Amharic is spoken by about 22 million people as a native language according to the last census from the Central Statistical Agency, and as a second language or bridge language by the rest of the population in Ethiopia. Additionally, Amharic is used by second language speakers all over the world: by the Ethiopian Jewish communities in Ethiopia and Israel. By the Rastafari, Amharic is considered as a holy language by the religion and its followers . The Washington D.C. Office of Human Rights allows government services and education in Amharic. Thus Amharic became one of the six non-English languages in the Language Access Act of 2004.
Wether you have Amharic speaker friends, neighbors, relatives, colleagues, you’ve already made your first contact to the language. Here are few practical reasons to study Amharic.
1. You are traveling to Ethiopia
Knowing that there are 83 different languages with up to 200 different dialects spoken, Amharic is the lingua franca or the bridge language in Ethiopia. It is systematically used to make communication possible between the people who do not share the same native language. So when traveling to Ethiopia, having some basics of Amharic will enrich your experience. Even though English is present, it’s mainly spoken in urban areas.
2. You want to converse with your relatives in Amharic confidently
You may have some basics of the language and you would like to improve your language skills, and be able to speak it confidently with your relatives. Aren’t there times you wish to be part of a family conversation while you hear your relatives arguing or laughing out loud? But you feel not confident enough with your language skills to integrate the discussion.
3. You are a parent of an Ethiopian child and would like to communicate with him/her in Amharic
You want to keep alive your kids native language by engaging some conversation. Here is a place where can practice.
4. You are just Curious about the Ethiopian culture
Learning a language also means understanding the culture of the country. Each country has its own culture and its «codes», its ways of acting. Learning Amharic makes it possible to forget all the clichés and adopt a «fresh look» on the country and its culture.
5. You are doing Business in Ethiopia
Your are going to Ethiopia because you got a job contract, or you are exploring the market in order to invest? Speaking the language of your target market is always a good advice.
6. You are looking for a new language challenge
Because you are a polyglot or you want to be one. You want to acquire additional knowledge and open up new horizons, at the personal and professional level.
7. You want a great brain workout
Researches have shown that bilingualism makes you smarter. It can have a profound effect on your brain, improving cognitive skills not related to language and even shielding against dementia in old age.
8. You want to promote linguistic diversity
By learning and practicing Amharic you’ll be promoting linguistic diversity. Speaking Amharic, or other less commonly taught languages, makes an important contribution to protecting linguistic diversity in the world and avoiding the exclusive generalization of a single language in a globalized world.
You may ask yourself, so How am I learning Amharic?
Well, you are at the right place! Here you can keep practicing Amharic at your own pace.
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