I wonder what are the Swahili language words for computer, car, chair, sanitation, toilet, or traffic light.
A funny thing about translations to African languages. All of the dictionaries are written by whites. So many things literally don't have a translation, but do in a dictionary written by whites. So when whites use the dictionary with words and concepts which only exist on the white side of the equation, the African simply has no concept of what was stated; at least not relative to the white's intent. This confusion is amplified as one African word may have a dozen meanings. So the white may have thought they said one thing but the African heard something entirely different.
But think about this. Foreigners control your entire language and have achieved such a simple task which remains entirely outside their grasp: a dictionary.
They probably can't widely understand each other of their language isn't written down
You are correct. They refuse to use dictionaries because their entire language fits in their head. Which does create regional dialects. In turn they see no value in dictionaries. Which is why it doesn't even occur to them to create a dictionary.
Or writing.
I wonder where are the ruins of the great cities and the ancient roadways?
Ooga, booga, mooga, guhguh, gluglug, or bix nood.
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