AFRICAN LANGUAGES.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]
Sra,—The importance of language in relation to political and social aspects of the native question in Africa seems liable to be overlooked. The possibility of large groups of tribes, hitherto distinct and mutually antagonistic, becoming rapidly able and eager to understand each other in some common form of speech has apparently to be taken into account. Twenty-six years' contact with Swahili and various dialects of Eastern and Central Africa points so far to the conclusion that there is a remarkable degree of similarity, amounting in many important respects to substantial identity, in the grammatical structure of language over the whole vast area occupied by the Bantu races of Africa, from the Soudan to the Cape. And the stock of words common to all Bantu tribes, when recognised under their various dialectics dis- guises, will probably prove very considerable. The officials, missionaries, traders, settlers, and travellers of various nationalities who are qualified to give help in testing this conclusion by personal and first-hand study of a Bantu dialect are naturally difficult to reach,—scattered in remote and often isolated spheres of work. It is therefore, perhaps, justifiable to ask publicity for the request that persons so
qualified, and willing to accept and reply to a brief com- munication on the subject, would send me their addresses at
Fort Jameson, North-Eastern Rhodesia, W. I should be grateful if foreign journals and local papers in Africa, general and official, would assist by calling attention to my invitation
Fort Jameson, North-Eastern Rhodesia.
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