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Burundi has two official languages: Kirundi and
French. Kirundi is a Bantu (African) language belonging to the Benue-Congo
family and is closely related to Kinyarwanda, the official language of
neighbouring Rwanda. It is spoken by all Burundians, regardless of ethnic
background. French is used in official and legal documents, by the media,
in universities and for international communications.
People who live beside Lake Tanganyika and in Bujumbura
may speak Swahili, which is the language spoken by the Muslim community and
used in commerce. Swahili, like Kirundi, is of Bantu origin, but, over time,
it has acquired many words from Arabic and other languages. The Swahili
spoken by Burundians is different from that spoken in neighbouring
countries. |
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Knowledge of the English language is growing as Burundians
realize its importance in opening up the country to the international business
world.
Proverbs are an important part of oral expression. Burundians
do not explain the proverbs they use; proverbs are intended to make the listener
think. In order to understand their meaning, a person usually needs to know about
local customs, history or current events. Typical proverbs include "When an enemy
digs a grave for you, God gives you an emergency exit"; "You can straighten a
tree only while it is still a young plant"; and "Truth will go through fire but
will never burn." |
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Did you know? |
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The importance of cattle is demonstrated in the traditional
Kirundi greeting Amasho,which means "May you have herds of cattle."
Wishing people "herds of cattle" is a way to wish them good health and prosperity.
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