by Hammed Sonny | Sep 27, 2022 | Carribean
Situated on the Hispaniola Island and bordering the Dominican Republic, Haiti is one of the most populous Caribbean regions with a population of 10 million. Haiti is home to a rich cultural history, dating back to as early as 1492, which saw the arrival of Christopher Columbus and the Spanish settlers. This then led to the French takeover. It wasn’t until 1804 that the island gained its independence. It is apparent that Haiti and its spoken languages are greatly influenced by its history- but what is the official language? What other languages are spoken?
French: The official language
The French takeover was a huge part of Haiti’s history. The use of the language has stuck, as the sovereign nation is one of two to have French as its official language. Despite its status, it is only used in official documents, within education and the media- this makes it the country’s administrative language. Only around 5% of the population speak French, even though it is the standard written language. The small minority of speakers are to be found in urban areas and are considered as ‘Well to do’ citizens, due to their success and wealth.
Haitian Creole
More than 95% of Haitian people are fluent in Haitian Creole, making it the most popular language in the region. The language itself is a blend of a handful of West African languages along with Taino and French. Despite is popularity there is a very minute number of texts written in the language, it tends to remain as a solely spoken language.
There are three main dialects within the creole-based tongue which include northern dialect, central dialect and southern. These are based upon region and differ slightly based on their location.
Spanish and English: the minority languages
Spanish and English are both considered minority languages in Haiti.
Spanish is the official language of the Dominican Republic, which borders Haiti. The Spanish language has spilled over into the country’s dialects as a result of interaction between the two regions.
The proportion of Haitians who speak English remains incredibly small, but it is growing in population due to many young people from England coming to Haiti for business and work purposes.
Concluding thoughts
In terms of dialect that Haiti lacks linguistic diversity, with the sole dialect being Haitian Creole and French. The only clear links to foreign languages come from travellers and businesspeople. Haiti is independent in the sense that the majority of its dialect comes from a homegrown language, which the Haitian people take pride in greatly.
Should you require a Haitian Creole interpreter or translator, visit Crystal Clear Translation for a quote.
by Hammed Sonny | Sep 10, 2022 | Africa
Ethiopia is a fascinating mosaic of cultures, not to mention the over eighty-eight languages in the country. Most of the languages can be split up into either Semitic (spoken mainly in the north), Cushitic (native to the western, southern, eastern, and south-western areas) or Omotic languages (concentrated in the southwest). Here, we will look at the main spoken languages in Ethiopia and provide some useful common phrases!
Tigrinya
Tigrinya is a Semitic language, from the Afro-Asiatic language family. Aside from Tigre region of Ethiopia, it is also spoken in Eritrea. The written form of Tigrinya is called Ge’ez, named after the now extinct ancient language that preceded Tigrinya. It is spoken by around 7 million people worldwide and is present in varying communities such as in Israel, the US and Italy. Tigrinya differs in many ways from English. Consecutive consonants never occur at the beginning of words. Emphatic pronunciations are a distinctive feature of Tigrinya. Certain letters such as p or k are pronounced with a retracted tongue which alters the plosive sound of the letter. A consonant can only be in parentheses if it is a borrowed word. Here are some phrases from the Tigrinya language:
- ሰላም (selam) – Hello.
- ከመይ ኣለኻ (kemey ‘aleka) – How are you?
- ስመይ…. ይበሃል (simey … yebehal) – My name is…
- ይቅሬታ! (Yiqreta!) – Sorry.
- የቐንየለይ! (Yekenyeley!) – Thank you.
- ኣበይ ኣሎ ሽንቲ ቤት? (Abey Alo Shnti Bet?) – Where’s the toilet?
Sidama
Sidama is a Cushitic language spoken mainly in the Southern regions of Ethiopia and has over 4.3 million native speakers. It employs a subject-object-verb (SOV) word order, like English, and shares lexical similarity with the Southern Ethiopian languages of Alaba-K’abeena, Kambaata, and Hidiyya. The literacy rate for native Sidama speakers is now below 5%. Until 1993, an Ethiopic alphabet was used to write Sidama, however the language now uses a Latin script. Here are some phrases in the Sidama language:
- Keereho – Hello.
- Keeruni – Goodbye.
- Ane Su’mi – My name is…
- Ate Su’mi ayeti? – What is your name?
- Mee-ae sateeti? – What time is it?
Wolaytta
Wolaytta is a North Omotic language, the official language of Ethiopia’s Welayta zone, and spoken by around 2 million people. The first official Wolaytta publication was produced in 1934, when part of the bible was published in the language by the Sudan Interior Mission. The Welaytta are extremely proud of their written language, for instance when the Ethiopian government attempted to distribute books written in Wegagoda in 1998, the Welaytta discarded them and distributed their own. Wolaytta is a poetic language rich with proverbs such as “If one sells honey that is delicious and sweet to eat what he/she will eat, if one dislikes children, what will he/she love?” This represents the integral nature of children in society symbolised by the positive connotations of honey. It uses the basic SOV sentence structure. Unlike other Ethiopian languages, it uses ‘p’ instead of ‘f’. Here are some phrases in the Wolaytta language:
- Halo – Hello.
- Saro Agadi – Good morning.
- Taani Hagappe – I am from…
- Ta Sunfay – My name is…
- Tana Maara – Excuse me.
- Galatays – Thank you.
- Azanays – I am sorry.
Oromo
Spoken in Ethiopia and Kenya, Oromo is a Cushitic language from the Afro-Asiatic language family and is the language of the Oromo ethnic group. It is one of the five official languages in Ethiopia and is the primary language of 33.8% (around 24.9 million people) of the country’s population. Unlike other languages in this list, like Amharic, Oromo is a macrolanguage, which can be defined as “a group of individual languages which are closely related to each other and are considered as a single language in certain contexts”. Three of the individual languages of the Oromo macrolanguage derive from Ethiopia: Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo, Eastern Oromo, and West-Central Oromo. All these languages are written using a Latin script, although Muslim speakers of the Oromo language use an Arabic script. Here are some Oromo phrases, from the Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo (Afaan Oromoo) language:
- Akkam Jirtuu – How are you?
- Negaa-ti – Goodbye
- Meeqa – How much is it?
- Tole – OK
- Dhiifama – Excuse me
- Galatoomi – Thank you
Amharic
Another of the official languages of Ethiopia, Amharic is the language of the Amhara people, and is one of Semitic languages from the Afro-Asiatic language family. The language is used as a working language (lingua franca) in Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa, the Amhara Region, Gambala Region, and the Benishangul-Gumuz Region. It is also the working language of the Ethiopian federal government, and was previously the only official language of Ethiopia until 2020. Despite being the sole official language of Ethiopia for many years, Amharic was spoken by fewer people than Oromo, being spoken by an estimated 29.1% of the country’s population. In total, Amharic is spoken as a first language by 21.6 million people in Ethiopia. Amharic is written using a version of the Ge’ez script known as Fidel and uses an abugida writing system. Here are some useful phrases in the Amharic language:
- እንኳን ደህና መጣህ. – Welcome
- ሰላም። – Hello
- እንደምን አለህ፧ – How are you?
- እርስዎ ስም ማን ነው፧ – What’s your name?
- የኔ ስም… ነው – My name is…
- መልካም እድል – Good luck!
Somali
The Somali language is spoken most notably in the Somali Region of Ethiopia, located in eastern Ethiopia. Overall, Somali is spoken by 6.5% of the Ethiopian population, which amounts to 4.7 million Somali speakers. The Somali language is an official language of Ethiopia and is also a statutory provincial working language in the Somali Region. The Somali dialects known as Northern Somali and Af Maay are the most widely spoken Somali dialects spoken in Ethiopia. Neither of these dialects are regarded as being mutually intelligible. The Somali language is a subject-object-verb (SOV) language and is written using an Arabic and Latin script. Here are some useful phrases in the Somali language:
- Salaam alaykum – Hello
- Iska warran? – How are you?
- Magacaa? – What’s your name?
- Magacaygu waa… – My name is…
- Xagee ayaad ka timid? – Where are you from?
- Guul ayaan kuu rajaynayaa! – Good luck!
Concluding Thoughts
The multifaceted languages of Ethiopia are distinctly unique and incredibly interesting, highlighting different aspects of Ethiopian culture, as well as the wider cultures of the different ethnic groups that live throughout the country. If you require translation or interpreting services in any language, you can get a quote here from Crystal Clear Translation.
by Hammed Sonny | Aug 8, 2022 | Africa, Arab
The Arabic language, one of the official languages of Chad, was first introduced to the country in the 14th century and became a lingua franca (language used as a means of communication between populations speaking vernaculars that are not mutually intelligible) and was used as a trade language. Chadian Arabic is a dialect that derives from Arabic (an Afro-Asiatic language) and originated from an Arabic-speaking nomadic people known as the Baggara (Arabic for “cattlemen”) that settled in the Lake Chad region. The Baggara people spoke a colloquial form of Arabic known as Shuwa Arabic. This dialect developed over time into Chadian Arabic, which is spoken today by 1.6 million people, located mainly in the southern region of Chad, in cities such as the capital city N’Djamena, Abéché, Am Timan and Mao.
Basic Features of the Chadian Arabic language
The basic vowel and consonant sounds in Chadian Arabic share some similarities with the English language. For example, the vowels used in Chadian Arabic are ‘a,e,i,o,u’. However, Chadian Arabic also uses some consonants that have no equivalent in the English language. These consonants can be written using the phonetic symbols of x and f. The ‘x’ consonant is similar in sound to the ‘ch’ sound that can be found in the German language in words like ‘auch’ or ‘reich’. This kind of sound is known as a fricative. In Chadian Arabic, the consonant can be found in the words for brain, “mukhkh” (مخ), and fear “yakhhaf” (يخاف), specifically in the “-kh” part of the words. The ‘r’ consonant sounds like the Spanish r (sounds like a rolling r, known as an alveolar trill), which is used in words like “risa” (laughter). Alternatively, in Chadian Arabic, this consonant can be found in the word for man, “rajul” (رجل) or the word for lord “raba” (رب).
The consonants ‘x’ and ‘r’ are known in the Chadian Arabic language, and the Arabic language in general, as sun and moon consonants. The “sun” consonants are central consonants; the sound that forms these consonants are produced with the tongue near the teeth. Words in Chadian Arabic that feature sun consonants are the word for bird “teeraay”, and the word for a tree, “chadaraay”. The “moon” consonants are referred to as peripheral consonants because they are articulated near the lips or the back of the mouth. Some words in Chadian Arabic that freature moon consonants are the word for leather “farwa”, the word for dog, “kalib”, and the word for donkey, “humaar”.
Another important basic feature of the Chadian Arabic language are personal pronouns:
I (singular) – “ana”
You (fem. singular) – “inti”
You (masc. singular)– “inta”
He (singular) – “hu”
She (singular) – “hi”
We- “ani-na”
You (plural) – “intu”
They (feminine) “hinna”
They (masculine) “human”
He/They (singular) – “nisu”, (plural) “nisan”
Possessive suffixes in Chadian Arabic are added to the end of the noun to signify possession of an object (as opposed to in English, “my car, your phone”). Here is a list of the possessive suffixes in Chadian Arabic:
My – “-i”
Your (masc. singular) – “-ak”
Your (fem. singular) – “-ki”
His – “-a”
Hers – “-ha”
Our – “-na”
Yours (plural) – “-kum”
Their (masc. plural) – “-hum”
Their (fem. plural) – “-hinna”
Chadian Arabic features only masculine and feminine genders, with no neutral form of the language. Inanimate nouns in the Chadian Arabic language are therefore masculine by default, and there is no specific ending to signify whether a noun is masculine or not. The feminine masculine division is also applied to adjectives when they are used to describe a woman, in which case an adjective in the feminine form is used. To give an example, the word generous, or “karim” (كريم) becomes “karima” when used to describe a woman. The suffix utilised to distinguish the feminine singular word is “-a” or “-e”, but when the adjective ends in a vowel, like the word for nice, “seme”, the suffix “-ha” is used.
Another essential aspect of the Chadian Arabic language is the formation of the past tense. Words in the Chadian Arabic language are formed from a root word, mainly made up of three consonants (C-C-C). The consonants are used to highlight the general meaning of the word and the vowels are used to indicate the tense, and whether a word is plural or singular. The root f-h-m, or “fihim” is used to indicate the word “understand”, and in the past tense becomes “fahm”, and so when used in a sentence would become “hu fahm” (“he understood”).
In Conclusion
While the Chadian Arabic language features some similarities to the Arabic language, it also has several distinct differences in its vocabulary and formation of words in different tenses, as well as its own colloquial terms having originated as a separate form of the Arabic language. Thus, if one was to seek translation or interpretation in the Chadian Arabic language, it would be necessary for the interpreter or translator to know Chadian Arabic language specifically, not just Arabic. If you require translation or interpreting services in the Chadian Arabic language, or any other language, you can get a quote here from Crystal Clear Translation.
by Hammed Sonny | Jul 18, 2022 | Africa
The Hausa Language is vital to the west and central African language system, being the lingua franca within these regions. It is spoken by the Hausa people and is part of the Chadic language family.
Language status
Hausa is an incredibly wide spoken language. It is estimated that 47 million people speak it as a first language, with a further 25 million adopting it as their second tongue. Out of the 47 million around 19 million of the native speakers reside in Nigeria alone. It is in fact, one of the largest scale languages in Africa.
Hausa is used richly within business and commerce settings, as well as through the media and government. In terms of education, Hausa is used within lower education settings, but higher educational facilities will typically use the English language.
As time passes, more and more media outlets, such as newspapers are beginning to distribute exclusive Hausa material.
Where is it spoken?
Hausa people mainly reside in regions such as Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Sudan, Congo and Benin- these are the areas in which you will typically find the language being utilised.
Historical background
Nobody is 100% certain on the definitive origins of Hausa and its people, however there are multiple theories that provide an explanation on the derivation of the dialects.
One theory suggests that Hausa people once resided exclusively near Lake Chad, but due to a drop in water levels, the residents were forced to move. The language was then developed over many years, with the result now being a hugely popular language for many African people.
Varying dialects
As with any language, there are different dialects that account for the Hausa language. Despite its status as a largely spoken language, there is only a small number of dialects which are based upon region.
Eastern: Kano, Katagum and Hadejiya
Western: Sokoto, Katsina, Gobirawa, Adarawa, Kebbawa and Zamfarawa
Northern: Arewa and Arawa
The standard Hausa language is based on the Kano dialect, which is the most widely spoken variation within Nigeria. This is the type most typically heard on the television and radio.
Final Thoughts
Hausa is an extremely popular and historical language which has evolved over the years. The Hausa people have been present for centuries, and now have a vital place within the rich culture of Africa.
Do you require our services?
Should you require an interpretation or translation service, visit Crystal Clear Translation for a quote.
by Hammed Sonny | Jul 12, 2022 | Creole
Creole languages develop initially as a mode of communication between speakers of different languages, initially in the form of a pidgin language. In the cases of some of the languages mentioned in this article, like Jamaican Creole or Nigerian Pidgin, the need for this form of language arose from the colonisation of the Caribbean and Africa by the British Empire and France. Unlike pidgin languages, creole languages are typically spoken as a first language and become official languages, with specific grammatical rules and structures, as well as changes in syntax and pronunciation.
Nigerian Pidgin
Despite what its name might suggest, Nigerian Pidgin, also known as Naijá, is a creole language. In fact, it is one of the most widely spoken creole languages in the world, with 30 million Pidgin speakers worldwide. Although Nigerian Pidgin doesn’t have an official status, it is used by the BBC online and for news broadcasts as part of BBC News Pidgin. There are several different Nigerian Pidgin dialects, such as Lagos Pidgin, Delta Pidgin, Cross River Pidgin, and Benin Pidgin. The language also shares some similarities with the Krio creole language spoken in Sierra Leone and Cameroon Pidgin. Nigerian Pidgin also shares some similarities with other creole languages, such as the use of the word “dey” (“is” and “are”) in both Haitian Creole and Nigerian Pidgin. It also features compounding, the process of combining words form other languages to make new words. For instance, the Nigerian Pidign word “boku-bai” combines French and English words to create a new word meaning “wholesale”.
Here are some useful phrases in Nigerian Pidgin:
- How you dey? – How are you?
- I wan chop – I want to eat
- I dey fine – I’m fine
- Notin spoil – All is well
- Abeg – Please
- I Sabi – I understand
Haitian Creole
Originally spoken by West African slaves and French settlers in Haiti, Haitian Creole has developed into a language with a variety of different linguistic influences, such as French, Kwa languages, Bantu languages, Wolof, and Éwé. Haitian Creole is the official language of Haiti and is also a recognised minority language in the Bahamas. Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and the United States. One example of the influence of French on Haitian Creole is the process of agglutination (combining of words) and the impact it has had on words borrowed from French. For instance, the word “river” in Haitian Creole is “larivyè”, from the French “la rivière”. Other examples include the word “tèt (head)”, similar to the French “tête” (head), as well as the word “vyann” (meat), which bears a similarity to the French word “viande” (meat). Haitian Creole is written using a Latin script and with a subject-verb-object (SVO) word order. There are two primary Haitian Creole dialects, known as Fablas, and Plateau Haitian Creole.
Here are some useful phrases in Haitian Creole:
- Byen venu – Welcome
- Bonjou – Hello
- Sak pase? – How are you?
- Koman ou rele? – What’s your name?
- M rele… – My name is…
- Ki kote ou sòti? – Where are you from?
Jamaican Patois
Also known as Jamaican Creole, Jamaican Patois is an English-based creole language that originates from the 17th and 18th century. There are 2.6 million Jamaican Patois speakers in Jamaica, and an estimated 3 million speakers globally. In addition to this, there are significant populations of Patois speakers in Costa Rica, where there are 55,100 speakers, and 268,000 speakers in Panama. Like Haitian Creole, the Jamaican Patois language has been influenced by African languages, such as Akan, Igbo, and Wolof, as well as English. Jamaican Patois shares some similar pronunciations with English, such as the word “sumadi” (somebody), “moni” (money), and “ier” (hear). The language also features the use of compounding, for instance, “yeye-wata” (literally meaning eye water, or tears). Some Jamaican Patois words that have been borrowed from Akan include “duppy” (meaning a malevolent ghost or spirit) and “anansi” (spider). Like English, Jamaican Patois uses a subject-verb-object (SVO) word order and a Latin script.
Here are some useful phrases in Jamaican Patois:
- Waa gwaan – What’s going on?
- Wah yuh name? – What’s your name?
- Mi deh… – I’m from…
- Nice fi meet yuh – Nice to meet you
- Gud mawnin – Good morning
- Gud luck – Good luck
Kituba
Kituba is a creole language of Central Africa with French, Lingala, Zaire Swahilli and Portuguese influences. Most Kituba speakers live in the Democratic Republic of Congo and there are approximately 5.5million native speakers world-wide. It developed from the trade language, Kimanyanga, which was used within the trade routes that extended from the Atlantic Ocean to the Democratic Republic of Congo. The workers who constructed railroads in the 19th century were hired from all over central Africa, adding their own languages to the mix and creating a new vernacular, Kituba. It is now one of the four major indigenous languages in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and it is spoken in urban centres.
Here are some useful phrases in Kituba:
- Mbote – Hello.
- Zina na nge nani? – What is your name?
- Zina na mono… – My name is…
- Mono ke longuka Kituba. – I am learning Kituba.
- Ebwe nge? – How are you?
- Mono kea be ve – I don’t understand.
Betawi
Betawi, also known as Betawi Malay is spoken by over 5 million people, mainly in Indonesia. It is an informal language developed from 19th century Malay-based Creole. During the era of the Dutch East Indies, Jakarta was called Batavia, which is where Betawi gets its name. It is a combination of Malay, Hokkien, Arabic, Portuguese, and Dutch. Betawi is divided into two main dialects, the more popular Kota and Udik which is concentrated in the suburbs. Betawi is the basis for most slang in Jakarta.
Here are some useful phrases in Betawi:
- Apa Kabare? – What’s up?
- Mo Kemane? – Where to go?
- Begimane Kabarnye? – How’s it going?
Antillean Creole
Antillean Creole is based on French but incorporates Carib and African languages and is spoken mainly in the Lesser Antilles. As English becomes more widespread, the number of people speaking Antillean Creole deteriorates, however, there are certain efforts to maintain its use. Each year at the end of October, St. Lucians celebrate their pride in their Creole language and identity through the festival of ‘Jounen Kweyol’. Furthermore, there has been a literary revival using Antillean Creole in the past few decades due to writers such as Monchoachi. Antillean Creole originated during the era of slavery. Slaves from different parts of Africa were forced to communicate despite not knowing one another’s languages or that of their French slave owners. The combination of these languages become Antillean Creole and spread across the Caribbean.
Here are some useful phrases in Antillean Creole:
- Bonjou – Hello.
- Souplé –
- Mèsi – Thank you.
- Eskizé mwen – Excuse me.
- Jodi-a sé an bel jounin. – Today is a beautiful day.
- Ka ou fè? – How are you?
Concluding Thoughts
Creole languages encapsulate a contentious area of history from the perspective of the colonised and those forced into labour. These individuals have adapted to rapidly changing cultural environments to sustain a semblance of their identity while communicating with a vast number of new people. In modern times these languages are often a point of pride, celebrated as a symbol of unity and survival. To learn one of these languages is to overtly analyse an array of interactions between cultures in every word. Should you require a Creole / Krio interpreter or translator, visit Crystal Clear Translation for a quote.
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