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SWAHILI TRADITIONS AS TO
THEMSELVES
To obtain a satisfactory answer to the question as to what
a Swahili really is, it will be necessary to divide our inquiry
into three stages. In the first we shall attempt to satisfy
ourselves as to the original meaning and significance of
the term. In the second we shall endeavour to trace its
development; whilst in the third and last we shall attempt
to describe what is generally understood by the term at
the present day.
It must be remembered that the arguments are to a
great extent those given by the people themselves. Limits
of space and the absence of books of reference will of necessity
preclude the subjecting of these arguments to a minute
and critical examination, but, whilst some of them may be
unsupported and unconvincing, it is nevertheless claimed
that the conclusions are substantially correct.
The First Stage.
The Arabic word signifying a coast is sahil (J.fcLo)
and its plural is suahil _
The final i with the teshdid ^ is a genitive affix.
Thus we obtain an Arabic word * Swahiliyi, which
means (a man) of the coasts.
When we have once grasped the fact that this is a term
which the Arabs applied to those of themselves who sett! 1
on the African coast,1 and not to a native coast tribe which
they found already there upon their arrival, we shall have
advanced a considerable distance in the solution of our
problem.
Now as there are still a large number of persons who
1 It is said that the Arabs also use this term to designate the
Coast people in their own country.
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