Habari zenyu wandugu kwenye mtandao huu,
Nafurahi sana kusehelea kikundi hiki cha lugha za kiAfrika. Mimi ni Mganda, lakini siku hizi nakaa Marikani. Nilikuwa mwandisi wa habari nchini Uganda. Sasa, nafanya kazi kama mtaalamu wa mawasiliano hapa Chicago. Natumai, ukumbi huu unanisaidia kuunga mikono na wazalendo wa Afrika kote duniani ambao wanaojifunga kuokoa na kusitawisha lugha zetu. Mapambano yanaendelea! Vukoni Lupa-Lasaga ps. the English introduction follows: I salute you all dear brothers and sisters on this network, Although my Kiswahili isn't what it could be if I was still living and working in eastern Africa, I felt it was important that I try to introduce myself in an African language on this forum. This group must be one of the best kept secrets in our corner of cyperspace. But I'm glad to be finally on board. I am a Ugandan (by birth and descent) and a Sudanese (by adoption). Back in Uganda, I was a journalist. Now, I live and work in Chicago as a communications specialist at the headquarters of an international service organization. I count my mother tongue Ma'di, native to Uganda and Sudan, among the languages I speak and write fluently. Once upon a time, I was articulate in Lugbara, a "cousin" of Ma'di. But the last time I tried to make sustained conversation with teenagers in Arua, Uganda, where the language reigns supreme, they pronounced my Lugbara a form of "self-torture" and put me out my misery by switching to English. But I haven't give up on myself yet. I'm still proficient in the colloquial Kiswahili spoken in Uganda and I'm making steady, if slow progress, in learning standard Kiswahili. I also speak a creole form of Arabic, versions of which are the lingua franca in urban Southern Sudan and Nubian communities in Kenya and Uganda. My competence goes downhill with Acholi/Lango, Luganda, and Lingala. Or does a smattering of IsiZulu/IsiXhosa, Sesotho/Setswana, Chishona, Hausa, and Yoruba make me an African polyglot in the making? I hope, this forum will enable me to link up with fellow African nationalists all over the world who are determined not only to save, but to develop and promote our languages as versatile mediums of modern communication, culture, education, technology, etc. The struggle continues! vukoni ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Make a clean sweep of pop-up ads. Yahoo! Companion Toolbar. Now with Pop-Up Blocker. Get it for free! http://us.click.yahoo.com/L5YrjA/eSIIAA/yQLSAA/TpIolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AfricanLanguages/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
