Swahili, a member of the Bantu family, is one of the most widely spread of modern African languages, being used as a means of communication among the ethnically mixed peoples of Eastern and, up to a point, Central Africa. it is the national language of Tanzania and Kenya. Its influence extends as far as Southern Arabia and Singh, areas which have long-standing trade and cultural ties with the coastal regions of East Africa. The United nations estimate is of 50 million speakers, including second language speakers. In this first volume of the Languages of Asia and Africa Series, the author provides a general description of Swahili, dealing with the main structural characteristics and particularly the classification f the noun, the most specific feature of the language. She also demonstrates the place occupied by Swahili in relation to other languages of the Bantu family. Convenient for reference and for the student who has already mastered the elementary stage, this book contains basic information about phonetics, spelling and lexicology. The student will also find helpful the text examples, with translation, vocabulary and commentary as well as the select bibliography. Ekaterina N. Myachina was educated at the Universities of Leningrad and Moscow. She is now Head of the African Languages Department, Moscow International Affairs Institute, teaching Swahili and Somali.