Languages of Eritrea

Eritrea is generally considered to have nine ethno-linguistic groups. Each of these has their own language: Afar, Arabic (spoken by the Rashaida), Beja (spoken by the Hedareb), Blin, Kunama, Nara, Saho, Tigre and Tigrinya.

Eritrea does not have any official languages, but Tigrinya and Arabic are the most used. Italian and English are also widely understood.Fact|date=August 2008 Tigrinya and Arabic were the official languages from 1952 to 1956 and continue to be the foremost second languages, Tigrinya among the Christians and Arabic among the Muslims.

As part of a gradual nullification of Eritrean autonomy under Ethiopian rule, Amharic became the official language in 1956. Today it is spoken predominately by people of Eritrean descent who were forced from their homes in Ethiopia.

A policy of primary school instruction being available in the mother tongue has met with variable success (Woldemikael, 2003).

Ge'ez is the liturgical language of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church.

Language classification

Nilotic languages belong to the Nilo-Saharan language family while Cushitic and Semitic languages belong to the Afro-Asiatic language family.

Nilotic languages:
*Kunama
*Nara

Cushitic languages:
*Beja, spoken by the Hedareb (sometimes classified as an independent branch of the Afro-Asiatic family)
*East Cushitic languages:
**Afar
**Saho
*Central Cushitic languages:
**Blin

Semitic languages:
*North Ethiopic languages (South Semitic):
**Tigre
**Tigrinya
**Dahlik, a newly discovered language spoken on the Dahlak Archipelago
*Central Semitic languages:
**Arabic, mother tongue of the Rashaida

ee also

* Demographics of Eritrea

References

* cite journal
last = Woldemikael
first = Tekle M
title = Language, Education, and Public Policy in Eritrea
journal = African Studies Review
volume =
issue =
pages =
publisher =
month = April | year = 2003
url = http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa4106/is_200304/ai_n9219176 Language, Education, and Public Policy in Eritrea
doi =
id =
accessdate = 2007-01-27

External links

* [http://home.planet.nl/~hans.mebrat/eritrea-languages.htm Languages in Eritrea]
* [http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=ER Ethnologue entry for Eritrea]
* [http://www.linguapax.org/congres04/pdf/1_dutcher.pdf Language Policy and Education]
* [http://www.panafril10n.org/wikidoc/pmwiki.php/PanAfrLoc/Eritrea PanAfrican L10n page on Eritrea]