Utoshelevu wa Mawasiliano kwa Kiswahili katika Teknolojia ya SIKANU:
Authors: Stephano Rehema 
Published: December 2023

This paper investigated the adequacy of Kiswahili communication, the most famous and widely used African language, communication in Smartphone technology basing on WhatsApp. Specifically, the analysis relied on Tecno F1. The methodology used was content analysis whereby Kiswahili directives were examined to check how adequate and effective are they. The criteria considered are comprehension/making sense, availability of vocabulary in Kiswahili dictionaries and in daily use, noun classes, affixation and word order. The analysis showed that vocabulary used in the application is, to some extent, sufficient to serve communication purpose to its users. There are words which are very familiar to the users and others are new. The new ones are formed to fill the commucative blankness which is created by the new discoveries. The results showed further that the formation of the words is in line with Kiswahili word formation processes. Likewise, the investigation showed that some verbs were given new meanings to meet new communication to the WhatsApp users. With regard to grammar, most of directives observed to follow Kiswahili word order and affixation rules. However, there are ungrammatical constructions found, mostly, caused by literal translation. Following these results, the paper suggests more efforts to develop and spread Kiswahili, especially to Tanzanians in order to give the language supremacy to be used in science and technology. The use of Swahili will accelerate the development and economic competitiveness in particular among Tanzanians, Africans and other competitors worldwide.

Makala hii inahusu uchunguzi wa utoshelevu wa mawasiliano kwa Kiswahili katika teknolojia ya SIKANU. Uchunguzi umejikita katika programu tumizi ya SIKANU ijulikanayo kwa jina la WhatsApp na simu ya mkononi aina ya Tecno F1 imetumiwa kama uchunguzi kifani. Utafiti umetumia mkabala wa kitaamuli, ambapo maelezo na maelekezo ya Kiswahili yaliyomo katika WhatsApp yamechunguzwa katika kupima utoshelevuake. Vigezo vilivyotumika kupima utoshelevu wa mawasiliano hayo ni uelewekaji, uwepo wa msamiati katika kamusi za Kiswahili na katika matumizi ya wazungumzaji, ngeli za nomino, mpangilio wa viambishi na wa maneno katika tungo. Uchanganuzi umeonesha kuwa msamiati unaotumika katika WhatsApp, kwa kiasi kikubwa, ni toshelevu kiasi cha kukidhi mawasiliano baina ya watumiaji wake. Kuna msamiati ambao unafahamika na kuzoeleka kwa watumiaji na mwingine ni mapya. Msamiati mpya unaundwa kuziba mwanya wa mawasiliano unaotokana na ugunduzi wa mambo mapya. Kadhalika, matokeo ya utafiti yameonesha kuwa uundaji wa msamiati mpya unaakisi michakato ya uundaji wa maneno ya Kiswahili kwa kiasi kikubwa. Vilevile, matokeo yameonesha kuwa baadhi ya vitenzi vinapatiwa maana mpya ili kukidhi mawasiliano mapya ya watumiaji wa WhatsApp. Kuhusu sarufi, maelezo na maelekezo mengi yameonekana kuzingatia mpangilio wa maneno na kanuni za uambishaji za Kiswahili. Kwa upande mwingine, matokeo ya utafiti yameonesha utosarufi katika miundo ya Kiswahili. Utosarufi huo, kwa kiasi kikubwa, unasababishwa na tafsiri sisisi. Kufuatia matokeo haya, makala hii inapendekeza kwamba Watanzania na Waafrika kwa ujumla wajitihidi kuikuza na kuiendeleza lugha ya Kiswahili ili kuipa umashuhuri zaidi na kuiwezesha kutumika katika nyanja za sayansi na teknolojia. Kwa kufanya hivyo, matumizi ya Kiswahili yataongeza kasi ya maendeleo na ushindani wa kiuchumi miongoni mwa Watanzania, Waafrika na walimwengu wengine.