On this page 4 sections
Shikomori
Shikomori (or Comorian) belongs to the large family of Bantu languages. It is close to Swahili, with which it shares much of its vocabulary, and has borrowed many words from Arabic, French and Malagasy. Long written in Arabic script (known as ajami writing), it is now mostly written in the Latin alphabet.
One language, four dialects
| Island | Variant |
|---|---|
| Grande Comore (Ngazidja) | Shingazidja |
| Mohéli (Mwali) | Shimwali |
| Anjouan (Ndzuwani) | Shindzuani |
| Mayotte (Maore) | Shimaore |
Linguists distinguish two groups: Shingazidja and Shimwali in the west, Shindzuani and Shimaore in the east. People understand each other from one island to the next, with a little effort between the most distant variants.
Other languages
- French, the language of administration and education, is understood by much of the population and is official in Mayotte.
- Arabic, the language of the Koran, is learned in Koranic schools and is official in the Union of the Comoros.
- Kibushi, a language of Malagasy origin, is spoken in several villages of Mayotte.
A short glossary
| English | Comorian |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Marahaba |
| Welcome | Karibu |
| Goodbye | Kwaheri |
| The sea | Bahari |
Greetings and pronunciation vary from island to island. Find more words in our glossary.
