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Tanzania

Val, 18 May 2008
Tanzania Somewhere

English sentences.

I had no idea before coming here how school shapes our culture. Below are some example sentences from a Tanzanian English structure book. It can give you a look at the conscious of the people here, and how school may influence their world view. While there are positive sentences in the books as well, there are other kinds which I am surprized to see. Others are just flat out hilarious! (things in parenthesis are comments added by me).

Concessions:
He will never pass, however hard he may try.
Don't say anything even if they beat you.
I got married to him despite his poverty.
Anna cannot get a job, in spite of doing well at school.
Strong as she is, he was beaten by my daughter.
Although Amina is plump and heavy, she is not healthy. (It is considered beautiful to be plump and heavy in TZ)

Prepositions:
Rukia is killed by her husband.
She loved me inspite of my poverty.
Mussa shot the lion with his gun.
Saadam was about to be killed in an explosion.

Use of the word "whose":
My bitch, whose temper is very uncertain, often bites the judges at important dog shows.


This is ENGLISH?? (these are not typos):
Use of the word "ought":
You ought to lover your children.

To change a proper noun into a common noun.:
India needs a Solomon to solve her problems.

Expressing reason:
As you do not love me, I shall have no truck with you.

Let's wait till he finishes his work.

Mwalimu might be awarded noble Prize.


(Other random funny ones):
Lilan broke off her relationship with Bony as soon as she learned that he had tested HIV positive. (of all names, Bony???)

Tulizo was hardly likely to admit she was a prostitute.

Waiyaki said he loved Nymbura but he let her down completely.

The game-scout was killed by the lioness although he was very experienced. (yeah, this is normal TZ life... )

page 169:
Unless you word hard, you will fail your examinations.
page 163:
Mogeka failed in her exam, although she had worked extremely hard.

(One of these sentences is not like the other ones....)"
Directions: Rewrite the sentence according to the instructions given.
Answers:
(i) Miriam was too poor to afford to give breakfast to her children.
(ii) The harder he tried little less he achieved.
(iii) Mr. Mapunda took his son who had a fever to the hospital in town.
(iv) I prefer novels to plays.
(v) Despite her beauty, I don't love Debe.


America is the richest country in the world.

Give me some money.

However hard he tried he always ended in failure.

The drunkard fell in the trench last night as he was returning home.

The bad smell makes me vomit.

This is an inkpot (of all words beginning with vowels.. why inkpot??)

Some of the tastiest foods are pretty indigestible.

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