language-standards

name	language-standards
description	Language and tone standards for all written content across 3 languages English (British, East African), French (Francophone African), and Kiswahili (East African standard). Enforces authentic, culturally appropriate, professional communication in each language. Apply throughout all content generation steps.

Language Standards Multi-Language Tone & Grammar

Overview

Use this skill as the multilingual language-governance layer for the repository. It keeps English, French, and Kiswahili content professional, culturally appropriate, and internally consistent across translated or multi-language outputs.

Use When

• Use when content is being created or reviewed across more than one supported language.
• Use when translation quality, tone consistency, or cultural fit matter.
• Use as a language overlay on top of another content skill.

Do Not Use When

• Do not use as a substitute for core strategy, structure, or factual accuracy.
• Do not force identical phrasing across languages when natural usage differs.
• Do not let localisation drift into meaning changes.

Required Inputs

• Source text or content brief
• Target language or set of languages
• Audience, country, and cultural context
• Any fixed terminology, brand language, or compliance phrasing

Workflow

1. Identify the target language, audience, and purpose of the content.
2. Apply the relevant language-specific standards and tone rules.
3. Preserve meaning while adapting phrasing for natural local usage.
4. Keep terminology and brand cues consistent across languages.
5. Reconcile multilingual outputs with the source content and site structure.
6. Flag terms or nuances that require human confirmation.

Quality Bar

• The language feels natural to its target audience.
• Meaning stays consistent across languages.
• Tone matches the brand and region.
• Terminology is controlled and repeatable.

Anti-Patterns

• Word-for-word translation that sounds unnatural.
• Letting one language version drift strategically from the others.
• Mixing registers or regional variants unintentionally.
• Ignoring culture-specific connotations in business language.

Outputs

• Language-standard-compliant content or edits across the supported languages
• Terminology and tone corrections
• Any localisation questions requiring follow-up

All website copy, headings, calls to action, descriptions, and microcopy must follow this style guide for their respective language. This is a cross-cutting standard applied throughout every content-writing step.

Core Principles (All Languages)

1. Clear and direct. Sentences are straightforward, grammatically careful, logically structured.
2. Formal and respectful. Politeness is essential. Communication shows courtesy and humility.
3. No excessive marketing language. Avoid drama, exaggeration, slang.
4. Professionally indirect. Soften directives with courteous phrasing.
5. Measured confidence. Confident without arrogance.
6. Culturally authentic. Respect regional norms, preferences, sensitivities.

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ENGLISH (en) British English, East African Professional Standard

Core Characteristics

1. British English spelling throughout.
2. East African tone formal, respectful, professionally courteous (Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania blend).
3. Measured and confident without arrogance or dramatic language.
4. Logical sentence structure no fragments or telegram-style copy.

British English Spelling

Always use British spelling:

Correct (British)	Incorrect (American)
organisation	organization
programme	program
centre	center
colour	color
travelling	traveling
specialise	specialize
honour	honor
favourite	favorite
analyse	analyze
defence	defense
licence (noun)	license (noun)
catalogue	catalog
enquiry	inquiry

Dates and Numbers

• Date format: 17 February 2026 (or 17th February 2026)
• Never: February 17, 2026 (American format)
• Numbers: Use commas for thousands: 1,000; 100,000
• Currency: for GBP, $ for USD, , or regional (specify in design-tokens.md)

Tone by East African Country Context

Adjust tone slightly based on client location:

Uganda Warm and Relational

• Very polite and appreciative
• Frequent use of "kindly"
• Emphasis on harmony and goodwill
• Example: "We highly appreciate your support in this matter. Kindly be informed that the funds have been received."

Kenya Confident and Business-Oriented

• Efficient and practical
• Clear timelines and expectations
• Professional firmness
• Example: "Please share the signed agreement by Friday, 21 February 2026. The project remains on schedule."

Tanzania Calm and Measured

• Formal and conservative
• Respectful and patient rhythm
• Influenced by Kiswahili sentence patterns
• Example: "We kindly request your guidance on the next steps. The matter is under review, and we shall revert shortly."

Neutral East African (Default)

Use when no specific country is indicated. Balanced blend of all three.

Courteous Phrases (English)

Natural and expected in East African business English:

• Kindly find attached...
• We kindly request...
• Please be advised that...
• We would like to inform you...
• Thank you for your continued support.
• We look forward to your response.
• We appreciate your partnership.
• Should you require any further clarification, please do not hesitate to contact us.
• Yours faithfully, / Yours sincerely,

Vocabulary Standards (English)

Preferred Professional Words

• facilitate, implement, undertake, liaise, coordinate
• engage, support, enhance, review, confirm
• advise, revert (widely accepted in East Africa, meaning "respond")
• significant, important, strategic, beneficial, valuable

Words to Avoid

Never use exaggerated marketing language:

Avoid	Use Instead
groundbreaking	significant
revolutionary	innovative
game-changing	strategic
amazing	commendable
awesome	excellent
incredible	remarkable
unleash	enable
skyrocket	improve significantly
supercharge	strengthen

Also avoid: American slang (FYI, ASAP, BTW), dramatic emotional tone, excessive exclamation marks.

Instead of abbreviations, write in full: "Please respond as soon as possible."

Assertive Language (All Languages)

Hedging language communicates uncertainty. If you're not sure you're any good, how can prospects beSection Replace weak phrasing with confident, assertive alternatives:

Hedging (weak)	Assertive (strong)
Feel free to reach out	Contact me / Get in touch
In case you're interested	InterestedSection Contact me
Perhaps we can work together	Let's work together
Maybe we're a good fit	Add a "Who is this forSection " section
We might be able to help	We can help
It could potentially improve	It improves

This applies across all three languages. In French: "N'hesitez pas a nous contacter" is acceptable (culturally standard), but avoid excessive hedging like "Il serait eventuellement possible de...". In Kiswahili: use direct invitations ("Wasiliana nasi" not "Labda unaweza kuwasiliana nasi").

Condescending Phrases Ban (All Languages)

Never use these patterns in any language:

• "Research suggests that..." Which researchSection What nicheSection What size businessesSection Too vague to be credible. Only cite research if it features your target audience and their specific problems.
• "If you're a business owner..." / "Si vous etes un entrepreneur..." / "Kama wewe ni mfanyabiashara..." If you know your audience IS business owners, address them directly. Don't do the "if" dance.

AI Language Avoidance (All Languages)

AI-generated text has recognisable vocabulary and patterns. Every piece of content must pass as entirely human-written.

Tier 1 Banned words (instant AI tells): delve, tapestry, landscape (as metaphor), multifaceted, testament, realm, harness, leverage, synergy, embark, navigate (as metaphor), foster, beacon, forge, unleash, pivotal, paramount, robust, vibrant, bolster, seamless, holistic, curate, resonate, underscore, showcase

Tier 2 Overused by AI (use sparingly, never in headlines): compelling, captivating, cutting-edge, game-changer, revolutionary, transformative, innovative, streamline, empower, unparalleled, elevate, ignite, safeguard, enduring, seamless, holistic, curate, resonate, underscore, showcase

Tier 3 Flagged in combination (fine alone, AI-tell together): crucial, facilitate, enhance, ensure, enable, encourage, essential, navigate, compelling, drive, embodies, emphasises. Rule: no more than one Tier 3 word per paragraph.

Banned phrases: "In today's fast-paced world", "It's important to note", "In the realm of", "Embark on a journey", "Game-changer", "Treasure trove", "Digital landscape", "Ever-evolving", "Not only X but also Y" (overused), "X isn't just Y; it's Z", "From X to Y, [subject] has..." (listicle pattern), "Whether you're [X] or [Y]..." (false inclusivity)

Banned structural patterns: Uniform sentence lengths (vary deliberately), "Furthermore/Moreover/Additionally" as paragraph openers, excessive em dashes (max 2 per article), three-item lists in every paragraph, present participial openers ("Leveraging our...", "Fostering an environment...")

Required human markers: Vary sentence length (mix 4-word and 30-word sentences), take clear positions ("I recommend" not "One might consider"), use the client's own vocabulary from their docs, include strategic contractions (2-4 per 500 words in English)

See blog-writer/references/human-voice-standards.md for the full blacklist with replacements, detailed techniques, and Voice DNA extraction process.

English CTAs and Button Text

Apply respectful tone to buttons and UI text:

Generic/Aggressive	East African Style
Buy Now	Place Your Order
Sign Up	Register Today
Get Started	Begin Your Journey
Learn More	Find Out More
Contact Us	Get in Touch
Download	Download the Brochure

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FRENCH (fr) Francophone African Professional Standard

Core Characteristics

1. Formal francophone African French not Quebecois, not Belgian variants.
2. Respectful and courteous professionalism with warmth.
3. Standard French grammar and conventions.
4. Vous (formal) throughout all professional communication never "tu".
5. Culturally appropriate for Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Senegal, DRC, Gabon.

French Spelling and Grammar

Use standard French orthography:

• Accent marks required: e, e, e, e, a, u, c, ,
• Double-check diacritical marks (many African translators omit them)
• UTF-8 encoding mandatory

Apostrophes in Astro JSX Templates (French, Swahili, all languages)

CRITICAL: Single-quoted JS strings inside Astro JSX expressions (.astro template section) CANNOT contain straight apostrophes ('). This breaks the build because the apostrophe terminates the string early.

Rules for any text containing apostrophes (e.g. French d', l', n', qu'; Swahili ng'):

1. Use double-quoted strings for any JS string literal that contains an apostrophe: "d'excellence" not 'd\'excellence'
2. Never use \u2019 escape sequences Astro's template compiler may not handle them correctly
3. Never use backslash-escaped apostrophes (\') in JSX template expressions they work in frontmatter JS but fail in template JSX
4. HTML text content is fine apostrophes in regular HTML <p>d'excellence</p> work without escaping
5. For JSX expression strings that need both " and ', use template literals: `string with ' and "`

Verb Conjugation

• Use vous for all formal communication (not tu)
• Example: "Veuillez remplir le formulaire" (not "Remplis le formulaire")
• Imperative form: "Veuillez" + infinitive for politeness

Gender Agreement

All adjectives and past participles must agree with gender:

• "La page est completee" (feminine)
• "Le service est complete" (masculine)
• "Les pages sont completees" (feminine plural)

French Dates and Numbers

• Date format: 17 fevrier 2026 (or 17 fevrier 2026)
• Month names: Lowercase (fevrier, not Fevrier)
• Numbers: Use space or period for thousands: 1 000 or 1.000 (not 1,000)
• Decimal separator: Comma (not period): 3,14 (not 3.14)
• Currency: Franc CFA (FCFA), Euro (), or specified in design-tokens.md

Formal Registers and Politeness

Standard Openings

• Madame, Monsieur,
• Chere Madame, Cher Monsieur,
• Greetings,

Standard Closings

• Cordialement, (warm, professional)
• Respectueusement, (respectful)
• Avec mes meilleures salutations,
• Veuillez agreer l'expression de nos salutations distinguees.

Courtesy Phrases (French)

• Nous vous prions de...
• Veuillez... (imperative form with "vous")
• Merci de votre attention.
• Nous apprecions votre partenariat.
• N'hesitez pas a nous contacter.
• Nous vous remercions de votre soutien continu.
• Nous attendons avec interet votre reponse.
• Si vous avez besoin de precisions supplementaires, veuillez nous contacter.

French Vocabulary Standards

Preferred Professional Terms

• Faciliter, mettre en uvre, entreprendre, coordonner
• Engager, soutenir, ameliorer, examiner, confirmer
• Conseiller, informer, communiquer
• Significatif, important, strategique, benefique, precieux

Words to Avoid (Marketing Hype)

Avoid	Use Instead
revolutionnaire	innovant
"game-changing"	strategique
incroyable	remarquable
genial	excellent
dingue	etonnant
Liberez le pouvoir	Activez la capacite

Francophone African Terminology

Use terms understood across francophone Africa (not Canada-specific, not France-specific):

• Budget (not "subvention")
• Entreprise (company, not "compagnie")
• Personnel (staff, not "employes" alone)
• Client (customer/client, standard everywhere)
• Formation (training, widely used)

French CTAs and Button Text

English	French (Formal)
Sign Up	S'inscrire
Register	Creer un compte
Contact Us	Nous contacter
Learn More	En savoir plus
Submit	Soumettre
Download	Telecharger
Place Your Order	Passer votre commande
Get Started	Commencer maintenant

French-Specific Considerations

In-Country Reviewer Required

All French content must be reviewed by a native francophone speaker from the target market (Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Senegal, DRC, Gabon). Send for review before publishing.

Text Expansion

French is typically 2040% longer than English. Design for 1.3x expansion:

• Buttons must accommodate longer labels
• Navigation items must wrap gracefully
• Form labels must not overlap fields

Regional Variations

Avoid country-specific terms unless relevant:

• Use neutral francophone African vocabulary
• Avoid France-centric references
• Avoid Canadian (Quebecois) terminology

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KISWAHILI (sw) East African Standard

Core Characteristics

1. Standard East African Kiswahili not regional dialects (Mombasa, Zanzibar variants).
2. Formal/respectful register throughout professional communication.
3. Humble and relationship-focused Swahili culture emphasizes harmony.
4. UTF-8 encoding for proper character rendering.
5. Simple sentence structure Kiswahili clarity values straightforward expression.

Kiswahili Grammar and Structure

Standard Kiswahili Conventions

• Subject prefixes: Proper noun classes (m-/ba, ki-/vi, n-, li-)
• Verb conjugation: Tense markers (-li-, -na-, -ta-, -ki-, -a)
• Adjective agreement: Must agree with noun class
• No gender distinction in pronouns (yeye = he/she)

Formal Register (Habari Rasmi)

Use formal register in all professional communication:

• Avoid slang (sheng, Nairobi street language)
• Use full words (hakuna = do not have, not "hakuna matata")
• Respectful pronouns and address forms

Tense Selection

• Present habitual: -na- (Anataka = He/she wants)
• Near future: -ta- (Atakuja = He/she will come)
• Past completed: -li- (Alifika = He/she arrived)
• Conditional: -ki-, -ngali (Akija = if he/she comes)

Kiswahili Dates and Numbers

• Date format: Februari 17, 2026 (or 17 Februari 2026)
• Month names: English borrowed (Januari, Februari) no Kiswahili equivalents universally understood
• Day of week: Jumapili (Sunday), Jumatatu (Monday), Jumanne (Tuesday), etc.
• Numbers: Use spaces for thousands: 1 000 (not 1,000)
• Currency: Shilingi (Sh, KES for Kenya), or specified in design-tokens.md

Kiswahili Courtesy and Formality

Standard Openings (Business)

• Habari yakoSection (How are youSection formal)
• Tunataka kuwashukuru... (We want to thank you...)
• Tunakuomba... (We kindly request...)

Respectful Phrases (Kiswahili)

• Tafadhali (please polite request)
• Asante sana (thank you very much)
• Karibu sana (welcome, you're welcome)
• Pole pole (take it easy, go slowly suggests respect/patience)
• Haba na haba hujaza kibaba (little by little fills the measure patience/humility)
• Tunataka kuwajua (We want to know / We would like to learn)
• Tutakurejea (We will respond to you)
• Tukikubali (If we may, with your permission)

Closings

• Kwa heshima (with respect)
• Wakati mwingine (another time / we hope to hear from you)
• Tunatumaini kuongea nayo upya (We hope to speak with you again)

Kiswahili Vocabulary Standards

Preferred Professional Terms

• Kusimamia (to manage, oversee)
• Kutekeleza (to implement, execute)
• Kushiriki (to participate, engage)
• Kusaada (to help, support)
• Kuboresha (to improve, enhance)
• Kupatiana (to agree, coordinate)
• Kuhakiki (to verify, confirm)
• Kuarifu (to inform, notify)
• Kujifunza (to learn)
• Muhimu (important, significant)
• Faida (benefit, advantage)
• Lengo (goal, objective)

Words to Avoid (Too Colloquial)

• Slang/sheng use formal Kiswahili
• Hyperbolic marketing words
• English insertions without Kiswahili alternative available

Kiswahili CTAs and Button Text

English	Kiswahili (Formal)
Sign Up	Jisajili
Register	Andika Jina
Contact Us	Wasiliana Nasi
Learn More	Jua Zaidi
Submit	Tuma
Download	Pakua
Place Your Order	Agiza Bidhaa
Get Started	Anza Sasa

Kiswahili-Specific Considerations

In-Country Reviewer Required

All Kiswahili content must be reviewed by a native Kiswahili speaker from East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, or Uganda). Regional variants exist; ensure reviewer is from target market.

Text Expansion

Kiswahili is typically 1030% longer than English. Design for 1.2x expansion:

• Buttons must flex for longer labels
• Navigation items must wrap gracefully
• Form labels must have clear spacing

No Dialects

• Use standard East African Kiswahili
• Avoid Mombasa Swahili (maChinwali features)
• Avoid Zanzibari Swahili (historical variants)
• Avoid regional slang or sheng (Nairobi street language)

Relationships and Harmony

Kiswahili communication culture emphasizes relationships:

• Lead with greetings and acknowledgment
• Use plural forms to show respect (sisi = we, kuambia mtu = speak to a person)
• Avoid direct criticism or bluntness
• Always acknowledge the relationship before asking for action

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When This Skill Applies

This skill is cross-cutting it applies throughout all content generation:

• All visible website text: headings, body copy, service descriptions, about pages, CTAs
• Meta descriptions and SEO text
• Alt text for images: clear, descriptive, respectful, in target language
• Error messages and form labels: polite, never terse
• Email templates and contact responses
• Microcopy: tooltips, helper text, notifications

Integration with Other Skills

• i18n: Determines which language versions are built
• page-builder: Applies language standards when creating content
• seo: Uses language standards for meta tags, titles, descriptions
• sector-strategies: Industry-specific tone within language standards
• design-system: Visualizes language standards in typography and layout

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Enforcement Checkpoints

Before publishing any page, verify:

• English pages: British spelling, East African tone, no marketing hype
• French pages: Formal French, vous throughout, francophone African vocabulary, reviewed by francophone
• Kiswahili pages: Standard Kiswahili, formal register, no slang, reviewed by East African native speaker
• All pages: No truncation or text overflow in any language
• All pages: Grammatically correct, properly punctuated, culturally appropriate
• All pages: CTAs use respectful, inviting language (not aggressive)

Language-Specific Reviewers

Before publishing in any language, assign review:

• English: East African professional (optional native review; standards in this guide)
• French: Native francophone speaker from Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Senegal, DRC, or Gabon
• Kiswahili: Native Kiswahili speaker from Kenya, Tanzania, or Uganda

All translations reviewed by in-country professionals before publishing.