Afrihili

language
name=Afrihili
creator=K. A. Kumi Attobrah
date=1970
setting=intended for use throughout Africa
fam1=constructed languages
fam2=int. auxiliary languages
posteriori=a posteriori language, related to various African languages, notably Swahili
iso2=afh|iso3=afh

Afrihili is a constructed language designed in 1970 by K. A. Kumi Attobrah to be used as a lingua franca in all of Africa. The name of the language is a combination of "Africa" and "Swahili". The author, a native of Akrokerri in Ghana, originally conceived of the idea in 1967 while on a sea voyage from Dover to Calais. His intention was that "it would promote unity and understanding among the different peoples of the continent, reduce costs in printing due to translations and promote trade". It is meant to be easy for Africans to learn.

Afrihili draws its phonology, morphology and syntax from various African languages. The lexicon covers as many African languages as possible, as well as words from many other sources "so Africanized that they do not appear foreign", although no specific etymologies are indicated by the author.

The language uses the Latin alphabet with the addition of two vowel symbols, IPA|ɛ and IPA|ɔ, which denote the same sounds as in IPA, namely open-mid front and back vowels, as in several Western African languages like Ewe and Yorùbá.

The grammar seems complex to most speakers of Indo-European languages, as it involves tense distinctions and use of infixes. However, these features are found in several African languages, most notably Swahili, supporting the author's intent of making the language specially accessible to Africans.

One of Afrihili's special features is that all nouns begin with and end in a vowel, by which the nouns can be distinguished from other word classes. The plural, then, is formed by exchanging the initial and final vowels.

Intonation or accent does not change the meaning of a word. The accent however is usually on the second syllable.

Examples

Zuri lu... Good day

Zuri zinga... Good morning

Zuri masa... Good afternoon

Zuri dani... Good evening

Zuri bali... Good night

Jo koni... Go at once

!Afuraho... Cheers!

Sama papa obeka al dude... Find a good place to eat

References

* K. A. Kumi Attobrah: Ni Afrihili Oluga. The African Continental Language (First Edition, 1970; Second Edition, 1973)