Native Nations, Native Voices and the Kiswahili Glossary Project, University of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

[Gordon Bronitsky]

	Native Nations, Native Voices continues to gain international 
attention and publicity.  I thought you might find of interest this 
e-mail I received today from the Kiswahili Glossary Project at the 
University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, which has been funded by 
Microsoft.
	Thank you.

Gordon Bronitsky


	From: 	  kahigi at uccmail.co.tz
	Subject: 	Re: Native Nations, Native Voices
	Date: 	November 12, 2004 8:49:21 AM MST
	To: 	  g.bronitsky at att.net

Dear Gordon Bronitsky,

Yes, I am interested! From our point of view the most endangered 
languages
  are those which are not even taught in schools. (There are more than 
100
such languages in Tanzania alone). Kiswahili is in a much better 
position
as it is the national language, a lingua franca, is taught in schools 
all
over the world - besides being the language of instruction at the 
primary
level in Tanzania.

I salute the courageous voices which are speaking and writing in Native
Languages. We need such courage here where "globalization" is now the 
song
of every politician who uncritically swallow almost everything spewed up
by the new wave of imperialism.

Yes, we are interested in your effort. Could we get information on how 
to
participate?

Prof. Kulikoyela Kahigi, PhD
Project Moderator
Kiswahili Glossary Project
University of Dar Es Salaam
P.O.BOX 35091,
Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
Tel:+255 (022) 2410500/9; Fax:
2410078/2410514;
e-mail kahigi at uccmail.co.tz

P R E S S
R E L E A S E
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Microsoft Sets-up new Website to facilitate Building of Glossary
of Kiswahili Computing Terminology
ENTEBBE, UGANDA. JULY 21, 2004 – Microsoft Corp. has today announced 
the launch of a new Website that
will provide a forum for Kiswahili speakers, worldwide, to actively 
participate in the creation of a technical
glossary of standardized computer software and hardware terminology for 
the
Kiswahili language.
By visiting this Website - “http://members.microsoft.com/wincg/” and 
choosing the Kiswahili link – any
volunteer participant can virtually debate and help create Kiswahili 
translations of the more than 3,000 English
computer terminologies drawn from words used in the interfaces of 
widely available software, to produce the
Kiswahili Technology Glossary.
The resulting Kiswahili Technology Glossary, to be wholly owned by the 
community, will effectively pave the
way for the infusion of software like Microsoft Windows and Microsoft 
Office with Kiswahili capabilities. This will
consequently facilitate the transformation of the computer desktop 
interface into ‘Kiswahili’ – giving an
opportunity to more than 90 percent of the East African population, 
some for the first time, the chance to work  with  PCs  in the more 
familiar Kiswahili desktop interface.
“Microsoft is well aware of the significance of a localised computer 
interface in boosting IT and overall economic development activities in 
the Eastern Africa region” Said Patrick Opiyo, Localisation Manager of 
the Kiswahili Local Language Program at Microsoft East Africa, “Through 
the Kiswahili Language Program, we hope to provide opportunities, to 
more than 100 million people in more than five countries in the Eastern 
Africa region
where Kiswahili is spoken as a primary language, accessibility to IT 
solutions and enable them to realize their full potential”

Media Contacts:
Patrick Opiyo
Localization Manager
Microsoft East Africa
P. O. Box 64736 – 00620
Esso Plaza
Tel: +254 020 286 8000
Fax: +254 (020) 272 9999
e-mail v-popiyo at microsoft.com

Henry Ochieng
Bertolli & Associates
(PR Consultant)
P. O. Box 45501 – 00100 GPO
Tel: +254 (020) 271 7066
Fax: +254 (020) 272 5733
e-mail henry at bertolli-associates.com

Prof. Kulikoyela Kahigi, PhD
Project Moderator
Kiswahili Glossary Project
University of Dar Es Salaam
P.O.BOX 35091,
Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
Tel:+255 (022) 2410500/9; Fax:
2410078/2410514;
e-mail kahigi at uccmail.co.tz

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