language – Experiment: In Progress

I learned two new Kiswahili* words yesterday. Translated to English, they both mean corruption.

Takrima and Rushwa. Google translate tells me they mean handouts and corruption respectively. In reality, they both have connotations of corruption, but with one crucial difference.

Takrima can only be given and never asked for. Rushwa can be asked for. Takrima is like a gift you give to someone with the intention of asking them for a favour. Rushwa can go both ways – you can ask for a rushwa before doing a favour for someone.

Apparently, it was a former prominent politician who made popular the differences in these two words. He claimed that he was only taking takrima and not rushwa. (I’m unsure about this story, since I only briefly heard it from a colleague.)

During one development studies course, we had a few lectures on what is corruption. Interestingly, corruption is very hard to define. According to different customs and norms, what is corruption in one place can be expected politeness/respect in another. For example, in some places, if you get into power and do not provide benefits for your relatives, you are seen as disrespectful at best and a ‘traitor’ at worst. From one perspective, this makes sense. You only got into power because of those around you who helped you; shouldn’t you pay them back?

I think the existence of the two words of takrima and rushwa explains a bit about the cultural expectations surrounding family and friendship ties in Swahili-speaking regions.

Also apparently (because I heard this from a friend), by some definitions of corruption, Norway is one of the most corrupted countries in the world.

P.S. if I got the meanings of these words wrong, please let me know!

* Some may be confused – in English the national language of Tanzania is Swahili. However, in Swahili, the language is called Kiswahili. Just like English is Kingereza or Chinese is Kichina. I think ‘ki’ means ‘of.’

‘I beg you…’

I walk up to a store.

“I beg you for rice, beans, and eggs.” (Naomba wari, marage na mayai)

Don’t freak out, I’m not that low on cash yet.

In Tanzanian Swahili, whenever you ask to buy something at a store, you use the verb “naomba” which means “I beg.” As people keep telling me, Swahili in Tanzania is very polite, so polite that you actually don’t use “please” very often. I mean, I guess if you’re begging already, please is a bit over the top.

In Kenya, when you want to buy something, you would say “nataka” which means “I need/want.” And, I am told, Tanzanians consider this very rude. In general, people here tell me that Kenyans are aggressive and impolite.

A neighbour that’s aggressive and impolite? Sound familiar?

Whenever someone asks me aren’t Canada and the USA the same/very similar? I would compare Canada and the USA as Tanzania and Kenya. Neighbours, same language, similar culture, but very different. :P

P.S. In the other languages I know, in the same situation, you would say…

English: I want to buy rice, beans, and eggs.

Cantonese: I want to buy rice, beans, and eggs.

Mandarin: I want rice, beans, and eggs (-? I guess depends on where you are in China?).

Japanese: Rice, beans, and eggs, please (onegaishimasu – untranslatable. Used in different contexts for asking other people to do things for your favour. But you can also say you want to buy rice, beans, and eggs, I think)

So I guess, most of the languages I’m familiar with are quite blunt :P except Japanese.