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    Ethiopia and The Horn Language Families

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    Henok Abrha

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    Ethiopia and The Horn Language Families

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    ethiopia and the horn Language families

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    Ethiopia and The Horn Language Families

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    Henok Abrha

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    cmmtcs|Grade 9

     Languages families
    According to linguistics in Africa, there are not less than 2,000 languages spoken. This means 1/3 of the
    world’s language spoken in Africa. Linguists divide languages into super-families and families. African
    languages are divided into 4 independent super-language families. They are:

     Niger-Congo
     Afro – Asiatic
     Nilo – Saharan
     Khoisan
    Ethiopia and the Horn region are marked by ethnic and linguistic diversity. Linguists classify the
    languages of Ethiopia and the Horn into two major super-families. These are Afro-Asiatic and Nilo-
    Saharan.

     Afro-Asiatic Super-Family
    This super-family covers the largest sector of Ethiopia’s population. It can be further divided into three
    linguistic families. These are Cushitic, Semitic, and Omotic.

     Cushitic: The vast majority speak the Cushitic language family in terms of both areal coverage
    and size of speakers. There is a spillover into neighboring countries. The Cushitic languages have
    sub-divisions: North Cushitic, Central Cushitic, and Eastern Cushitic.
     Northern Cushitic- was widely spoken in ancient throughout the area between the Nile Valley
    and the Red Sea. Today, it survives only in the language of the Beja people, found in present-
    day Northwestern Eritrea.
     Central Cushitic: which spread in ancient times, is now represented by the Bilen language in
    Eritrea and the Agaw languages (Qimant, Himitagna, and Awign) in Ethiopia.
     Eastern Cushitic is the largest and most varied branch of the Cushitic language family in
    Ethiopia. Due to its diversity, it is divided into Highland and Lowland East Cushitic.
     Lowland East Cushitic: Includes Oromo, Afar, Somali, Konso, Gidole, Erbore,
    Dassenech, and Saho. Originally lived in the eastern lowlands of Ethiopia and the
    Horn. It expanded significantly due to population movements in the 16th century.
     Highland East Cushitic: Includes Hadiya, Kambata, Tambaro, Halaba, Sidama, Gedeo,
    and Burji. These groups live in the highlands of central Ethiopia.
     Southern Cushitic is represented by Dhalo in Kenya and Nbugua in Tanzania.
     Semitic: It is divided into Northern Semitic and Southern Semitic.
    Northern Semitic:
     Ge'ez: An ancient language of northern Ethiopia, now primarily used in the Ethiopian
    Orthodox Tewahedo Church.
     Tegra: Found in the Eritrean lowlands.
     Tigrigna: Spoken in southern Eritrea and Tigray

    1
    cmmtcs|Grade 9

    Southern Semitic: consists of Amharic, Argobba, Gafat (now extinct), Guraghigna, Siltie,
    Harari, and Zay.
     Omotic: Its speakers most of them live in and around the Omo River basin. The Shinasha and
    Anfillo, who are living far away from the Omo basin in Gojjam (currently in Benishangul –
    Gumuz region) and Wollega respectively are exceptional.
    Examples of Omotic Languages: Ari, Banna, Basketo, Bench, Chara, Dawuro, Dime, Dizi, Dorze,
    Gamo, Ganza, Gayil, Gofa, Hamer, Hozo, Kachama Ganjule, Karo, Keficho, Konta, Korete,
    Male, Melo, Nayi, Oyda, Sezo, Shekkacho, Sheko, Wolaita, Yem, Zayse, etc.

     Nilo - Saharan super family


    In Ethiopia the speakers of Nilo – the Saharan superfamily mainly live on the Ethio–Sudanese border.
    But some of these people live in the Abay gorge and along the banks of the tributaries of Abay in
    Wollega. This superfamily has two families:

     Chari-Nile: this family includes the languages of the people of Anuak Nuer, Mi'en, Majang,
    Benishangul, Kunama, Mursi, Surma, and Tirma.
     Koman: includes the peoples of Gumuz, Koma, Sese, Ma'o, and Komo

    Out of the great number of languages of Ethiopia, few have already disappeared, and some are close to
    death. This is because of the decreasing number of their speakers. Gafat is an example of a language that
    has become extinct.

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