Useful Texts

It is important for intermediate Luganda learners to incorporate texts into their daily language study routines that both help to improve grammar skills and vocabulary as well as strengthen their reading and cultural knowledge. Below is a list of two lists of books and a PDF of a Luganda-English dictionary. The first list includes books geared toward conventional language instruction. All three books give detailed explanations of Luganda grammar rules, contain extensive vocabulary lists, and provide exercises for independent learners to practice and check for understanding at the end of each chapter. Depending on your own language goals, you may find one text more useful than another. For example, if you are more interested in acquiring strong reading knowledge and an overall understanding of the language structure and rules, Crabtree and Pilkington’s books are better suited to your needs than the Foreign Service book. However, if your goal is to master conversational skills, then the Foreign Service book is much more useful for learning to communicate with Native speakers in everyday situations. In any case, these textbooks will provide structure for your independent language study to help keep you on track.

The second list includes children’s stories, popular fiction, and oral traditions. These books vary in terms of difficulty. For example, Nambi ne Nvuma is a children’s story and part of a larger book series called Olufumbo lw’Abaana. If you struggle with reading, this book and others in the series are ideal for improving your skills. The stories are relatively short, and the book includes a list of important vocabulary and questions following the story that help you check for understanding and think through some of the story’s themes and lessons. For those looking to push themselves and their reading abilities, try Omuganda n’Enswa and Zinunula Omunaku. These two books are short novels, which are longer and more challenging than children’s books, but not too long and challenging for an intermediate level learner. Both novels are less than 75 pages, and include helpful illustrations throughout the texts.

Finally, there are two books that provide the most important Ganda oral traditions. These books will be useful for Luganda learners interested in understanding Ganda history and culture. The traditions include historical information about the creation of the Buganda Kingdom, the first king of Buganda, Kintu, and other important historical figures and events.

These book titles were selected to help students improve in all areas of language knowledge, and they increase in difficulty as your language skills improve. Together, these books will help you review and practice what you have already learned as well as push you to the next level of language study.

Textbooks:

· Crabtree, William Arthur. Elements of Luganda Grammar, Together with Exercises and Vocabulary. London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1902.

· Pilkington, G.L. A Handbook of Luganda. London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1901.

· Luganda: Basic Course. Foreign Service Institute, 1946.

Readings:

· Kaswa, Jackson. Omuganda n’Enswa. Kampala: The Eagle Press, 1960.

· Kawere, Edward K. N. Zinunula Omunaku. London: Thomas Nelson and Sons Ltd., 1961.

· Mulira, Enoch E. K. Olugero Lwa Kintu. Kampala: East African Literature Bureau, 1951.

· Muwonge, Sam W. Nambi ne Nvuma. Kampala: Foutain Publishers, 2009.

· Nsimbi, M.B. Amannya Amaganda n’Ennono Zaago. Kampala: East African Literature Bureau, 1956.