Search

1. Introduction Much has been written on the history of Arabic, Arabs, and Islam in East Africa, their influence on the peoples, languages, and cultures of the region, and the status of Arabic and Islam there (Lodhi 1994a; Lodhi and Westerlund 1994 and 1999). Particular attention has been paid to the impact of Arabic on Swahili. A few recent publications deal with the question of the status of Arabic in East Africa, Arabic lexical borrowings, and structural intrusion in Swahili (Lodhi 1986a, 1986b, 1992, 1994b). 2. The status of Arabic in East Africa Arabic in East Africa has a minimal …