder words (B2 and up) in the whole episode.

Transcript

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0:00

Hey, do you guys want to see a magic trick? Okay, I would like for you to think off the top of your head of an African language. You got it? Okay.

0:13

Through my magic, I'm going to read your minds. Was your answer Swahili? Okay, now I'm sure a good number of you are a little bit disappointed and we're thinking of something else, but I'm equally sure that a good chunk of you, especially those of you outside of Africa,

0:30

were probably thinking of Swahili as the first idea that popped into your mind when I mentioned African language. Swahili, or more properly known as Kiswahili, to refer specifically to the language, is far and away the most visible language in Africa among the non-African public. For example, more than 100 American universities offer courses in Kiswahili, while less than

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