HOW LANGUAGE IS CHANGING WITH OUR TROUBLED TIMES

 I received an SMS from a long time friend in Brazil.

“Boss! Get out of Europe, those fanatics will kill you. It is no longer safe. Come to Brazil...”

I laughed. For two reasons. In Portuguese (the language of Brazil), the word boss is “patrão”; I had thought it is only us in London who use boss. 

THE LANGUAGE ISSUE AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT IN TANZANIA

Whenever our political leaders fly overseas there are those very keen to meet and hear them.  Earnestly.  A second group prefers keeping grievances secret and carry on “boxing” as the Swahili slang goes. Boxing (kupiga Boksi) is a decade long jargon that means sweating it out in foreign lands. They might read and watch the news but keep on working. The third type has detached itself. Totally.  Suspicious, cynical and distrustful, for this lot, political visitors resemble aliens from another planet. These, would only turn to embassies when there is an urgency e.g. death,  visa issues, etc.  They are like those citizens who never vote, read newspapers or watch television.  

Flanked by High Commissioner, His Excellency Peter Kallaghe,  Deputy High Commissioner, Msafiri Marwa and UK- Tanzania Business Group chairman, Mr Kam Khaki, Deputy Minister for Trade and Industries, Ms Janet Mbene...speaks in London. Pic by Rashid Dilunga