The Conversation, June 23d 2022, Jeremie Eyssette, Chosun University
Today, Rwanda is a melting pot of official languages. Although more than 99% of Rwandans speak Kinyarwanda – a Bantu language and the country’s mother-tongue – Rwanda has three other official languages: French, English and Swahili.
How did the Central African nation end up with four official languages? Looking at the country’s language policies and history can help us to decode the linguistic trends. As a researcher in these fields, I’ve found that though transitions have overlapped, and that various languages are now used interchangeably, Rwanda’s melting pot of languages has also brought various benefits.
Between 1899 and 1918, Ruanda-Urundi – today’s Rwanda and Burundi – was colonised by the German empire and was ruled indirectly. This relied on local leaders and so the German language never really took root.
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