Dec 14, 2005, 15:08 GMT
Nairobi - Computer software maker, Microsoft launched a Kiswahili language versions of its Excel, Office, Outlook and Word programmes in Nairobi Wednesday, targeting more than 110 million speakers.
'The software will help standardize Kiswahili across the region since it has been accepted by experts from a majority of the countries that use the language,' Microsoft manager Patrick Opiyo said.
The African Virtual University (AVU) led the translation effort where linguists from East and Central Africa translated over 645,000 words in Windows and Office software while some 70,000 words were translated into the usage manuals.
'The goal is to provide tools and content for increased access to technology by starting with students in the region,' said Sandra Aluoch, head of Information Technology at the AVU.
East African computer users can now send a 'barua pepe' or literally a flying letter, the translation for 'email'.
'Getting Kiswahili speakers from different regions to agree on one meaning of a word was tough and frequent power cuts in the region slowed down the translations which were all done by email,' Aluoch added.
The history of Kiswahili goes back to the times when Arabic seamen traded with the Bantu population on the East African coast,spawning a language that combined words from Arabic, German, Indian and Bantu dialects
Microsoft plans to tackle Zulu and Hausa, languages spoken in South Africa and Nigeria respectively, in the search for more African markets.
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