by Hammed Sonny | Nov 28, 2024 | Carribean
The island country of Jamaica lays amid the Caribbean Sea. With a long-standing history and fascinating background, Jamaica has become a highly sought-after holiday destination and talking point for many.
With a population of 2.73 million, Jamaica is a highly populated country- but what languages are spoken throughout the vibrant region? What is the official dialect for Jamaican citizens?
Jamaica is deemed as a bilingual country, with the languages spoken to this day reflecting on its history, such as British colonisation. Each language spoken pays homage to the rich cultural diversity it beholds.
Jamaican English
Jamaican English is the country’s official language. With a strong influence from British English, the Jamaican variation shares ample similarities. After the British colonisation period, English speaking became the norm and remains intact to this day. Figures show us that the language is only spoken by 50,000 Jamaicans; speaking of Jamaican English is typically associated with high social class and extensive achievement.
The dialect is commonly used in formal settings such as the media and the government.
Jamaican Patois
The most spoken language throughout Jamaica, Jamaican Patois is sometimes also known as Jamaican Creole. The language is a form of English creole which derived during the slave trade. The language evolved when slaves combined their native languages with English- resulting in a new dialect. Patois became particularly prevalent after Jamaican independence and was considered a symbol of heritage and culture.
Interestingly, Jamaican Patois is a spoken language as a pose to a written one. The language is often expressed in a rhythmic way which explains its strong affiliation with reggae music. Patois is often the first language of Jamaican natives until they become exposed to English when entering educational settings. This explains why Jamaica is considered a bilingual country.
Immigrant languages
Jamaica is known for being home to large number of immigrant populations. Some of the area’s migrants arrive from include Europe, North America, and Asia. This means a combination of foreign languages are rife in the country, including Chinese, Arabic and Spanish.
The Arawakan Language
Arawakan is the only native language that is not endangered in Jamaica. The Tanio people are a minute population of Aboriginal people known to speak to language. Arawakan has actually been known to have influenced Jamaican Patois.
Final thoughts
It is clear that Jamaica is a country with a long history. Its languages spoken today have been strongly influenced by its history involving Britain. Creole in particular pays a vital part in the daily living of Jamaican people, acting as the main language for the majority of the population.
Should you require a Jamaican Patois interpreter or translator, visit Crystal Clear Translation for a quote.
by Hammed Sonny | Nov 19, 2024 | Asia
Gujarati is an incredibly fascinating language. Part of the Indo-Aryan language family, it harbours close connections to Punjabi and Hindi. Gujarati is spoken by as many as 45.7 million people in India alone, making it one of the most spoken first languages of the region. When we factor in speakers from other countries, Gujarati speakers account for 46.6 million of the population.
Similar to other Indo-Aryan dialects, Gujarati derives from Sanskrit and Prakrit, two ancient languages spoken in India up until 13th century AD.
Where is Gujarati spoken besides India?
Gujarati is richly spoken in many places outside of India. These regions include Bangladesh, Fiji, Kenya, Malawi, Pakistan, South Africa, United Kingdom and USA, to name a few.
Status
Guajarati is one of 22 languages with official status in India. Particularly within the state of Gujarat, the majority of people communicate daily in the language. It is a widely celebrated and spoken language throughout Indian communities all across the world. Many migrants from India who have relocated still use it solely as their first language. In fact, it is one of the most spoken foreign languages in London and Birmingham.
Dialects
There are several varying dialects spoken within the Gujarati language web. Most of these are based on location and will change based on the region you are in. These include:
- East African Gujarati
- Standard Gujarati (including the varieties spoken in Mumbai and Ahmedabad, the capital of Gujarat)
- Surati
- Kathiyawadi
- Kharwa
- Khakari
- Tarimukhi
Many dialects borrow loanwords from Portuguese, Persian and Arabic.
Final thoughts
Gujarati is a highly popular language in many other countries other than India. The development of the language since its early days is extremely fascinating. The language remains rife all across the world within Indian and Gujarat communities. The growing number of migrants may call for interpreters and translators in various different scenarios.
Should you require a Gujarati interpreter or translator, visit Crystal Clear Translation for a quote.
by Hammed Sonny | Nov 12, 2024 | Africa
Zarma (also known as Djerma) is one of the Songhay languages, which derive from Nilo-Saharan language family. The Songhay languages comprise two dialects, Northern Songhay and Southern Songhay (Zarma is a Southern Songhay language). The primary speakers of the Zarma language are the Zarma ethnic group, who live in Niger, Nigeria, Benin, Ghana and Burkina Faso. Most Zarma people live in Niger, accounting for around 21.2% of the population (around 4.92 million people). Of the approximately 4.92 million people of the Zarma group that live in Niger, around 3.12 million people are Zarma speakers.
Linguistic Features of the Zarma Language
Zarma is written in both the Arabic script and the Latin script, although, most speakers use a Latinised version of the language. Those Zarma speakers who write the language in the Arabic script utilise the Maghrebi and Naksh styles of writing. The Latinised Zarma alphabet is comprised of the same letters as the English language, albeit with the inclusion of the two letters “ŋ” (eng) and “ɲ”, which are written after vowels to indicate that they are nasalised vowels (pronounced using breath from the nose).
There are a number of different vowels and consonants in the Zarma language. The primary vowels of the Zarma language are “a” (pronounced as “ah”, like “father”), “e” (pronounced as “ey” like “obey”), “ay”, “I”, “o” and “u”. Regarding consonants, the majority used in Zarma are similar to those used in the English language, with a few exceptions. For example, the Zarma language uses the consonant “g” (a hard consonant pronounced in the same way as the “g” in “goose”),
In addition to this, the Zarma language uses the SOV (subject-object-verb) word order, and verbs written in the language do not use different forms when used for different tenses. For instance, sentences written in the negative form of the past tense feature the word “man” before the verb to indicate the negative. In the sentence, “Yesterday, I didn’t go to the market”, which translated into the Zarma language is “Bi ay man koy habu”, the verb “koy” (meaning “to go”) is prefixed by the word “man”.
Key Zarma phrases
- Hello – “Fo”
- Please – “Alhanan”
- My name is – “Ay ma…”
- I’m fine – “Bani samay walla”
- See you later – “Kala tonton”
- How much is…? – “Marje no…?”
- I want/I’d like – “Ay ga ba”
Is Zarma an official language?
The Zarma language is not an official language in Niger, or any of the West African countries within which the Songhay languages are most widely spoken. In fact, the official language in Niger is actually the French language. However, Zarma is regarded as a national language in Niger, and is used in both social and business environments. In addition to this, Zarma is also taught in primary education in Niger alongside English and French, and is also one of the languages used in media as well as publishing in Niger.
In Conclusion
Zarma may not be as widely spoken as the Hausa language, Zarma is an important lingua franca utilised by millions of speakers across West Africa, and is the most widely spoken language in Niamey, the capital city of Niger. The language has a fascinating history, used throughout the Songhai Empire in the 15th century, and as a growing language, Zarma is spoken by an increasing number of people in Niger and in other West African countries, like Nigeria, Mali, Benin and Ghana.
Since Zarma is not mutually intelligible with the other Songhay languages, it is important that any translator or interpreter you need to translate Zarma is fluent in the Zarma language. If you should require translation or interpretation of the Zarma language, or any language or dialect, you may be interested in the excellent services provided by Crystal Clear Translation. At CCT, we employ many efficient and reliable translators able to navigate the intricacies of many different languages and cultures. Click here for a quote if you should need interpretation or translation services in a multitude of different languages.
by Hammed Sonny | Oct 24, 2024 | Africa, Arab
Within the midst of Sudan, lies a web of different dialects. Being the third largest country within the continent of Africa, Sudan is known to be home to around 133 living languages- languages citizens use in their daily life.
The sheer number of languages that have evolved throughout the years can make it challenging to get your head around what is what, however if we break it down into categories, we can gain a better insight into this country of diverse dialect.
We will further explore this fascinating country and its extensive multilingualism.
Sudanese Arabic- The First Official Language of Sudan
Sudanese Arabic is spoken by approximately 15 million people in Sudan, making it the most dominant tongue. The language in question is categorised under the Afro-Asiatic family along with 300 other languages spoken North Africa and the Middle East.
This form of Arabic dialect is used widely within Sudan, heavily as a working language, meaning that it is used within the government, religious settings and in the media. Most Sudanese Arabic speakers reside within North Sudan.
Afro-Asiatic Languages in Sudan
The Afro-Asiatic family has two other languages that are spoken around Sudan. Although less common than Arabic, a healthy proportion of the population classify these as first languages.
Hausa: Primarily spoken within western regions.
Beja: Sometimes known as Bedawi, the Beja community has around 2 million speakers.
The Nubian Languages
The Nubian family of dialects is yet another umbrella of languages spoken by Sudanese people. The most prolific of them all is the Nobiin language, which accounts for most of the speakers in this family. It is ordinary for residents of North Sudan to speak Nobiin along with Sudanese Arabic.
In areas such as Khartoum, North Darfur and Jezirat Aba, Midob, a further Nubian language, is known to be spoken by members of the Midob community who have established themselves in these regions over the years.
Nuer and Dinka (Nilo-Saharan)
Prevalent within south-eastern Sudan, the Nuer language makes up 1.4 million of native tongue throughout the population. The Nuer community have a significant number of members residing in areas such as the Nile Valley.
Like Nuer, the Dinka locals have formed a vast community. In fact, they are the largest ethic group within South Sudan. The Dinka language is separated into dialects categorised by region; South-Eastern, South Central, South-Western, North-Eastern and Western.
Both Nilo-Saharan languages are closely related.
English in Sudan
Since 2005, English has been the second official language of Sudan. As with Arabic, it is avidly used in work environments.
Extinct Languages
A language is at risk of becoming extinct if it loses all native speakers. Within Sudan there are now 5 extinct languages. These are Homa, Mittu, Nding, Togoyo and Tarona. It is interesting to note the fact they have now become extinct; this could be due to the evolution of more modern dialects and what is getting taught.
Summary of Thoughts
It is extremely apparent that Sudan is a highly diverse country in terms of dialect. The continuous growth and development of language and culture within the country accounts for the prodigious string of languages. Whilst each one falls into a different category, whether it be regional or communal, each language is unique.
Do You Require an Interpreter or Translator?
If you feel you could benefit from our services, head over to Crystal Clear Translation for a quote.
by Hammed Sonny | Oct 14, 2024 | Asia
Kurmanji derives from the Kurdish language family. Sometimes known as northern Kurdish, Kurmanji is a language commonly spoken in southeast Turkey and Northern Syria. Out of all the Kurdish dialects, Kurmanji is the most widely spoken, with approximately 15 to 20 million native speakers combined.
History of Kurdish people (The Kurds)
There is not a great deal of information readily available about the background of the Kurds, however there are a few important points that we can note.
Kurdish people were found to be living within the mountains of Anatolia. It was here that dialects like Kurmanji were first heard of and have since evolved into modern tongues over the years.
Kurmanji in Syria
Kurds within Syria reside mostly in three regions of northern Syria close to the Turkish border. They make up the largest ethic minority, however the population is considerably less than that of Turkish Kurds. Out of the Syrian Kurd population, the most part will speak Kurmanji.
Kurmanji in Turkey
The majority of Kurmanji speakers live within the south-eastern area of Turkey and is the largest minority language within the country. Around 8 to 10 million Kurds in Turkey speak Kurmanji as their native tongue.
How is Kurmanji written?
The Kurdish dialect mainly written following the Latin alphabet in both the Turkish and Syrian variations. Although this is utilised widely, it is not classified as the standardised alphabet of the language. It is also not unheard of for Kurdish people to use the Cyrillic and Arabic scripts. Kurmanji differs completely to other Kurdish dialects that commonly use old Yazidi script.
Although the Latin alphabet is heavily used, English speakers would find it challenging to decipher the language due to meanings and pronunciations of words.
Below is an example of the Kurdish alphabet (deriving from Latin):
Examples of Kurmanji phrases:
Rojbash- Hello (formal greeting)
Shevabash- Goodnight
Saet çend e? – What time is it?
Grammar
The structure of grammar is quite complex, which also makes it less intelligible to the English. The grammatical aspects of Kurmanji are unique. In terms of difficulty, it is thought to be a hard language to learn.
Intelligible or Unintelligible?
Kurmanji dialects like that of Turkish and Syrian are considered to be mutually intelligible, as there is very little differences between them. Although there may be an occasional unique word or pronunciation, each dialect is almost identical. Kurmanji is in fact a group of dialects, but due to their striking similarities, most Kurds will state that they simply speak Kurmanji.
Concluding thoughts
It is apparent that the Kurmanji language is very intricate and unique, and although there is not a great deal of research readily available to us, we can still conclude that both Turkish and Syrian Kurmanji are extremely intelligible between regions. However, the language is not as intelligible to those who speak a different native tongue.
Do you require our services?
Should you require assistance with a translator or interpreter, visit Crystal Clear Translation for a quote.
English
Arabic
Dutch
French
German
Italian
Portuguese
Russian
Spanish