Abstract:
The Scientificity of Swahili Linguistic Terminology This thesis was on the ‘Scientificity" of Swahili linguistic terminology and methods used in word coinage so that we can determine reasons for their acceptability. The principal objective of the thesis was to evaluate scientificity in methods or approaches used in Kiswahili word formation in order to establish how they can be modified so as to develop this language. The study attempted to investigate the extent to which Kiswahili coined terminology are scientifically based by choosing three research institutes (TUKI, BAKITA, BAKIKE) and renown word coiners (Mbaabu, Nabhany, Kapinga). The study was guided by the Theory of Scientific Terminology (henceforth TST) of PEGITOSCA and E. WHster's General Theory of Terminology (henceforth GTT). TST is a theory which was coined by Kiingi (1989) and it has a scientific scale which can be used to depict the appropriateness, acceptability or rejection of a terminology. It is an acronym of Precision (P), Economy (E), Generativity (G), Internationality (I), Transparency (T), anti- Obscenity (0), Systemicity (S), Consistency (C), and language relative Acceptability (A). For a language whose scientific lexicon is being expanded, it is of cardinal importance to ensure that these criteria are taken into consideration. The study was conceived as a systematic contribution to the solution of the problem of Swahili linguistic terminology elaborations. The thesis makes it possible for Swahili word coiners to think of appropriate method(s) of lexical formation so as to coin easily and internationally acceptable Swahili terminology.
