This study treats Mà'dí naming patterns, a system of names which developed in a specific socio-religious and political environment that practiced patrilocal residence and relied primarily on farming for subsistence. Most Mà'dí names are social commentary names, recalling some event or circumstance parents experienced around the time a child was…

The historical background and the current status of Swahili in Kenya and Tanzania, where it is designated as the national language, and in Uganda, where it has assumed a less prominent role, are described. Major factors contributing to the selection of national languages in the region are presented. The ways both linguistic and sociopolitical…