The following approach has been adopted for the use of foreign words.

1. Use of foreign words

Foreign words from other languages such as English or, preferably, other Bantu languages such as KiSwahili and IsiNdebele, may be used in a ChiShona text, particularly where ChiShona seems lacking. For example, foreign words may be used for vocabulary relating to marine life, which is not well-developed in ChiShona.

2. Foreign origin words assimilated into current ChiShona are taken as ChiShona words

Words with foreign origins that have been assimilated into current ChiShona (in their original or modified form), may be used, and are considered ChiShona. However, qualifying words are only those that have an entry in any of the following dictionaries:

Duramazwi Guru reChiShona - Rine zvirungamutauro, Mupepeti: Herbert Chimhundu, Publisher: College Press in conjunction with the African Languages Research Institute, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe, 2001

Standard Shona Dictionary - Revised Edition with Addendum, Author: M. Hannan, S.J, Publisher: College Press in conjunction with the Literature Bureau,

3. Italicising foreign words

Foreign words and phrases used in a ChiShona text are italicised.

Foreign origin words described under 2, above, are considered ChiShona, therefore, they are not italicised.

Proper names

Italics are not used for proper names, such as names of persons, institutions, and places, spelled with an initial capital letter.