Somali languages

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Somali
Geographic
distribution		 Somalia, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya
Native speakers
27 million (2020) [1]
Linguistic classification Afro-Asiatic
Proto-languageProto-Somali
Glottolog None
east2653  (East Omo–Tana (partial match))

The Somali languages form a group that are part of the Afro-Asiatic language family. They are spoken as a mother tongue by ethnic Somalis in Horn of Africa and the Somali diaspora. Even with linguistic differences, Somalis collectively view themselves as speaking dialects of a common language. [2]

Contents

Some neighboring populations and individuals have also adopted the languages. Somali is for instance used as a second language by Girirra. [3]

Overview

Somali variations form a group of East Cushitic languages that are part of the Afroasiatic language family. Their closest relatives are the Aweer and Garre languages, followed by Rendille; this group is sometimes known as Sam or Eastern Omo-Tana. Together with Bayso and the Arboroid languages such as Daasanach, these are known as the Omo-Tana languages. A term "Somaloid" is ambiguous and has been used for either all of Omo-Tana, for the Sam group, or for a group comprising Sam and Baiso.

Classification

Distribution of Somali dialectal groups in the Horn of Africa Distribution-of-Somali-dialectals.png
Distribution of Somali dialectal groups in the Horn of Africa

Somali linguistic varieties are broadly divided into three main groups: Northern, Benadir and Maay. Northern Somali (or Nsom [4] ) forms the basis for Standard Somali. [5]

The most extensive publication on the subject is Marcello Lamberti's 'Die Somali-Dialekte'. [6] Both Lamberti (1986) and Blench (2006) separate Central and Benadir into two distinct groups, Digil and Maay and Benadir and Ashraaf, respectively: [7] [8]

Northern

Northern Somali (Nsom) dialect subgroups Northern Somali Dialects.png
Northern Somali (Nsom) dialect subgroups

Northern Somali is spoken by more than 70% of the entire Somali population. [4] Its primary speech area stretches from Djibouti, Somaliland and to parts of the eastern and southwestern sections of Somalia. [9] This widespread modern distribution is a result of a long series of southward population movements over the past ten centuries from the Gulf of Aden littoral. [10] Northern Somali is subdivided into three dialects: Northern Somali proper (spoken in the northwest), the Darod group (spoken in the northeast and along the eastern Ethiopia frontier), and the Lower Juba group (spoken by northern Somali settlers in the southern riverine areas). [4] Northern Somali has frequently been used by famous Somali poets as well as the political elite, and thus has the most prestige out of the Somali dialects. [11] Due to being wide spread, it forms the basis for Standard Somali. [12] Most of the classical Somali poetry is recited and composed in the Northern Somali dialect. [4]

Lamberti divides Northern Somali into three subgroups: [8]

Coastal

Coastal Somali (also grouped as Benadir and Ashraf) is spoken on the Benadir coast from Hobyo to south of Merca, including Mogadishu and in the hinterland. [7]

Central

Central Somali (also grouped as Digil and Maay) is spoken in the inter-riverine regions of Somalia by the Digil and Mirifle clans, collectively known as the Rahanweyn Somalis. [7] They are most often described as dialects [7] Others regard them as being divergent from the latter as Spanish is to Portuguese. [13] Of the Central variations, Jiddu is the most incomprehensible to Benadir and Northern speakers. [7]

Other

In addition, Kirk (1905) reports Yibir and Midgan, spoken by the Yibir and Madhiban, respectively. Blench (2006) says, "These lects, spoken respectively by magicians and hunters among the Somali are said to differ substantially in lexicon from standard Somali. Whether this differentiation is in the nature of a code or these represent distinct languages remains unknown."

Other groupings

Ehert & Ali (1984) classifications represents a sharp contrast to that of the rest. They classify these variation into three main groups in a more genealogically focused approach: [14]

Jiiddu in this model is relocated as not even a Somali sensu lato variety in origin, but instead as a sibling of Bayso. [14] In contrast, Garre shows quite close affinity to Aweer, a language spoken by the physically and culturally distinct Aweer people. [15] [16] Evidence suggests that the Aweer/Boni are remnants of the early hunter-gatherer inhabitants of Eastern Africa. According to linguistic, anthropological and other data, these groups later came under the influence and adopted the Afro-Asiatic languages of the Eastern and Southern Cushitic peoples who moved into the area. [17]

Reconstruction

Proto-Somali has been reconstructed by Biber (1982). [18]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cushitic languages</span> Branch of Afroasiatic native to East Africa

The Cushitic languages are a branch of the Afroasiatic language family. They are spoken primarily in the Horn of Africa, with minorities speaking Cushitic languages to the north in Egypt and Sudan, and to the south in Kenya and Tanzania. As of 2012, the Cushitic languages with over one million speakers were Oromo, Somali, Beja, Afar, Hadiyya, Kambaata, and Sidama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Somali language</span> Cushitic language of the Horn of Africa

Somali is an Afroasiatic language belonging to the Cushitic branch. It is spoken as a mother tongue by Somalis in Greater Somalia and the Somali diaspora. Somali is an official language in Somalia and Ethiopia, and a national language in Djibouti as well as in northeastern Kenya. The Somali language is written officially with the Latin alphabet although the Arabic alphabet and several Somali scripts like Osmanya, Kaddare and the Borama script are informally used.

The Garre are a prominent Somali clan that traces its lineage back to Samaale, who is believed to have originated from the Arabian Peninsula through Aqiil Abu Talib. The Garre clan is considered to be a sub-clan of the Digil-Rahanweyn clan family, which is part of the larger Rahanweyn clan. However, genealogically, they are descended from Gardheere Samaale. The Garre are also categorized as southern Hawiye as well.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Languages of Somalia</span> Overview of the languages of Somalia

The endoglossic language of Somalia has always been Somali, although throughout Somalia's history various exoglossic languages have also been used at a national level.

Boon or Af-Boon is a nearly extinct Cushitic language spoken by 59 people in Jilib District, Middle Jubba Region of southern Somalia. In recent decades they have shifted to the Maay dialect of Jilib. All speakers were reported in the 1980s to be older than 60. Their traditional occupations are as hunters, leatherworkers and, more recently, shoemakers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maay Maay</span> Somali dialect

Mai-Mai, commonly spelled Maay Maay, is a dialect of the Somali language of the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic family. It is mainly spoken in Somalia and adjacent parts of Ethiopia and Kenya. In Somalia, it is spoken in South West state, Jubaland state, and Banadir. It is one of the dialects of the Somali language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sakuye people</span>

The Sakuye are people living in Marsabit, Tana River, Mandera and Isiolo counties, as well as the Northern Frontier District.

Baiso or Bayso is an Afro-Asiatic, more specifically a Lowland East Cushitic language belonging to the Omo-Tana subgroup, and is spoken in Ethiopia, in the region around Lake Abaya.

The Rendille–Boni languages is a proposed subgroup of the Macro-Somali languages, belonging to the Cushitic family. The languages are spoken in Kenya. The hypothesis has been by now rejected, in favor of grouping Aweer as a member of the Somali languages, closely related to Garre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aweer language</span> Lowland East Cushitic language of eastern Kenya

Aweer (Aweera), also known as Boni, is a Cushitic language of Eastern Kenya. The Aweer people, known by the arguably derogatory exonym "Boni," are historically a hunter-gatherer people, traditionally subsisting on hunting, gathering, and collecting honey. Their ancestral lands range along the Kenyan coast from the Lamu and Ijara Districts into Southern Somalia's Badaade District.


Garre is a Somali language spoken by the Garre who reside in southern Somalia, Ethiopia and northern Kenya. It belongs to the family's Cushitic branch, and had an estimated 50,000 speakers in Somalia in 1992, 57,500 in 2006 and 86,000 in 2020. The total number of speakers in Kenya and Somalia was estimated at 685,600 in 2019. Garre is in the Digil classification of Somali dialects. Garre language is readily intelligible to Digil speakers, as it has some affinity with Af-Maay and Af-Boon.

Jiiddu is an Afro-Asiatic language spoken by the Jiiddu sub-clan of the Dir, a Somali clan inhabiting southern Somalia. It is part of the family's Cushitic branch, and has an estimated 34,000 speakers mainly residing in the Lower Shabeelle, Bay and Middle Juba regions.

The Omo–Tana languages are a branch of the Cushitic family and are spoken in Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia and Kenya. The largest member is Somali. There is some debate as to whether the Omo–Tana languages form a single group, or whether they are individual branches of Lowland East Cushitic. Blench (2006) restricts the name to the Western Omo–Tana languages, and calls the others Macro-Somali.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arbore people</span> Ethiopian ethnic group

The Arbore are an ethnic group living in southern Ethiopia, near Lake Chew Bahir. The Arbore people are pastoralists. With a total population of 6,850, the Abore population is divided into four villages, named: Gandareb, Kulaama, Murale, and Eegude.

The Macro-Somali or Somaloid languages, or, Sam languages, are a branch of the Lowland East Cushitic languages. They are spoken in Somalia, Djibouti, eastern Ethiopia, and northern Kenya. The most widely-spoken member is Somali.

Northern Somali is a dialect of the Somali language and forms the basis for Standard Somali. It is spoken by more than 60% of the entire Somali population, with its speech area stretching from Djibouti, Somaliland and the Somali Region of Ethiopia This widespread modern distribution is a result of a long series of southward population movements over the past ten centuries from the Gulf of Aden littoral.

Ashraf is a speech variety of uncertain classification within the East Omo-Tana sub-branch found in the Marka district of the Lower Shebelle region and Banaadir region of southern Somalia.

Girirra also called Gariire is a Cushitic language of Ethiopia. It has extensive borrowing from Somali. Although not mutually intelligible with Somali, it is estimated that around 70% of the Garirra language is made up of Somali loan words. There has not been many studies on the language itself and is often grouped into a small umbrella of the Macro-Somali language family including relatives like: Rendille, Boni, Bayso, and the two dialects of Somali, being Af-Maay, and Af-Maxaa.

The Tunni are a Somali clan that make up part of the wider Digil-Rahanweyn branch. It is one of the major clans that inhabit in the South West State of Somalia and can also be found in Jubbaland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cushitic-speaking peoples</span> Collection of ethnic groups residing in East Africa

Cushitic-speaking peoples are the ethnolinguistic groups who speak Cushitic languages natively. Today, Cushitic languages are spoken primarily in the Horn of Africa, with minorities speaking Cushitic languages to the north and south in Egypt, Sudan, Kenya, and Tanzania.

References

  1. ↑ "Somali languages". Ethnologue. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  2. ↑ Somali nationalism: international politics and the drive for unity in the Horn of Africa. Department of Linguistics and the African Studies Center, University of California, Los Anglos. 1963. p. 24. ISBN   9780674818255.
  3. ↑ Somali at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022) Closed Access logo transparent.svg
  4. 1 2 3 4 Lamberti, Marcello (1986). Map of Somali dialects in the Somali Democratic Republic (PDF). H. Buske. ISBN   9783871186905.
  5. ↑ Dalby, Andrew (1998). Dictionary of languages: the definitive reference to more than 400 languages. Columbia University Press. p. 571.
  6. ↑ Somalia: Language situation and dialects (PDF). Landinfo. 2011. p. 5., Quote: "Lamberti surveyed Somali dialects during a field study in Somalia in 1981. He completed his studies in Mogadishu, Bardheere and Luuq in the Gedo region; Saakow, Jilib and Bu'aale in Middle Juba; Merka and Qoryoley in Lower Shebelle; Qansax Dheere, Baidoa, Dinsor, Yaaq Baraaway and Bur Hakaba in the Bay Region; Jamaame and Kismayo in Lower Juba, as well as Adalar in Middle Shebelle (1986a, p. 15). Martin Orwin stresses that no systematic field studies of the Somali dialects have been carried out since the 1980's."
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 "Report Somalia: Language situation and dialects" (PDF). Country of Origin Information Centre (Landinfo). 2011. p. 6.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Blench, Roger (2006). "The Afro-Asiatic Languages: Classification and Reference List" (PDF). p. 3.
  9. ↑ Mundus, Volumes 23-24. Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft. 1987. p. 205.
  10. ↑ Andrzejewski, B.; Lewis, I. (1964). Somali poetry: an introduction . Clarendon Press. p.  6.
  11. ↑ Saeed, John (1999). Somali. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. p. 5. ISBN   1-55619-224-X.
  12. ↑ Ammon, Ulrich (2006). Sociolinguistics: An International Handbook of the Science of Language and Society, Part 3. Walter de Gruyter. p. 194. ISBN   9783110184181.
  13. ↑ Lewis, I. M. (1 January 1998). Saints and Somalis: Popular Islam in a Clan-based Society. The Red Sea Press. p. 74. ISBN   9781569021033.
  14. 1 2 Tosco, Mauro (1994). "The Historical Reconstruction of a Southern Somali Dialect: Proto-Karre-Boni". Sprache und Geschichte in Afrika. 15: 153–209.
  15. ↑ Aweer at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022) Closed Access logo transparent.svg
  16. ↑ Garre at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022) Closed Access logo transparent.svg
  17. ↑ Mohamed Amin, Peter Moll (1983). Portraits of Africa. Harvill Press. p. 16. ISBN   0002726394.
  18. ↑ Douglas Biber. 1982. The phonological system of proto-Somali. Los Angeles: University of Southern California.
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