The Language of the Public Spaces in Tanzanian Universities during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The language of public space in Tanzania is increasingly reported to be dominated by English in the bottom-up signage for maintaining the higher status quo. At the same time, the utility of Kiswahili predominates for the top-down signposts that aim to pass information to the public quickly. While the literature shows the utility of Kiswahili is skewed towards the communication intended message, the COVID-19 situation expanded this utility in the public universities in the country. The expression of statements that select Kiswahili words is primarily associated with a warning (e.g., tafadhari nawa mikono 'please wash hands') and safety (Tujilinde 'Let us protect ourselves). Therefore, English words are not featured in the signposts, except for the statement produced by manufacturers of the handwashing machines. Apart from texts, visual pictures are provided in the COVID-19 signposts to reinforce the text message.

Trends in Communication Strategies through Traditional Medicine: Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Tanzania

“…Kiswahili, the national language and widely spoken lingua franca was prominent. This finding aligns with Lusekelo et al (2021), who reported the dominance of Kiswahili signposts about COVID-19 in higher learning institutions in Tanzania. English was present in official government documents and specific media coverage, catering to educated and urban populations.…”

“…The use of plain language in health communication is widely recognized as essential for ensuring understanding among diverse audiences (Sagi et al, 2021;Lusekelo et al, 2021). Complex medical terminology can hinder comprehension, particularly for individuals with lower health literacy levels.…”