English is a West Germanic language that was first spoken in early medieval England and eventually became a global lingua franca . It is named after the Angles, one of the Germanic tribes that migrated to the area of Great Britain that later took their name, as England . Both names derive from Anglia , a peninsula in the Baltic Sea.
There many sources on the Internet that claim that they provide readers with the information based on the studies by the World Linguistic Agency concerning the best English speaking country in Africa. We have tried to find the official site of this organization but failed. Some internet users even insist that such agency does not exist at all. That is why we have analyzed the available information and decided to provide you with the list of the countries.
1. Uganda
Number one in our ranking of the best English speaking countries in Africa 2018. English is the official language in Ugandan educational, juridical, and business system. There are 60 other languages and dialects spoken among the population. If in the case with the second and third places on this list, there are different opinions (some sources place Zambia on the second place and South Africa on the third respectively), all agree that the first position belongs to Uganda.
Uganda is landlocked and is well-known for diverse landscapes which cover the Rwenzori Mountains with their snowy tips. Uganda has a beautiful large Lake Victoria. Uganda is famous for an extensive range of various animals including chimpanzees. You can find here an enormous variety of birds.
2. South Africa
This beautiful country is placed in the southernmost part of Africa and is the second best English speaking country on the continent. You can also hear many other languages here, including Afrikaans and isiZulu. The general number of official languages is 11 in this country. South Africa is well-known for having diverse ecosystems which are distinct. Kruger National Park is an Inland Safari destination which is visited by thousands of tourists because of the high population of the big animals.
3. Nigeria
Our lovely country is considered to be the third best English speaking nation in Africa. However, like the situation with Ghana, Nigeria is often criticised for heavy dialects, and some sources do not include our country on the list of the best English speaking countries in Africa. Nigeria is placed on the Gulf of Guinea. It is famous for its variable wildlife and incredible landmarks. One of the most recognizable places is Zuma rock which is a monolith reaching a height of 725 meters located outside Abuja, the federal capital territory of the country.
4. Kenya
Kenya is located in Eastern Africa. Nairobi is the capital as well as the largest city in this country. There are various ethnic groups in Kenya which prefer native language. Nevertheless, the official one is English and Swahili. You can hear both languages commonly. But English is only used in government, education, and commerce matters.
5. Zambia
You can find this country on the south-central part of Africa. English is the official language, and it is always used in education and business communication. The primary local language is Nyanja. You can also hear Bemba dialect in this area.The people speak a total of 73 languages, including Lozi, Kaonde, Lunda, as well as Tonga.
6. Botswana
Botswana is another landlocked African country on our list. It is in the Southern part of the continent. While Setswana is ordinarily spoken in this area, English remains the official language of the country.
7. Zimbabwe
The English language is the commonly spoken in both education and judiciary system. Shona and Sindebele, both Bantu languages are also ordinarily spoken as native languages in the country. 70% of the population speaks Shona while a relatively smaller 20% chose Sindebele. Venda, Tonga, Shangaan, Sotho, Kalanga, Nambya and Ndau are other Bantu languages are also spoken by the people.
8. Malawi
The country is located in Southeast Africa. The major part of the population speaks English fluently.
9. Ghana
There are eleven widely spoken languages in Ghana, but English remains the language of the State and its commonly used Lingua Franca. French language is also trained in several schools in the country because predominantly French-speaking nations surround this nation. Ghana is on the list even despite the widespread criticism over their ‘thick’ accents.
Here, English words are often mixed with a heavy tone of pidgin, which perhaps, confuses many foreigners. However, Africa was colonized, and it is difficult to prevent the influence of the native languages on the English language.
10. Rwanda
This is a landlocked country. It is located in central and Eastern Africa. Rwanda is one of the smallest countries on the Africa continent. English, Kinyarwanda, French, and Swahili are official languages in Rwanda. While English is the main language that is used for educational purposes, Kinyarwanda is the leading national language in the country.
Now you know that Uganda is considered the best English speaking country in Africa, and all available sources agreed on that. South Africa, Nigeria, Namibia, and Kenya are also good English speakers. Nevertheless, Nigerians and South Africa are strong competitors with Uganda.
No comments:
Post a Comment