Safaricom and Celtel are always fighting each other for market share. (Those are Kenya's two mobile phone networks - and some of the most profitable companies in the nation.)I haven't figured out the latest campaign for Safaricom. And "Bonga"? Once again, my lack of Swahili skills lets me down.
Update: check the comments for some great explanations of what it means.
"Kubonga" is slang for "to speak nonsense". An interesting choice of term for Safaricom to choose to promote its phone service. I saw these advertisements when we were in Nairobi 3 weeks ago and wondered what the points were actually good for.
ReplyDeleteA good online source for Swahili is:
http://www.yale.edu/swahili/
Bob
ku-bonga really is to just speak e.g. I was bonga-ing with that girl from receiving the other day.
ReplyDeleteIt isnt talking nonsense but just having a conversation.
Welcome to the world of sheng
- freakengineer
"bonga" is actually best translated as small talk
ReplyDeleteBut like most sheng' (swahili slang) words its meaning is very malleable.
It can be used for salutation aka "TALK" "speak" "tell me some new" also "tell me whats on your mind"
Nimefundishwa leo! Not living in the city nor working with youth, I learned pretty good standard Swahili but not Sheng. Glad to be enlightened.
ReplyDeleteBob