Amharic is a language that is popularly spoken among the Semitic people of North Central Ethiopia and a small part of Eritrea, known as the Amhara. Research indicates that approximately 18.7 million people spoke Amharic in the early 21st Century. After Arabic, Amharic is the most spoken Semitic language in the world and is currently the official language in Ethiopia. The oldest available records of Amharic languages are in the form of songs and poems that were composed in the 14th Century. However, the bulk of literature written in this language can be traced to the 19th Century.
Amharic is an Afro-Asiatic language that is spoken among the Southwest Semitic groups and is known to have been derived from Ethiopic or Ge’ez, a language used by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. It is also known to have links to Tiriginya, Tigré, and other South Arabian languages. The Amharic alphabet is a slightly modified form of the Ge’ez language. The language has a total of 33 basic characters, which can be written in 7 different forms. The development of the Amharic language was also strongly influenced by Cushitic languages, such as Agaw and Oromo, creating two main dialects of the Amharic language; Amarigna and Amarinya. Today, the Amharic language remains a popular language across the globe, especially among Ethiopians in the diaspora, with over 30 million native speakers. The language is however mostly spoken in the Horn of Africa region.
History and Origin of the Amharic Language
The establishment of Amharic can be traced to the 13th Century when the Zagwe Dynasty was overthrown by King Yäkuno Amlak, a prince from Bete Amhara, creating the Aksumite Kingdom. Amharic’s popularity was influenced by the interaction between Semites and Cushites. It was a common language that these two ethnic groups could use to communicate with each other in the Aksumite Empire during trade and multi-cultural interactions. Amharic became more popular after it was declared the ‘King’s language’ (lәsanä nәgus), making it the Ethiopian court’s spoken lingua franca.
During King Teweodros II reign, Amharic was declared Ethiopia’s literary language. This declaration meant that the language would then be used to document royal chronicles, replacing the previous literary language, Ge’ez. King Teweodros II was succeeded by Emperor Yohannes IV, who continued to use Amharic as his literary language, despite his Tigrayan descent. These leaders believed that Amharic would play a crucial role in the unification of all the ethnic groups in Ethiopia. Emperor Menelik II succeeded Emperor Yohannes IV and during his reign, Amharic was declared the national lingua franca.
Subsequently, Emperor Haile Selassie declared Amharic the official language of Ethiopia in 1955. His objective was to unite people of different nationalities and ethnicities under one language. During his reign, Amharic was the only language used in governmental and educational institutions. As a result, the number of elementary schools doubled, increasing the popularity of Amharic and promoting inter-ethnic interactions among the people of Ethiopia.
How Amharic Shapes African Culture and Identity
Amharic is an important part of Ethiopian culture and identity as it influenced them in the following ways:
1. Promoted Unity among various Ethnic Groups
Ethiopia is known to be one of Africa’s most ethnically and culturally diverse nations. It hosts approximately 100 million people who belong to 80 different ethnic groups and speak over 100 different languages. The Amhara people may only account for 27% of the country’s population but their language is recognized as the official Ethiopian language. The language unites people from various backgrounds, promoting unity, peace, and collaboration among the people of Ethiopia.
2. Preservation of Historic Archives
Amharic was the language used by various rulers, such as King Teweodros II, Emperor Yohannes IV, Emperor Menelik II, and Emperor Haile Selassie, as the primary language of communication. The language was used in speech and writing, playing a crucial role in the preservation of the history of Ethiopia.
3. Preservation of Oral and Written Cultural Traditions
Various poems and songs written in Amharic can be traced to the 14th century. The language plays a crucial role in the preservation of the culture of the Ethiopian people. These records of Ethiopian traditions also provide valuable information on the history and heritage of Ethiopia, which can be passed down from one generation to another.
4. Cultural Identity
The Amharic language is known to be spoken among a majority of the Ethiopian population. Amharic speakers who travel to different parts of the world often feel a sense of pride and belonging when they come across fellow Amharic speakers in the diaspora.
Amharic in Pop Culture and Media
Amharic is Ethiopia’s official language, making it a crucial factor in the development of pop culture and media in both local and international contexts. The language is known to influence pop culture and media in the following ways:
1. The Music and Film Industries
A majority of Ethiopian songs and films are composed using the Amharic language. This is important as it contributes to the language’s popularity locally and internationally. These songs and films also play a crucial role in depicting Ethiopia’s cultural beliefs and practices to the rest of the world.
2. Ethiopians Influence in the Diaspora
Ethiopians who relocated to other nations, especially the United States of Africa and Europe, have contributed significantly towards Amharic’s cultural influence globally. This influence is witnessed in the form of cultural events, music, and food found in these countries. When these Ethiopians come together, they use Amharic to communicate and unite them when away from their country.
3. Media and Literature
Amharic is the primary language used by the Ethiopian mass media. It is also the major language used in the composition of remarkable literary works (prose and poems) such as Fikir Eske Mekabir by Haddis Alemayehu. These works highly influence the culture of Ethiopians as most of them relate to these productions and publications.
4. Global Representation
Amharic is a unique language as it has distinct pronunciations and features and it has roots from Ge’ez. Additionally, its ability to unite people from various ethnic and racial backgrounds in Ethiopia has generated interest in the language. Various researchers and linguistic experts have recently expressed interest in Amharic, increasing its popularity globally. Some have gone so far as to learn the language because they were fascinated with it. Amharic has contributed significantly to the nation that Ethiopia is today, making it a significant cultural component in Ethiopia.
References
Alemu, N. (2019). How Amharic unites – and divides – Ethiopia. African Arguments. https://africanarguments.org/2019/05/how-amharic-unites-and-divides-ethiopia/
Omna Tigray. (2024). Amharic as a lingua franca and tool of domination. https://omnatigray.org/amharic-lingua-franca-and-tool-of-domination/
TranslateSwift. (2024). Amharic Language. https://translateswift.com/languages/amharic/
University of Wisconsin. (n.d.). About Amharic. In LCTL Resources for Amharic. https://wisc.pb.unizin.org/lctlresources/chapter/about-amharic/
