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Luganda Scientific Terminologies Research

The Luganda Scientific Terminologies Research is intended as a necessary step towards systematically constructing the formation and development of the terms in which scientific discourse is articulated in a Bantu Language – Luganda. This web page was set up to provide information on whats going on in the research and development of Luganda Scientific Terminologies. We also provide some briefs on what has been done in the development of scientific Terms of other Bantu languages e.g Swahili. Although most scientifically developed and developing languages were\ are being funded by states governments, Luganda language research does not enjoy that previlage. This page is administered in Ottawa, Canada, but the research and development are carried out in Kampala, Uganda.

Dr. Kibuuka Kiingi’s research thesis is found in the window “thesis”. His research is on the formation of a well-grounded theory of Scientific Terminologies and the application of the theory to the problem of terminological elaboration of a Bantu language- Luganda, whereby conceptual formalization is the main point of departure.

A critical review of the work done by Swahili Scientific Terms researchers is also covered in his thesis. Past, recent and future workshops being conducted on terminology elaborations and the compilation of Luganda mathematics and science terms dictionary for primary and secondary levels are found in the “Events” window.

Luganda is the native language of Baganda nationals from Buganda region. Buganda is located in Central and Southern Uganda. The language is also widely spoken in Western and Eastern Uganda as well as North-western Tanzania. The research is centered in Kampala, Uganda. If you want to read about the basics of Luganda language e.g grammer, writing, Luganda books etc, please visit Buganda web site at www.buganda.com

Finally, I would like to quote 3 distinguished African scholars for their words of encouragement to the present and the future African generations:-

In a seminal paper “Failure in the Obligatory Use of a Policy ofLinguistic Independence” Kahombo Mateene writes:

It is said that African languages are [terminologically] underdeveloped, and it is true; it is also true that they are developable. But what has been done to develop them? Almost nothing. It depends upon our free will to develop and enrich our languages by means of translation. Instead of dropping our languages in favour of European languages in the vain hope of making up for our scientific and economic lateness, we should make science and world technology assimilated into into our languages of origin. Our African languages also must and can assimilate science and adapt themselves to modern life as Japanese and Chinese have done. The West has not yet completely assimilated us, our languages have the possibility of assimilating science, which is the pride of Europe.

(Organisation of African Unity/BIL – 1973-80: 25-26)

The second scholar, Dani W. Nabudere who, in a review of Bernal 1987, urged that:

African children must be made aware of what we have achieved as the world’s first civilisation to regain our self-respect and dignity, and to retrieve our culture from destruction from the machinery of “European progress”. This does not mean turning our backs on modern developments. It means that modern development has to be reshaped to accord with the African self-image based on his own heritage. Any notion of “progress” or “modernisation” that does not start from a people’s culture is tantamount to genocide. Japan has shown that it is possible to develop one’s potentiality on the basis of one’s culture.

SAPEM July 1991: 44-49

The third scholar, Dr. Kibuuka Kiingi Wrote:

“A society that uses a foreign language as its main medium of scientifico-technological education can hardly advance scientifico-technologically.”