How did Swahili culture primarily develop its linguistic features?

Swahili culture primarily developed its linguistic features through significant borrowing from the Arabic language. This influence is rooted in the historical interactions along the East African coast, where trade routes facilitated contact between Arab traders and the local Bantu-speaking populations. Over centuries, as Islam spread through the region, the Arabic language infused various elements into Swahili, including vocabulary, expressions, and certain grammatical structures.

The presence of Arabic words encompasses numerous aspects of daily life, trade, religion, and cultural practices among Swahili speakers. Additionally, Arabic script was adopted for writing Swahili before the Latin alphabet became popularized.

While other factors, such as interactions with other cultures and languages, contributed to the development of Swahili, the profound impact of Arabic is the most significant, particularly due to the longstanding socio-economic and cultural exchanges along the coastal trading cities. Thus, the rich linguistic tapestry of Swahili is a direct reflection of these historical ties with the Arabic language.